Institut Francais Du Pe'trole

Pierre Grandvallet

Philippe Courty

Daniel Durand

Edouard Freund

Hubert Ajot

Alain Forestiere

Christine Travers

Patrick Chaumette

On-line test and analysis equipment equivalent for establishing a material balance of a chemical reaction comprising: a reactor; an injection system for a charge having a certain flow and composition, connected to the reactor; instrumentation for measuring the flow and composition of the charge; a heater to heat the reactor so as to provide a gaseous effluent; first analysis instrumentation to provide a qualitative and quantitative analysis of effluents contained in sampling valves; expansion device for the effluents; second analysis instrumentation for expanded effluent; an instrument to measure the volume of the effluents connected to the outlet of the first analysis means; and instrumentation connected to the instrumentation for measuring the flow and composition of the charge, to the instrument for measuring the volume, and to the first and second analysis instrumentation, the processing instrumentation being capable of determining a material balance from the measurements of flow and composition of the charge and the analysis of the charge, and from the analysis of the effluents.

On-line test and analysis process and equipment making it possible to

An analysis process is provided for the determination of a complete material balance of a chemical reaction, especially useful in the studies of catalyst activity. A complete material balance is obtained by determining the output flow from a reactor at the temperature and pressure conditions of the chemical reaction. The reactor output flow is determined by first analyzing the effluent volume composition at the temperature and pressure conditions of the reaction. Subsequently, the effluent is expanded and the volume composition and flow rate of the expanded effluent are measured. From these measurements and the volume composition at the reactor output, the output flow from the reactor is determined. A strict material balance is then possible by comparing the input flow rate and volume composition to the output volume composition and flow rate, thereby establishing a complete material balance at the reaction temperature and pressure. The process is suitable for testing the catalytic activity of even small amounts of catalysts independent on the catalyst shape. Moreover, the process provides a high degree of reproducibility through the automation of temperature control and the analysis of volume compositions and flow rates.

On-line test and analysis process to establish a material balance of a

Process for manufacturing primary alcohols by reacting carbon oxides with hydrogen, in the presence of a catalyst containing, as essential elements, copper, zinc and aluminum, in respective atomic ratios of Zn/Al=0.4:1 to 2:1 Co/Al=0.2:1 to 0.75:1; Cu/Al=0.1:1 to 3:1, the proportion by weight of each metal with respect to the total metals weight being: copper: 10-50%; cobalt: 5-25%; aluminum: 5-30%; zinc: 10-70%, the homogeneity of the catalyst being such that the variations of the atomic ratios Al/Co, Cu/Cc, Zn/Co within the catalyst, at the scale of 5 nanometers are lower than 15% with respect to the average value of said ratio. The catalyst may be prepared by complexing or by coprecipitation of the catalyst elements.

Process for synthesizing a mixture of primary alcohols from a synthesis

The present invention concerns a process of use of a copper and cobalt-containing catalyst for synthesizing saturated primary aliphatic alcohols. This process comprises a first step consisting in at least one catalyst prereduction by means of a gas mixture containing a reducing compound, a second step wherein the prereduced catalyst is contacted with a mixture of hydrogen and carbon oxides (CO, CO.sub.2) for at least 10 hours, so as to produce a mixture of alcohols; a third step wherein the catalyst obtained in the second step is subjected to a treatment with a gas mixture containing a single reducing gas, during about 1 to 400 hours and a fourth step of synthesizing saturated primary aliphatic alcohols from a mixture containing hydrogen and carbon oxides. Optionally the process also comprises an additional step consisting of subjecting the catalyst, whose activity and/or selectivity has been partially lost, to a new treatment according to the procedure defined for the third step. The process according to the invention is particularly applicable to catalysts containing copper, cobalt and optionally aluminum and/or zinc and/or sodium.

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Bruyeres, France

Pierre Grandvallet