The mechanism of hydrocarbon synthesis from CO and H2 on cobalt catalysts

Basic process for manufacturing liquid fuel and valuable chemicals from nonpetroleum feedstock (coal, natural gas, biomass) is the synthesis of hydrocarbons from CO and H₂ on catalysts containing Group VIII transition metals. There are also other processes for producing hydrocarbon mixtures from nonpetroleum feedstock (for example, coal or biomass hydrogenation, coal devolatilization and pyrolysis), but the preferential development of the Fischer-Tropsch process confirms its viability and prospects, which are determined by a huge source of raw materials—coal reserves in the energy equivalent are an order of magnitude higher than those of crude oil.