Abstract: The present invention pertains to a reactor tube comprising a fixed bed of Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles, wherein the catalyst particles in 5% to 40% of the fixed bed volume at the upstream end have an average outer surface to volume ratio (S/V) in the range of between 3.0 to 4.5 mm?1, and the catalyst particles in the remaining fixed bed volume have an average outer surface to volume ratio (S/V) in the range of between 4.5 to 8.0 mm?1, and wherein the difference between the average S/V of the particles at the upstream end and the average S/V of the particles in the remaining fixed bed volume is at least 0.5 mm?1.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a reactor tube comprising a fixed bed of Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles, wherein the catalyst particles in 5% to 40% of the fixed bed volume at the upstream end have an average outer surface to volume ratio (S/V) in the range of between 3.0 to 4.5 mm?1, and the catalyst particles in the remaining fixed bed volume have an average outer surface to volume ratio (S/V) in the range of between 4.5 to 8.0 mm?1, and wherein the difference between the average S/V of the particles at the upstream end and the average S/V of the particles in the remaining fixed bed volume is at least 0.5 mm?1.

Abstract: The invention comprises a cooling module for use in a reactor for carrying out an exothermic process, such as a Fischer-Tropsch process, comprising a coolant inlet, a coolant distribution chamber, a plurality of cooling tubes, a coolant collection chamber, and a coolant discharge. A plurality of tubes extend through the distribution chamber to enable fluid communication between the space on one side of the distribution chamber and the space between the cooling tubes, and wherein at least 80% of the cooling tubes are arranged separately with a distance to the nearest cooling tube of at least 1 cm.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reactor for carrying out an exothermic process comprising a reactor shell, inlets for introducing reactants and coolant into the reactor shell, outlets for removing product and coolant from the reactor shell, and a plurality of cooling modules, the reactor comprising for at least some of the modules a skirt for guiding gas underneath the modules.