An environmental friendly catalyst for the high temperature shift reaction

Abstract

The need for environmental protection has demanded the searching nontoxic catalysts easily handled and discarded. This work deals with the use of aluminum as a substitute of chromium, in iron- and copper-based catalysts for the high temperature shift reaction. Catalysts were prepared in the commercial form (hematite) and was evaluated in more severe operational conditions than the usual industrial one (e.g. steam to carbon ratios, R, lower than 0.6). It was found that aluminum can replace chromium in these catalysts leading to better catalytic properties as compared to chromium. The catalyst has the advantage of being non toxic and can work in low amounts of steam.