Negative Effects of CO2 in the Feed Stream on the Catalytic Performance of Precipitated Iron-Based Catalysts for Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis

Fischer–Tropsch synthesis was carried out over precipitated iron-based catalysts with different amounts of CO 2 in the feed stream while maintaining both total reaction pressure (1.5 MPa) and partial pressure of H 2 + CO (0.75 MPa) using an inert balance gas, N 2 . The CO 2 in the feed stream decreased the rate of hydrocarbon formation, but it had no significant influence on the carbon number distribution of hydrocarbons. The CO 2 in the feed stream also suppressed CO 2 formation, decreasing both CO conversion and CO 2 selectivity. We attribute the decreased reaction rate to the partial competition in the adsorption behavior between CO and CO 2 as revealed in the temperature-programmed desorption. Graphical abstract