Abstract: A process for preparing a catalyst precursor includes forming a slurry of particles of an insoluble metal compound, where the metal of the insoluble metal compound is an active catalyst component, with particles and/or one or more bodies of a pre-shaped catalyst support in a carrier liquid. The particles of the insoluble metal compound are thus contacted with the particles and/or the one or more bodies of the pre-shaped catalyst support. A treated catalyst support is thereby produced. Carrier liquid is removed from the slurry to obtain a dried treated catalyst support, which either directly constitutes the catalyst precursor, or is optionally calcined to obtain the catalyst precursor.

Abstract: A method of preparing a catalyst precursor comprises contacting a catalyst support material with a tungsten compound, to obtain a tungsten-containing catalyst support material. The tungsten-containing catalyst support material is calcined at a temperature above 900° C. to obtain a modified catalyst support. A precursor compound of an active catalyst component is introduced onto and/or into the modified catalyst support thereby to obtain a catalyst precursor.

Abstract: A method of cleaning fouled process equipment which includes a process vessel (10) fouled by an organic foulant, includes spraying a hydrocarbon stream at a pressure of at least 69 bar(g) at fouled surfaces inside the process vessel (10) thereby to dislodge the organic foulant from the fouled surfaces. The hydrocarbon stream is sprayed from at least one nozzle (24) located inside the process vessel (10). The hydrocarbon stream is at a temperature below the melting point of the organic foulant or below the melting point of a major component of the organic foulant when the organic foulant is a multi-component organic foulant. The dislodged foulant is removed from the process vessel (10).

Abstract: A process (10) for co-producing power and hydrocarbons includes gasifying (16, 70) coal to produce a synthesis gas (36) and a combustion gas (86) both comprising at least CO1H2 and CO2 and being at elevated pressure, separating CO2 (18, 48) from the synthesis gas, and synthesizing (20, 22) hydrocarbons from the synthesis gas. Power (1 14) is generated from the combustion gas, including by combusting (78) the combustion gas in the presence of oxygen and in the presence of at least a portion of the separated CO2 as moderating agent to produce a hot combusted gas (106) which includes CO2. The CO2 is recycled (1 12) or recovered from the combusted gas. In certain embodiments, the process (10) produces a CO2 exhaust stream (134) for sequestration or capturing for further use.

Abstract: A process (10) for co-producing synthesis gas and power includes in a synthesis gas generation stage, producing a hot synthesis gas and, in a nuclear power generation stage (12), heating a working fluid with heat generated by a nuclear reaction to produce a heated working fluid and generating power by expanding the heated working fluid using one or more turbines (16), with additional heating (14) of the heated working fluid by indirect transfer of heat from the hot synthesis gas to the heated working fluid.

Abstract: A process for preparing a cobalt based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst precursor includes introducing a multi-functional carboxylic acid having the general formula (1) HOOC—C*R1C*R2—COOH (1) or a precursor thereof, where C* in each of C*Ri and C*R2 is a sp2 carbon, and R1 and R2 are the same or different, and are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and an organic group, into and/or onto a particulate catalyst support. The ratio of the quantity of multifunctional carboxylic acid used relative to the support surface area is at least 0.3 ?mol carboxylic acid/m2 of support surface area. Simultaneously with the introduction of the carboxylic acid into and/or onto the catalyst support, or subsequent thereto, a cobalt compound is introduced into and/or onto the catalyst support. The impregnated support is calcined to obtain the cobalt based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst precursor.

Abstract: A process (200) to synthesise hydrocarbons includes gasifying (12) a carbonaceous feed material at a temperature sufficiently high to produce at least one hot synthesis gas stream (42) at a temperature of at least 900° C. and comprising at least CO and H2. In a Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis stage (22), synthesis gas is converted to hydrocarbons, providing a tail gas stream (40) containing methane. The tail gas stream (40) is subjected to steam reforming (30) thereby converting the methane to CO and H2 producing a reformed gas stream which is recycled to the Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis stage (22). The steam reforming (30) takes place at an elevated temperature of at least 700° C. and heat for the steam reforming is provided by indirect heat exchange with the at least one hot synthesis gas stream (42).

Abstract: Method of operating a three-phase slurry reactor includes feeding at a low level at least one gaseous reactant into a vertically extending slurry body of solid particles suspended in a suspension liquid, the slurry body being contained in at least two vertically extending shafts housed within a common reactor shell, each shaft being divided into a plurality of vertically extending channels at least some of which are in slurry flow communication and the slurry body being present in at least some of the channels. The gaseous reactant is allowed to react as it passes upwardly through the slurry body present in at least some of the channels of the shafts, thereby to form a non-gaseous and/or a gaseous product. Gaseous product, if present, and/or unreacted gaseous reactant is allowed to disengage from the slurry body in a head space above the slurry body.

