Abstract

iii

Dedication

v

Acknowledgements

vi

Table of Contents

vii

List of Tables

ix

List of Figures

x

I

Introduction

1

1.1

Introduction

1

1.2

Objectives

5

II

Literature Review

6

2.1

Reaction Mechanism

6

2.2

Steady State Kinetics

7

2.3

Kinetic Models

11

2.4

The CuO/ZnO/Al₂O₃ Catalyst

18

III.

Experimental

20

3.1

Apparatus

20

3.2

Procedure

27

3.2.1

Catalyst Loading

27

3.2.2

Catalyst Reduction

27

3.2.3

Reaction Procedure

28

3.2.4

Kinetic data Gathering

29

3.2.5

Analytical Procedure

30

IV.

Results and Discussion

33

4.1

Time on Stream Study

33

4.2

Effect of Space Velocity and H₂/(CO+CO₂) Ratio

48

4.3

Effect of Temperature

59

4.4

Comparison with Other Studies

66

4.5

Role of Carbon Dioxide

70

4.6

Pore Diffusional Limitations

77

4.7

Equilibrium Calculations

80

4.8

Rate Equation Development

84

4.9

Catalyst Characterization

88

Literature Cited

89

Appendix A:

Summary of Data

93

Appendix B:

Equilibrium Calculations Program

101

Appendix C:

Process Simulation Program

104

Vita

107