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Gas Chromatograph Calibration - CO2 Conversion - Gas Flow Management

Gas Chromatograph Calibration - Methanol and DME production from CO2: catalyst synthesis, characterization and performance

Increasing attention toward climate changes and the recent strategic policies to stabilize and reduce the amount of CO2 emissions have resulted in the promotion of research in the field of carbon capture, utilization, and storage, where CO2 utilization technologies are expected to play a very important role. The aim of the activity is the development of advanced catalysts, both supported and non-supported for the production of methanol and dimethyl ether (DME) from CO2. Thanks to the encouraging results, the obtained catalysts are the subject of the PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) application number PCT/EP2019/053068: “Efficient catalyst for the conversion of CO2 to methanol”. Their catalytic activity is determined in a high pressure automatic bench-scale reactor under realistic conditions (250°C, 30 bar, gas feed: 75% H2/25% CO2, by volume). The concentrations of the inlet gas and the reactor effluent are monitored by means of an online gas chromatograph (Agilent 7890B) equipped with TCD detector for H2, N2, CO2, CO and other possible hydrocarbons (CH4, C3H8, C4H10 etc.) and a FID detector for H2S, CO2, CH3OH, DME, C4/C5.

Benefits and Savings.

The use of the MCQ 4000 series allows to obtain a double advantage: (i) the desired concentration of different gas mixtures for the achievement of reliable calibration curves using only pure gases; (ii) the possibility to feed, at low pressure, the bench-scale plant with different gas compositions and different concentrations, including a simulating syngas. A traditional calibration method would require as many gas cylinders, at different concentrations, as the number of points in the calibration curve. Furthermore, dimethyl ether (DME) is hard to be obtained in different concentrations, and it is often mixed with other impurities and it is unstable. Besides, a lot of time is required in gas delivering. In this regard, with MCQ instruments, Sotacarbo needs only of a pure gas cylinder of DME, mixed with an inert gas (N2) for calibrating the GC instruments. This solution has been successfully employed for calibrating other gases such as H2, CO2, CO, CH4 or N2 with a remarkable saving of money and reducing time.

----- IN PILLS:

Gas Mixer vs. Mass Flow Controller

GB4000 Series and its software made the calibration an easy procedure comparing it with the traditional mass flow controllers system.

Time Savings

Without the MCQ Gas Blender, for each point of the calibration curve, the replacement of the gas cylinder is necessary. With the MCQ solution you can quickly calibrate the instrument for several types of gases without any replacement.

Flow Rates. No Cut-Off

MCQ GB4000 Series allows you to control the flow in all the calibration range, from 1 ml/min to 5000 ml/min with NO cut-off

Without MCQ?

A standard calibration method using gas cylinders containing a mixture of gases at the desired concentration would have been used for the GC setting. The use of standard Mass Flow Controller in order to feed the bench scale plant is required to TIME SAVINGS: create the desired mixture.

Software Automation

Thanks to our Software PRO version and its option "Automatic Program", now Sotacarbo can bring forward experiments in automation, painlessly.

Flow Stability

Thanks to our revolutionary method every gas flow has a great stability making possible to have a stable flow also for a lower flow-range.

Details

  • Via delle Quattro Fontane, Roma RM, Italy
  • Giuseppe Canuti

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