Abstract: Novel methods of providing fuels to a gas-to-liquids facility are disclosed. A gas-to-liquids facility typically operates in a remote location and therefore must supply its own energy needs. These facilities are often sustained by fuels having different heating values, and for smooth operation while transitioning from one fuel to another, (such as during startup, shut down, and emergencies) the Wobble Indices of the two fuels cannot greatly vary from one another. According to embodiments of the present invention, the Wobble Index of either or both of the fuels is adjusted such that their ratio is less than or equal to about 3. The fuel having the higher Wobble Index may be natural gas, and materials such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide and flue gas may be added to lower its Wobble Index. The fuel having the lower Wobble Index may be the tail gas of a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and materials such as methane, ethane, LPG, or natural gas may be added to raise its Wobble Index.

Abstract: A process for producing liquid and, optionally, gaseous products from gaseous reactants includes feeding, at a low level, gaseous reactants into a slurry bed, allowing the gaseous reactants to react as they pass upwardly through the slurry bed, withdrawing any gaseous product and unreacted gaseous reactants from a head space above the slurry bed and withdrawing liquid product and/or slurry bed to maintain the slurry bed at a desired level. The process further includes passing boiler water, as a first heat transfer fluid, in indirect heat exchange relationship through the slurry bed to remove heat from the slurry bed, allowing the heated boiler water to flash and separate to form pressurised steam, controlling the pressure of the steam to be substantially constant, and passing a second heat transfer fluid in indirect heat exchange relationship through the slurry bed to remove heat from the slurry bed.

Abstract: A process for upgrading raw synthesis gas comprising at least CH4, CO2, CO and H2, includes heating the raw synthesis gas by addition of energy derived from electricity to provide an upgraded synthesis gas comprising less CH4 and CO2 and more CO and H2 than the raw synthesis gas. The invention extends to a process for producing synthesis gas, which process includes reforming a hydrocarbonaceous gas feedstock which includes CH4 to raw synthesis gas comprising at least CH4, CO2, CO and H2, and upgrading the raw synthesis gas in a process which includes heating the raw synthesis gas by addition of energy derived from electricity to provide an upgraded synthesis gas comprising less CH4 and CO2 and more CO and H2 than the raw synthesis gas.

Abstract: Novel methods of providing fuels to a gas-to-liquids facility are disclosed. A gas-to-liquids facility typically operates in a remote location and therefore must supply its own energy needs. These facilities are often sustained by fuels having different heating values, and for smooth operation while transitioning from one fuel to another, (such as during startup, shut down, and emergencies) the Wobbe Indices of the two fuels cannot greatly vary from one another. According to embodiments of the present invention, the Wobbe Index of either or both of the fuels is adjusted such that their ratio is less than or equal to about 3. The fuel having the higher Wobbe Index may be natural gas, and materials such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide and flue gas may be added to lower its Wobbe Index. The fuel having the lower Wobbe Index may be the tail gas of a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and materials such as methane, ethane, LPG, or natural gas may be added to raise its Wobbe Index.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods of minimizing catalyst degradation during the handling of a catalyst used in a slurry phase reactor. The methods include catalyst handling steps such as catalyst loading into a slurry phase reactor, slurry phase reactor start-up, slurry phase reactor shut-down, and slurry phase reactor unloading when catalyst reloading is envisaged. In the method of loading the slurry phase reactor, a slurry of wax and catalyst is formed in a loading vessel. Clean molten wax is formed in the reactor, syngas is pumped through the clean molten wax in the reactor, and the slurry from the loading vessel is transferred to the reactor.

Abstract: Slurry phase apparatus is provided which includes a slurry vessel for holding a slurry comprising a liquid and solid particles and gas distribution means for injecting a gas into the slurry. The gas distribution means includes a sparger device which includes an apertured sparger portion inside the slurry vessel, an inlet portion leading into the slurry vessel and an outlet portion leading from the slurry vessel. The gas distribution means also includes closure means, external of the slurry vessel, and being operable to allow or deny flow from the sparger portion out through the outlet portion of the sparger device. The invention extends to a method of introducing or reintroducing a gas into a slurry vessel.