Abstract: A process for polymerizing or oligomerising a hydrocarbon includes feeding at a low level a liquid hydrocarbon reactant into a bulk liquid phase comprising polymeric or oligomeric product admixed with a catalyst. The liquid hydrocarbon reactant is allowed to vaporise to form bubbles rising through the bulk liquid phase and to polymerise or oligomerise to form the polymeric or oligomeric product, with the rising bubbles creating turbulence in the bulk liquid phase, thereby mixing the bulk liquid phase. Gaseous components comprising any unreacted vaporised hydrocarbon reactant and any gaseous product that may have formed are withdrawn from a head space above the bulk liquid phase. Liquid phase from the bulk liquid phase is withdrawn to maintain the bulk liquid phase at a desired level.

Abstract: A process (10) for co-producing power and hydrocarbons includes in a wet gasification stage (70), gasifying coal to produce a combustion gas (86) at elevated pressure comprising at least H2 and CO; enriching (72) a first portion of the combustion gas with H2 to produce an H2-enriched gas (88); and generating power (77) from a second portion of the combustion gas. In a dry gasification stage (16), coal is gasified to produce a synthesis gas precursor (36) at elevated pressure comprising at least H2 and CO. At least a portion of the H2-enriched gas (88) is mixed with the synthesis gas precursor (36) to provide a synthesis gas for hydrocarbon synthesis, with hydrocarbons being synthesized (20, 22) from the synthesis gas. In certain embodiments, the process (10) produces a CO2 exhaust stream (134) for sequestration or capturing for further use.

Abstract: A process for producing hydrocarbons and, optionally, oxygenates of hydrocarbons is provided. A synthesis gas comprises hydrogen, carbon monoxide and N-containing contaminants selected from the group consisting of HCN, NH3, NO, RXNH3-X, R1—CN and heterocyclic compounds containing at least one nitrogen atom as a ring member of a heterocyclic ring of the heterocyclic compound. The N-containing contaminants constitute, in total, at least 100 vppb but less than 1 000 000 vppb of the synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is contacted at an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure, with a particulate supported Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst. The catalyst comprises a catalyst support, Co in catalytically active form supported on the catalyst support, and a dopant selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), ruthenium (Ru) and/or rhenium (Re). The dopant level is expressed by a formula. Hydrocarbons and, optionally, oxygenates of hydrocarbons are obtained.

Abstract: A process to separate a multi-component hydrocarbon stream which includes ethylene and other components with at least some of the components being present in a number of phases, is provided. The process includes in a first flash stage, flashing the multi-component hydrocarbon stream, from an elevated pressure and temperature to a pressure in the range of 10-18 bar(a), producing a first ethylene-containing vapour stream at a pressure in the range of 10-18 bar(a) and a multi-phase stream which includes some ethylene. In a second flash stage, the multi-phase stream is flashed to a pressure of less than 6 bar(a), producing a second vapour stream at a pressure of less than 6 bar(a) and a bottoms stream. The first ethylene-containing vapour stream is removed from the first flash stage, the second vapour stream is removed from the second flash stage and the bottoms stream is removed from the second flash stage.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon synthesis process (10) includes feeding gaseous reactants (18) into a slurry bed (14), allowing the gaseous reactants (18) to react catalytically, thereby to form liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon products, and subjecting a product mixture comprising liquid product and catalyst particles in a filtration stage to filtration, by passing the liquid product through a filtering medium (30) to separate catalyst particles from the liquid product. The gaseous products are withdrawn (23) and cooled to form a multi-phase product which is separated to produce at least a hydrocarbon condensate stream (88) and a tail-gas stream (84). At least a portion of the hydrocarbon condensate stream (88) is treated (96) to remove oxygenated components therefrom, producing a backflush condensate. From time to time, the filtering medium (30) of the filtration stage is backflushed by passing the backflush condensate through the filtering medium (30).

Abstract: A fixed bed coal gasifier (300) includes a coal gasification chamber with a coal lock above the chamber. A static coal distribution device inside the gasification chamber includes a hollow coal distributor which flares downwardly outwardly with a skirt depending downwardly from an inside of the coal distributor so that a gas collection zone is defined between the skirt and the coal distributor. The gasifier (300) has an ash discharge outlet (606) and a rotatable grate (600) above the outlet (606). The rotatable grate (600) includes at least one upwardly projecting finger or disturbing formation (500) to disturb the ash bed formed in use above and around the grate (600).

