Abstract:
Experimental studies have been carried out to investigate the effect of preparation
methods, preparation variables and operating conditions on the activity and,
especially, on the life of the laboratory scale Low Temperature Shift (LTS) catalysts.
In every case, the results observed on industrial catalyst are compared with the
results obtained using the prepared catalysts. Copper based catalysts have been
prepared following co-precipitation, solution and incipient wet impregnation
technique. The activity test results, presented graphically, show that preparation
methods have considerable influence on LTS catalyst. To find out the optimum
catalyst composition, reduction and reaction conditions, the effect of CuO
concentrations (15-41%), ZnO/AhO) ratio (0.73-4.27), reduction temperature (150-
350°C), reduction time (1-6 hr), and reaction temperature (ISO-400°C) on the activity
of the prepared catalysts has been studied. The conversion of carbon monoxide is
observed to change about 90% when concentration of CuO in catalyst is increased
from IS to 41%. Significant increase of the rate of reaction has been noticed with
increasing ZnO/AhO) ratio. Industrial catalyst and the catalysts prepared by
impregnation method have been used for short-term and long-term stability tests to
establish the deactivation trends. The physical properties of the catalysts, which are
used to correlate with the results of activity testing, viz. total pore volume, active
metal surface area and Temperature Programmed Reduction (TPR) profile have been
determined using conventional characterization methods. Considerable influence of
preparation method and catalyst composition on BET area, pore volume and TPR
profile of the catalysts has been observed.
