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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>Hi Tom and Brian,</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>> On Jan 29, 2011, at 11:56 AM, Thomas Reed
wrote:<BR>> <BR>>> Was my firm belief until two years ago. Now
many people are making both FT diesel and methanol from 50% N2 producer
gas. I believe the excess N2 buffers the reaction and protects the
catalyst.<BR>>> <BR>>> COMMENTS?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>The issue of using producer gas as a feed
stock for the FT process, was proven here in New Zealand, by the
Department of Industrial and Scientific Research, back in the late 70's by
Dr Jim Cousins, when they found using pure oxygen economic suicide to make
syngas. I recorded this project on the Fluidyne Archives back about 2003 <A
href="http://www.fluidynenz.250x.com">www.fluidynenz.250x.com</A> when
this Forum interest of that time, turned to the FT
process.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>From Brian: </DIV>
<DIV><BR>> Well, we're counting on that being a true statement. Don't suppose
you know some process details... Nature of the catalyst? Temp and pressure of
the reactants in the cat bed?<BR>> <BR>> -brian<BR></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>The basic design and temperature profiles are shown on the original
DSIRO photos, but my understanding from that time, was that it produced
petroleum wax, and that was then refined into the fuel of choice. To finger the
problem of using industrial scale producer gas, is that most
large systems are not tar free, and if you need to compress the
gas, technical challenges come thick and fast. Nitrogen may very well offer
some protection to Tom's unspecified catalyst, but hydrocarbons (tar) have been
said to poison the catalysts of some processes. The DSIRO system was not
prone to poisoning if I remember correctly, and is possibly easier to duplicate,
than trying to purchase small amounts of a commercial catalyst.</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>Others on this Forum did set out to make DIY FT systems after I
posted the DSIRO project, so maybe they can be persuaded to recall their
experiences. Or you could refer back to the Archives around 2003 of this Forum,
and read the discussions.</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>Doug Williams.</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>