Abstract: A method of partially oxidizing a feed gas comprises providing a reactor containing a catalyst, providing a gas distributor comprising a body having a plurality of channels therethrough and a plurality of outlets from said channels for distributing gas across the catalyst, feeding the feed gas and the oxygen-containing gas into the gas distributor and allowing the feed gas and the oxygen-containing gas to flow through the gas distributor and out through the outlets into contact with the catalyst. The gas distributor preferably comprises a micro-channel gas distributor, which can be assembled by providing a plurality of etched plates defining flow channels, and stacking and fusing the plates. The reactant gases can be mixed within the gas distributor or maintained separately until they have exited the gas distributor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for managing hydrogen in a hydrocarbon gas to liquid plant. The process includes passing a syngas feed stream produced by a partial oxidation reactor to a Fischer-Tropsch reactor, thereby converting the syngas to hydrocarbon liquids. The hydrogen management process further includes passing a second hydrogen rich stream produced by an auxiliary source to a hydrogen user such as an FT water stripper, an FT catalyst regeneration unit, and an FT product upgrading unit. The auxiliary source could be a process for converting hydrocarbons to syngas, a process for converting hydrocarbons to olefins, a process for converting hydrocarbons to aromatics, a process for catalytically dehydrogenating hydrocarbons, a process for catalytically cracking hydrocarbons, a process for refining petroleum, and a process for converting hydrocarbons to carbon filaments.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing the heat required to maintain the desired temperature for catalyst regeneration. The catalyst is heated by contacting a reactant gas mixture with the catalyst in order to initiate an exothermic reaction and, once the desired temperature is achieved, exposing the catalyst to a regenerating gas. The temperature may also be maintained by heating the reactant gas mixture prior to contacting the catalyst and/or adding a liquid, which may be heated, to the catalyst. For heating a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst for regeneration, the reactant gas preferably contains less than 12 mole percent carbon monoxide and more preferably contains between 1 and 4 mole percent carbon monoxide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for managing hydrogen in a hydrocarbon gas to liquid plant. The process includes feeding a syngas stream produced by a partial oxidation reactor to a Fischer-Tropsch reactor, thereby converting the syngas to hydrocarbon liquids. It also includes passing a substantially oxygen-free feed stream comprising hydrocarbon gas and water to a steam reformer, thereby producing a hydrogen-rich stream. The H2/CO ratio in the syngas feed stream can be adjusted to a desired value by introducing a first portion of the hydrogen-rich stream to the syngas feed stream. A second portion of the hydrogen-rich stream can be passed to one or more hydrogen users, e.g., a catalyst regeneration unit, in the GTL plant.

Abstract: Embodiments include a method and apparatus for producing synthesis gas in a catalytic partial oxidation reactor by adding hydrogen to the reactor feed stream.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for controlling the ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide in feed streams to reactors that convert syngas to hydrocarbon liquids. The process includes primary syngas production process for converting hydrocarbon gas to syngas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The process further includes introducing a hydrogen rich stream, a carbon monoxide rich stream, or both produced by an auxiliary source to a feed stream being passed to a reactor for converting the syngas to hydrocarbon liquid, thereby adjusting the H2/CO ratio in the feed stream. Examples of reactors that may be used to convert syngas to hydrocarbon liquids are FT reactors staged in series and oxygenate producing reactors staged in series.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for managing hydrogen in a hydrocarbon gas to liquid plant. The process includes passing a syngas feed stream produced by a partial oxidation reactor to a Fischer-Tropsch reactor, thereby converting the syngas to hydrocarbon liquids. The hydrogen management process further includes passing a second hydrogen rich stream produced by an auxiliary source to a hydrogen user such as an FT water stripper, an FT catalyst regeneration unit, and an FT product upgrading unit. The auxiliary source could be a process for converting hydrocarbons to syngas, a process for converting hydrocarbons to olefins, a process for converting hydrocarbons to aromatics, a process for catalytically dehydrogenating hydrocarbons, a process for catalytically cracking hydrocarbons, a process for refining petroleum, and a process for converting hydrocarbons to carbon filaments.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for managing hydrogen in a hydrocarbon gas to liquid plant. The process includes feeding a syngas stream produced by a partial oxidation reactor to a Fischer-Tropsch reactor, thereby converting the syngas to hydrocarbon liquids. It also includes passing a substantially oxygen-free feed stream comprising hydrocarbon gas and water to a steam reformer, thereby producing a hydrogen-rich stream. The H2/CO ratio in the syngas feed stream can be adjusted to a desired value by introducing a first portion of the hydrogen-rich stream to the syngas feed stream. A second portion of the hydrogen-rich stream can be passed to one or more hydrogen users, e.g., a catalyst regeneration unit, in the GTL plant.

Abstract: Embodiments include a method and apparatus for producing synthesis gas in a catalytic partial oxidation reactor by adding hydrogen to the reactor feed stream.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for controlling the ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide in feed streams to reactors that convert syngas to hydrocarbon liquids. The process includes primary syngas production process for converting hydrocarbon gas to syngas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The process further includes introducing a hydrogen rich stream, a carbon monoxide rich stream, or both produced by an auxiliary source to a feed stream being passed to a reactor for converting the syngas to hydrocarbon liquid, thereby adjusting the H2/CO ratio in the feed stream. Examples of reactors that may be used to convert syngas to hydrocarbon liquids are FT reactors staged in series and oxygenate producing reactors staged in series.

Abstract: A method of partially oxidizing a feed gas comprises providing a reactor containing a catalyst, providing a gas distributor comprising a body having a plurality of channels therethrough and a plurality of outlets from said channels for distributing gas across the catalyst, feeding the feed gas and the oxygen-containing gas into the gas distributor and allowing the feed gas and the oxygen-containing gas to flow through the gas distributor and out through the outlets into contact with the catalyst. The gas distributor preferably comprises a micro-channel gas distributor, which can be assembled by providing a plurality of etched plates defining flow channels, and stacking and fusing the plates. The reactant gases can be mixed within the gas distributor or maintained separately until they have exited the gas distributor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing the heat required to maintain the desired temperature for catalyst regeneration. The catalyst is heated by contacting a reactant gas mixture with the catalyst in order to initiate an exothermic reaction and, once the desired temperature is achieved, exposing the catalyst to a regenerating gas. The temperature may also be maintained by heating the reactant gas mixture prior to contacting the catalyst and/or adding a liquid, which may be heated, to the catalyst. For heating a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst for regeneration, the reactant gas preferably contains less than 12 mole percent carbon monoxide and more preferably contains between 1 and 4 mole percent carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A tubular reactor with a catalyst bed and inserts placed within the tubes redirecting the flow from the center to the wall of the tube. The redirected flow increases the amount of heat transfer through the system by moving the reactants from the low heat transfer zone at the center of the tube to the high heat transfer zone at the wall of the tube. In one embodiment, the tubular reactor comprises a tubular reactor having a series of tubes, within the tubes are a plurality of flow obstructing inserts and a catalyst bed. The inserts may comprise a plurality of inclined, conical, or spiral plates. The plates may be affixed to the wall of the tube and may depend on the catalyst bed for structural support.