Abstract: Provided are a method for producing carbonate esters, and a catalytic structure for producing carbonate esters, whereby solid catalyst powder formation and detachment are suppressed and superior carbonate ester reaction efficiency is yielded when a catalytic structure constituted by a sufficient quantity of a cerium-oxide-containing solid catalyst supported on a substrate is used. The method for producing carbonate esters includes reacting a monohydric alcohol and carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalytic structure and a hydrating agent. The catalytic structure includes a substrate and a catalytic layer that is formed on at least a portion of the surface of the substrate and contains a solid catalyst and an inorganic binder. The solid catalyst contains cerium oxide. The supported quantity of the solid catalyst is 15 g/m2 to 200 g/m2, inclusive. The inorganic binder contains silica and/or alumina.

Abstract: The hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus according to the present invention includes a reaction vessel that brings a synthesis gas having carbon monoxide gas and hydrogen gas as main components into contact with a slurry having a solid catalyst suspended in a liquid hydrocarbon compound to synthesize a liquid hydrocarbon compound using a Fischer-Tropsch reaction; a filter that is provided within the reaction vessel and is configured to separate the liquid hydrocarbon compound from the catalyst; and a powdered catalyst particles-discharging device configured to discharge powdered catalyst particles in the solid catalyst in the slurry to the outside of the reaction vessel.

Abstract: The present invention includes a reactor main body (4) that is formed into a tubular shape having an axis (O) as the center and accumulates a slurry (S); a gas supply line (10) for incorporating a synthesis gas (G) into the reactor main body (4), and a sparger part (5) that is disposed in a lower portion within the reactor main body (4), communicates with the gas supply line (10), and sprays the synthesis gas (G). The sparger part (5) includes a header tube (15) in which a plurality of openings are formed so as to be separated from each other in a first direction and which sprays the synthesis gas (G) from the openings, and a pair of wall surface parts that protrude from the header tube (15), on opposing sides of the plurality of openings and in a direction orthogonal to the first direction.

Abstract: Means for Solving the Problem According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic-separation filter device that removes contaminants of fine ferromagnetic particles from a fluid containing such contaminants, comprising: a substantially cylindrical housing; two partition plates that are disposed in an inside of the housing so as to extend in a vertical direction of the housing, dividing the inside of the housing by being disposed in parallel to each other; a filter medium that includes a fine amorphous-alloy wire bundle filled in a first region defined by the housing and the two partition plates; and plural permanent magnets that are provided on both sides of the first region outside the housing, wherein the contaminants of fine ferromagnetic particles are adsorbed on the filter media by flowing the fluid containing such contaminants through the first region in which the magnetic field has been formed by these plural permanent magnets.

Abstract: A start-up method for a hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus, comprising: an initial slurry-loading step in which the slurry is loaded into the reactor at the initial stage of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction at a lower loading rate than that applied to the reactor in a steady-state operation; and a CO conversion ratio-increasing step in which the liquid level of the slurry in the reactor is raised by adding to the slurry the hydrocarbons synthesized at the early stage of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction so that the CO conversion ratio is increased in proportion to a rise in the liquid level of the slurry in the reactor.

Abstract: The present invention includes a reactor main body (4) that is formed into a tubular shape having an axis (O) as the center and accumulates a slurry (S); a gas supply line (10) for incorporating a synthesis gas (G) into the reactor main body (4), and a sparger part (5) that is disposed in a lower portion within the reactor main body (4), communicates with the gas supply line (10), and sprays the synthesis gas (G). The sparger part (5) includes a header tube (15) in which a plurality of openings are formed so as to be separated from each other in a first direction and which sprays the synthesis gas (G) from the openings, and a pair of wall surface parts that protrude from the header tube (15), on opposing sides of the plurality of openings and in a direction orthogonal to the first direction.

Abstract: The hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus according to the present invention includes a reaction vessel that brings a synthesis gas having carbon monoxide gas and hydrogen gas as main components into contact with a slurry having a solid catalyst suspended in a liquid hydrocarbon compound to synthesize a liquid hydrocarbon compound using a Fischer-Tropsch reaction; a filter that is provided within the reaction vessel and is configured to separate the liquid hydrocarbon compound from the catalyst; and a powdered catalyst particles-discharging device configured to discharge powdered catalyst particles in the solid catalyst in the slurry to the outside of the reaction vessel.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus includes a reactor bringing synthesis gas into contact with a slurry having a solid catalyst suspended in liquid hydrocarbons to synthesize hydrocarbons by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction; a cylindrical inner tube having a lower end arranged within the reactor at a predetermined distance from the bottom thereof; and a sparger arranged on an inner lower side of the inner tube, which blows the synthesis gas toward the inside of the inner tube. A Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction region, where the slurry including bubbles flows out from inside the inner tube through an upper end thereof, is formed in a space between a virtual extension portion of the upper end of the inner tube and an inner surface of the reactor, wherein the slurry is held within the reactor until the upper end of the inner tube is lower than the liquid level of the slurry.

Abstract: A synthesis reaction system is provided with: a reactor which synthesizes a hydrocarbon compound by a chemical reaction of a synthesis gas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide as main components, and a slurry having solid catalyst particles suspended in liquid; a separator which separates the hydrocarbon compound from the slurry; and a filtering device which filters the hydrocarbon compound extracted from the separator to trap powdered catalyst particles.