Abstract: A method (10) for the production of synthesis gas includes humidifying an oxygen-containing stream (40) by contacting the oxygen-containing stream (40) with a hot aqueous liquid (58) to produce a humidified oxygen-containing stream (42), and feeding the humidified oxygen-containing stream (42) into a gasifier (20) in which a carbonaceous material (44) is being gasified, thereby to produce synthesis gas.

Abstract: A process for co-producing synthesis gas and power includes producing a synthesis gas comprising at least CO and H2 by reacting a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock with oxygen, the synthesis gas being at a first temperature, separating air from a compressed air stream by means of at least one ion transport membrane unit thereby producing a permeate stream consisting predominantly of oxygen and a reject stream of oxygen-depleted air at a second temperature which is lower than the first temperature, indirectly heating the reject stream of oxygen-depleted air with the synthesis gas and at least partially expanding, the heated reject stream of oxygen-depleted air through at least one turbine to generate power, producing an at least partially expanded reject stream of oxygen-depleted air, and feeding at least a portion of the permeate stream consisting predominantly of oxygen to the synthesis gas generation stage to provide oxygen for production of synthesis gas.

Abstract: A process (10) for the preparation and conversion of synthesis gas includes reforming a feed gas (34) comprising methane in a reforming stage (18) to produce synthesis gas (46) which includes hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Some of the hydrogen and carbon monoxide is converted to a Fischer-Tropsch product (48) in a Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis stage (24). A tail gas (52), including unreacted hydrogen and carbon monoxide, methane and carbon dioxide, is separated from the Fischer-Tropsch product (48). In a tail gas treatment stage (28,30), the tail gas (52) is treated by reforming the methane in the tail gas (52) with steam (66) and removing carbon dioxide to produce a hydrogen rich gas (56). The tail gas treatment stage (28,30) may be either a combined tail gas treatment stage (28,30) or a composite tail gas treatment stage. The carbon dioxide from the tail gas treatment stage (28,30) is fed to the reforming stage (18).

Abstract: A process for preparing a catalyst precursor includes, in a first preparation step, impregnating a particulate catalyst support with an organic metal compound in a carrier liquid. The metal of the organic metal compound is an active catalyst component. An impregnated intermediate is formed, and is calcined to obtain a calcined intermediate. Thereafter, in a second preparation step, the calcined intermediate from the first preparation step is impregnated with an inorganic metal salt in a carrier liquid. The metal of the inorganic metal salt is an active catalyst component. An impregnated support is obtained, and is calcined, to obtain the catalyst precursor. The metal is in particular cobalt. The precursor is reduced, in particular with hydrogen, to obtain the active catalyst. Also claimed is a process for the hydrogenation of CO, as well as a process for the hydrogenation of an organic compound using the so-prepared catalyst.

Abstract: A process for producing a supported cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst includes, in a first activation stage, treating a particulate catalyst precursor with a reducing gas, at a heating rate, HR1, until the precursor has reached a temperature, T1, where 80° C.?T1?180° C., to obtain a partially treated precursor. In a second activation stage, the partially treated precursor is treated with a reducing gas, at an average heating rate, HR2, with x step increments, where 0<HR2<HR1, for a time, t1, where t1 is from 0.1 to 20 hours, to obtain a partially reduced precursor. Thereafter, in a third activation stage, the partially reduced precursor is treated with a reducing gas, at a heating rate, HR3, where HR3>HR2 until the partially reduced precursor reaches a temperature, T2. The partially reduced precursor is maintained at T2 for a time, t2, where t2 is from 0 to 20 hours, to obtain an activated catalyst.

Abstract: A process for producing a supported cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst includes, in a first activation stage, treating a particulate catalyst precursor with a reducing gas, at a heating rate, HR1, until the precursor has reached a temperature, T1, where 80° C.?T1?180° C., to obtain a partially treated precursor. In a second activation stage, the partially treated precursor is treated with a reducing gas, at a heating rate, HR2, where 0?HR2<HR1, for a time, t1, where t1 is from 0.1 to 20 hours, to obtain a partially reduced precursor. Thereafter, in a third activation stage, the partially reduced precursor is treated with a reducing gas, at a heating rate, HR3, where HR3>HR2 until the partially reduced precursor reaches a temperature, T2. The partially reduced precursor is maintained at T2 for a time, t2, where t2 is from 0 to 20 hours, to obtain an activated catalyst.