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Catalysis group Department of Chemical Engineering, NTNU

Edd Anders De Magnus Hilde Karin W.Blekkan Chen Rønning Venvik Dragsten

(Techn.)

Anders Kjell ErlingHolmen (em.) Moljord (Pr. II) Rytter (Pr. II)

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Catalysis group

The Catalysis group (KinCat) includes approx. 12-15 scientists and technicians working in SINTEF, 25-30 PhD candidates and 4-6 postdocs, as well as students (MSc) and visiting students (PhD & MSc) from other laboratories.

An overview of our activity is available in or Annual report.

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SFI – inGAP (Innovative Natural Gas Processes and Products)

Centre for research-based innovationIn collaboration with

UiO, SINTEF, Statoil, Borealis, Ineos and HTAS.

Geminicenter NTNU-SINTEF

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~m

~cm

~mm

~nm

Tjeldbergodden methanol plant

Catalyst pellets

Microreactor

Catalyst-particle Au/C

Catalysis

Catalysis is a broad subject, spanning from complex nanomaterials to fullscale industrial plants

Main activitiesNatural Gas conversionOil refiningHydrogen technologyEnergy- and environmental technologyCarbon nanofibre materialsMicrostructured reactorsCatalyst preparationCatalyst characterisationKinetics and reaction engineering

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Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

Oxygenproduction

Synthesis gasproduction

Fischer-Tropschsynthesis

Separation/upgrading

AirNatural gas/

steamH2COCO2

Finalproducts

Rawproducts

C1

C2

C3C4

C5-C11

C12-C20

C20+

0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1

Probability of chain growth, W

eigh

t fra

ctio

n of

pro

duct

, Wn

Catalysts: Co, Fe, RuTemperature: 180-350°CPressure: 1-50 atm

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GTL

Semi-commercial FTS-plant in Mossel Bai, South Africa(GTL.F1). In operation 2004-2008.

We have had a close collaboration with Statoil on this process development for > 20 years

Our main part: Catalyst design,characterization and testing

New development: BTL

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Micro-channelled reactorSteel microstructured reactor

– sections with 800 μm channel height– Channels formed by stacking of foils etched with a

pillar structure– Cross-flow oil-channels between catalyst layers

(cooling) – Unit (2 cm3) placed in tube fitting– Filled with catalyst (high loading Co/Al2O3,

particle size 53-75 μm– Compared with same catalyst in FBR (diluted 1:20

with SiC to ensure uniform temperature, Δ

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CNF growth in macroscopic structures (carbon felt and monoliths)

Applications:

•Catalyst supports

•Waste water treatment, bioseparation

•Composite material reinforcement

Contaminated liquid

Purified liquid

Carbon-carbon composites

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Propane dehydrogenation (PDH) on morphology (size and shape) controlled Pt catalysts

C-C

C-H

Pt Size

Cubic Octahedron

Figure 1 Effect of PDH on a) size (1 to 9 nm) and b) shape (12 nm) controlled Pt catalysts (723 K; Propane, 3 kPa; Hydrogen, 3 kpa)

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TKP4515 Katalyse og petrokjemi FDETKP4515 Catalysis and petrochemistry SC

Topics (each 3.75 ECTS) in the FDE/SC (7.50 ECTS):

Environmental and energy catalysisRenewable energy, hydrogen technology, photocatalysis, green

chemistry, NOx-removal Heterogenous catalysis, advanced course

Continues from TKP4155 Reaction kinetics and catalysis, also provides training in interpreting scientific literature, report writing and presentations

Topics from other SC’s can also be chosen

HES and experimental workObligatory part of the SC, 1 week early in the semester

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Projects autumn 2012Examples of topics (overview): Fischer-Tropsch synthesis Hydrotreating of bio-oils Syngas cleaning Partial oxidation of methane without the use of gas phase oxygen Kinetic study of water gas shift and methanation Synthesis and applications of nanoparticles Photocatalytic fuel production through splitting of water and phororeforming

of hydrocarbons Doped carbon nanostructures as metal-free catalysts Hydrothermal synthesis and testing of Fischer-Tropsch catalysts Dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether (DME). Microchannel membrane reactor for small scale hydrogen production

In total more than 20 proposals, see the complete list on the ”Innsida” site Mostly experimental, but also theory/modelling

We prefer and advice that you continue with the MSc thesis on the same subject

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PhD scholarshipsWe have a large PhD-programme and hope that many of you wish to continue

with research work!

Some recent PhD candidates, their theses and workplace:• Esther Ochoa Fernandez: CO2-acceptors for methane reforming (Statoil

Trondheim)• Hilde Dyrbeck: Propane dehydrogenation (Statoil Stjørdal)• Nina Hammer: Au/CNF as catalyst for CO removal reactions (Yara

Porsgrunn)• Astrid L. Mejdell: Pd membranes for hydrogen separation (Statoil

Trondheim)• Hamidreza Bakhtiary Davijany: Performance assessment of a packed bed

microstructured reactor- heat exchanger for methanol synthesis (DNV, Oslo)• Shreyas Rane: Relation Between Catalyst Properties and Selectivity in

Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (Trøndelag R&D Institute, Trondheim)

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Meet us in room 323 (K5) afterwards!