Microtubular ALD-Based Reactor Systems for FTS

Production of liquid fuels from accessible and abundant carbon sources including natural gas, coal and biomass present an attractive solution to crude oil energy concerns.  A novel catalytic reactor fabrication method is discussed as well as its potential disruptive effect on current transportation fuel technology through FTS.  Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is used to fabricate the interior structure of the microtubular reactors catalyst support and catalytic surfaces.  The gas phase deposition technology of ALD is a thin film technology analogous to chemical vapor deposition.  A Co catalyst also deposited by ALD is used for this work.  In this study, evaluation of catalytic activity performed on a laboratory scale FTS system of a microtube reactor is presented.  The economic potential of the technology at different production scales is explored as well as effects of key economic factors.  The potential application of this technology for flare gas and stranded gas conversion to syncrude is an attractive alternative to generating CO2 from burning this excess low value gas.