Abstract: The disclosure deals with a slurry bubble column reactor for converting a gas mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. The slurry bubble column reactor features a slurry bed of catalyst particles, an inlet conduit for feeding the gas mixture into the slurry bed, a filtration zone for separating the liquid hydrocarbons from the catalyst particles and a liquid outlet conduit for withdrawing the separated hydrocarbons from the filtration zone. The filtration zone is situated in the slurry bubble column reactor such that the slurry bed is found in a first and a second heat exchange zone with the filtration zone arranged between the first and the second heat exchange zone.

Abstract: The disclosure deals with a slurry bubble column reactor for converting a gas mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. The slurry bubble column reactor features a slurry bed of catalyst particles, an inlet conduit for feeding the gas mixture into the slurry bed, a filtration zone for separating the liquid hydrocarbons from the catalyst particles and a liquid outlet conduit for withdrawing the separated hydrocarbons from the filtration zone. The filtration zone is situated in the slurry bubble column reactor such that the slurry bed is found in a first and a second heat exchange zone with the filtration zone arranged between the first and the second heat exchange zone.

Abstract: The invention provides a method, stage and plant for removing LTFT catalyst fines and/or organometallic catalyst compounds from of LTFT wax, downstream from the LTFT reactor. The method includes at least one stage having the steps of causing a differential pressure across a filter element; causing high mechanical shearing and/or centrifugal forces along and/or away from the surface of the filter on the high pressure side of the filter to cause the particles to be continuously removed from the filter surface; and wherein the differential pressure is selected to be sufficient to force flow of the wax across the filter to cause filtration.

Abstract: A system for a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis using a three-phase reactor in which a primary filter removes coarse catalyst particles from the product and in which catalyst fines are removed in a secondary filter. Some or all portion of the product wax from the secondary filter can be recycled back to the reactor, either as a back flush medium for the primary filter or directly to the slurry in the reactor, whereby removal of catalyst fines is rendered independent of the rate of wax production.

Abstract: A slurry bubble column reactor with a gas distribution arrangement comprising an upper sparger, a lower sparger, and an open-ended tube. Gas from the lower sparger enters the tube and lowers the density of slurry in the tube. The difference in slurry density causes the slurry in the tube to rise, causing slurry outside the tube to move down, maintaining circulation and flushing catalyst from the vessel wall.

Abstract: A system and process for removing catalyst fines from a gas stream overhead the slurry in a Fischer-Tropsch slurry bubble column reactor. The gas phase at the top of the slurry bubble column reactor containing small amounts of entrained liquid and catalyst particles. The unreacted gases are passed through a demister, which removes larger droplets and catalyst particles. Smaller droplets and catalyst fines are conveyed to a secondary gas cleaner, such as a cyclone, whereby substantially all remaining particles are removed from the gas phase. A particle-containing liquid produced in the secondary gas cleaner can be further subjected to a filtrate cleaning unit to filter out fine catalyst particles and produce a substantially particle-free liquid product stream and a slurry stream of liquid product containing catalyst particles.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the protection of internal filters of a LTFT slurry bubble reactor. The method includes the step of activating an emergency back-flush procedure during low slurry level conditions and/or during increasing temperature of an internal filter.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the separation of liquid from a three phase slurry bubble column. The method includes the step of charging the inside of a hollow filter element with a rinsing fluid to clean the inside of the filter for catalyst fines followed by a backflushing step. The invention also provides an installation for the separation of liquid from a three phase slurry bubble column. The installation includes at feast one hollow and enclosed filter element and one or more conduits in fluid communication with the internal volume of the filter, with at least one conduit being configured or connected for inflow of rinsing fluid and at least one conduit being configured or connection for outflow of rinsing fluid.

Abstract: A system and process for removing catalyst fines from a gas stream overhead the slurry in a Fischer-Tropsch slurry bubble column reactor. The gas phase at the top of the slurry bubble column reactor containing small amounts of entrained liquid and catalyst particles. The unreacted gases are passed through a demister, which removes larger droplets and catalyst particles. Smaller droplets and catalyst fines are conveyed to a secondary gas cleaner, such as a cyclone, whereby substantially all remaining particles are removed from the gas phase. A particle-containing liquid produced in the secondary gas cleaner can be further subjected to a filtrate cleaning unit to filter out fine catalyst particles and produce a substantially particle-free liquid product stream and a slurry stream of liquid product containing catalyst particles.

Abstract: A system for a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis using a three-phase reactor in which a primary filter removes coarse catalyst particles from the product and in which catalyst fines are removed in a secondary filter. Some or all portion of the product wax from the secondary filter can be recycled back to the reactor, either as a back flush medium for the primary filter or directly to the slurry in the reactor, whereby removal of catalyst fines is rendered independent of the rate of wax production.

Abstract: A slurry bubble column reactor with a gas distribution arrangement comprising an upper sparger, a lower sparger, and an open-ended tube. Gas from the lower sparger enters the tube and lowers the density of slurry in the tube. The difference in slurry density causes the slurry in the tube to rise, causing slurry outside the tube to move down, maintaining circulation and flushing catalyst from the vessel wall.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the protection of internal filters of a LTFT slurry bubble reactor. The method includes the step of activating an emergency back-flush procedure during low slurry level conditions and/or during increasing temperature of an internal filter.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the separation of liquid from a three phase slurry bubble column. The method includes the step of charging the inside of a hollow filter element with a rinsing fluid to clean the inside of the filter for catalyst fines followed by a backflushing step. The invention also provides an installation for the separation of liquid from a three phase slurry bubble column. The installation includes at least one hollow and enclosed filter element and one or more conduits in fluid communication with the internal volume of filter, with at least one conduit being configured or connected for inflow of rinsing fluid and at least one conduit being configured or connected for outflow of rinsing fluid.

Abstract: A method for autothermal or substantially autothermal catalytic dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons is described. A hydrocarbon containing feed gas is optionally mixed with steam and/or hydrogen, is pre-heated and is introduced into a catalytic bed of a reactor, where an oxygen containing gas is fed directly into the catalytic bed from one or more oxygen supply tube(s) (3) each tube (3) having one or more opening(s) distributed in the catalytic bed.

Abstract: A reactor for catalytic dehydrogenation of dehydrogenatable hydrocarbons, in particular C.sub.3 and/or C.sub.4 hydrocarbons, in a hydrocarbon-containing stream, with selective oxidation of hydrogen. The reactor comprises serially connected in the flow direction of the hydrocarbon-containing stream: a first catalyst zone (2), an oxygen admixing zone (3) provided with a means (5) for separate feeding of an oxygen-containing gas into the hydrocarbon-containing stream, and a second catalyst zone (4). The oxygen admixing zone (3) has a cross section area in the flow direction of the hydrocarbon-containing stream which is from 0.5% to 75% of the cross section area of each of the two catalysts zones (2, 4), so as to obtain a higher flow velocity in the oxygen-admixing zone (3) than in the catalyst zones.