POTASSIUM-CONTAINING CALCIUM ALUMINATE CATALYSTS FOR PYROLYSIS OF N-HEPTANE

The effectiveness of potassium promoted calcium aluminate to catalyze the steam pyrolysis of n-heptane has been investigated at 1023 K and a tmospheric pressure. Various amounts of potassium were incorporated on calcium aluminate (12CaO-7Al(2)O(3)) by three different methods. Comp ared to thermal pyrolysis, addition of the calcium aluminate catalyst (either promoted or unpromoted) significantly increased the conversion as well as the yields of CH4, C2H4 and C3H6. The presence of potassiu m significantly reduced the coke deposited on the catalysts due to the enhanced rate of the coke gasification reaction. A significant amount of potassium was lost from the catalysts during preparation as well a s during reaction. The gasification activity was higher for the cataly sts in which the K2CO3 was incorporated by incipient wetness method bu t the potassium loss during reaction was also higher in comparison to catalysts in which the potassium was incorporated by co-sintering. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.