Abstract: A process for producing liquid and, optionally, gaseous products from gaseous reactants includes feeding, at a low level, gaseous reactants into a slurry bed, allowing the gaseous reactants to react as they pass upwardly through the slurry bed, withdrawing any gaseous product and unreacted gaseous reactants from a head space above the slurry bed and withdrawing liquid product and/or slurry from the slurry bed to maintain the slurry bed at a desired level. The process further includes passing boiler water, as a first heat transfer fluid, in indirect heat exchange relationship through the slurry bed to remove heat from the slurry bed, allowing the heated boiler water to flash and separate to form pressurised steam, controlling the pressure of the steam to be substantially constant, and passing a second heat transfer fluid in indirect heat exchange relationship through the slurry bed to remove heat from the slurry bed.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods of minimizing catalyst degradation during the handling of a catalyst used in a slurry phase reactor. The methods include catalyst handling steps such as catalyst loading into a slurry phase reactor, slurry phase reactor start-up, slurry phase reactor shut-down, and slurry phase reactor unloading when catalyst reloading is envisaged. In the method of loading the slurry phase reactor, a slurry of wax and catalyst is formed in a loading vessel. Clean molten wax is formed in the reactor, syngas is pumped through the clean molten wax in the reactor, and the slurry from the loading vessel is transferred to the reactor.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods of minimizing catalyst degradation during the handling of a catalyst used in a slurry phase reactor. The methods include catalyst handling steps such as catalyst loading into a slurry phase reactor, slurry phase reactor start-up, slurry phase reactor shut-down, and slurry phase reactor unloading when catalyst reloading is envisaged. In the method of loading the slurry phase reactor, a slurry of wax and catalyst is formed in a loading vessel. Clean molten wax is formed in the reactor, syngas is pumped through the clean molten wax in the reactor, and the slurry from the loading vessel is transferred to the reactor.

Abstract: A process for producing liquid and, optionally, gaseous products from gaseous reactants feeds (18), at a low level, gaseous reactants into a slurry bed of solid catalyst particles (14) suspended in a suspension liquid. The gaseous reactants are allowed to react as they pass upwardly through the slurry bed (14), hereby to form liquid and, optionally, gaseous products. The reaction is catalyzed by the catalyst particles. Liquid product is separated from the catalyst particles by passing, in a filtration zone (22) within the slurry bed, liquid product through a filtering medium having a plurality of openings through which the liquid passes. The openings have a controlling dimension of x microns. The proportion of catalyst particles, which have a particle size smaller than x microns, in the slurry bed is less than 18% by volume based on the total volume of the catalyst in the slurry bed.

Abstract: A process for producing liquid and, optionally, gaseous products from gaseous reactants feeds (18), at a low level, gaseous reactants into a slurry bed of solid catalyst particles (14) suspended in a suspension liquid. The gaseous reactants are allowed to react as they pass upwardly through the slurry bed (14), hereby to form liquid and, optionally, gaseous products. The reaction is catalyzed by the catalyst particles. Liquid product is separated from the catalyst particles by passing, in a filtration zone (22) within the slurry bed, liquid product through a filtering medium having a plurality of openings through which the liquid passes. The openings have a controlling dimension of x microns. The proportion of catalyst particles, which have a particle size smaller than x microns, in the slurry bed is less than 18% by volume based on the total volume of the catalyst in the slurry bed.

Abstract: A process for hydrogenating long chain hydrocarbons includes continuously feeding a feedstock having long chain hydrocarbons into a slurry bed including a slurry of catalyst particles in a slurrying liquid. The slurry bed is contained in a reaction zone and the feedstock enters the reaction zone at a low level. A hydrogenation component is fed continuously into the slurry bed, at a low level. The hydrogenation component is allowed to react with the feedstock, to hydrogenate the feedstock, as the feedstock and hydrogenation component pass upwardly through the bed. Hydrogenated long chain hydrocarbons are withdrawn from the reaction zone at a high level, as a hydrogenation product. Any excess hydrogenation component is withdrawn from the reaction zone at a high level.

Abstract: A process for producing liquid and gaseous products from gaseous reactants. The process includes a) feeding a synthesis gas stream of mainly carbon monoxide and hydrogen, as gaseous reactants, into a slurry bed of solid Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles suspended in a suspension liquid, with the slurry bed being provided in a reaction zone, b) allowing the gaseous reactants to react, by means of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, as they pass upwardly through the slurry bed; c) withdrawing liquid phase from the slurry bed, to maintain the slurry bed at a desired level; d) allowing gaseous products and unreacted gaseous reactants to disengage from the slurry bed and to pass upwardly as a gas phase into a freeboard zone of a head space above the reaction zone; e) subjecting the gas phase to distillation; f) returning separated catalyst particles and liquid phase from the distillation zone and g) withdrawing treated gas phase from the head space.

Abstract: A process for producing liquid and, optionally, gaseous products from gaseous reactants comprises feeding gaseous reactants into a slurry bed of solid particles suspended in a liquid; allowing the reactants to react as they pass upwardly through the slurry bed, thereby to form liquid and, optionally, gaseous products; and separating liquid product from the solid particles by passing, in a filtration zone within the slurry bed, liquid product through a filtration medium in a first direction, so that a cake of the solid particles forms on the filtration medium. The passage of liquid product through the filtering medium is interrupted. The filtering medium is then backflushed by passing a flushing fluid through the filtering medium in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, for at least portions of the periods that the liquid product passage is interrupted, thereby to dislodge the cake from the filtering medium.