Abstract: A start-up method for a hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus, comprising: an initial slurry-loading step in which the slurry is loaded into the reactor at the initial stage of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction at a lower loading rate than that applied to the reactor in a steady-state operation; and a CO conversion ratio-increasing step in which the liquid level of the slurry in the reactor is raised by adding to the slurry the hydrocarbons synthesized at the early stage of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction so that the CO conversion ratio is increased in proportion to a rise in the liquid level of the slurry in the reactor.

Abstract: A catalyst separation system which separates catalyst particles from liquid hydrocarbons synthesized by a chemical reaction of a synthesis gas including a hydrogen and a carbon monoxide as the main components, and a slurry having solid catalyst particles suspended in a liquid, the catalyst separation system is provided with: a reactor; a storage tank which stores the slurry drawn from the reactor; a plurality of filters which filters the slurry; and a filtrate recovery vessel which recovers a filtrate which has passed through the plurality of filters, wherein the plurality of filters is disposed in series in a flow line for the slurry from the storage tank to the filtrate recovery vessel.

Abstract: A bubble column reactor includes a reactor body which contains a slurry having solid catalyst particles suspended in a liquid, an inflow port which is provided at the bottom of the reactor body and allows a synthesis gas including a carbon monoxide gas and a hydrogen gas as the main components to flow into the slurry therethrough, and an outflow port which is provided at the top of the reactor body and allows gaseous hydrocarbons synthesized by a chemical reaction between the synthesis gas and the slurry, an unreacted synthesis gas, and the like to flow out therethrough. The distance in a vertical direction between the liquid surface of the slurry and the outflow port is 1.4 m or more and 10 m or less.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus includes a reactor, and a synthesis gas supply line through which a synthesis gas is supplied to the reactor, and syntheses hydrocarbons by contacting the synthesis gas and the catalyst slurry in the reactor. The hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus includes a spare supply line which is connected to the synthesis gas supply line, and supplies inert gas or hydrogen gas to the reactor through the synthesis gas supply line when supply of the synthesis gas to the synthesis gas supply line from the synthesis gas supply device is stopped, and a fluid heating device which heats at least one of a fluid which flows through a flowing line of the synthesis gas supply line located closer to the reactor than a portion connected with the spare supply line, and a fluid which flows through the spare supply line.

Abstract: A temperature control system of the invention recovers reaction heat in a reactor in which an exothermal reaction occurs, to control the temperature in the reactor. The temperature control system includes: a refrigerant drum in which vapor and a liquid refrigerant are stored in a vapor-liquid equilibrium state; a heat removing section arranged in the reactor to evaporate a part of the liquid refrigerant supplied from the refrigerant drum by the reaction heat; a Return line that returns mixed phase fluid of vapor and the liquid refrigerant generated in the heat removing section to the refrigerant drum; a Vapor outlet line that supplies vapor in the refrigerant drum to outside of the system; and a Replenishing line that supplies makeup water in an amount matched with an amount of vapor discharged to the outside of the system, to the Return line.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic-separation filter device that removes contaminants of fine ferromagnetic particles from a fluid containing such contaminants, comprising: a substantially cylindrical housing; two partition plates that are disposed in an inside of the housing so as to extend in a vertical direction of the housing, dividing the inside of the housing by being disposed in parallel to each other; a filter medium that includes a fine amorphous-alloy wire bundle filled in a first region defined by the housing and the two partition plates; and plural permanent magnets that are provided on both sides of the first region outside the housing, wherein the contaminants of fine ferromagnetic particles are adsorbed on the filter media by flowing the fluid containing such contaminants through the first region in which the magnetic field has been formed by these plural permanent magnets.

Abstract: The temperature control system of the present invention is a temperature control system for recovering reaction heat inside a reactor in which an exothermic reaction takes place, thereby controlling a temperature inside the reactor. The temperature control system is provided with a coolant drum in which a liquid coolant is accommodated in a vapor-liquid equilibrium state, a heat removing unit which is disposed on the reactor to internally circulate the liquid coolant supplied from the coolant drum, a temperature determining unit which determines a temperature inside the reactor, and a pressure controller which controls pressure inside the coolant drum. The pressure controller controls the pressure inside the coolant drum based on a difference between an actual temperature inside the reactor determined by the temperature determining unit and a preset temperature value inside the reactor, thereby controlling the temperature of the liquid coolant inside the coolant drum.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit which synthesizes a hydrocarbon compound by a chemical reaction of a synthesis gas including a hydrogen and a carbon monoxide as the main components, and a slurry having a solid catalyst suspended in liquid hydrocarbons, the hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit is provided with: a reactor which contains the slurry inside, into which the synthesis gas is introduced, and from which the gas after the reaction is discharged from the top thereof; an internal separation device provided inside the reactor to separate the catalyst and the synthesized liquid hydrocarbons in the slurry; and an external separation device provided outside the reactor to separate the catalyst and the liquid hydrocarbons in the slurry which is extracted from the reactor.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus which synthesizes a hydrocarbon compound by a chemical reaction of a synthesis gas including a hydrogen and a carbon monoxide as the main components, and a slurry having solid catalyst particles suspended in a liquid, the apparatus is provided with: a reactor in which the synthesis gas contacts with the slurry; and an unreacted gas supply device which draws unreacted gas from the reactor, then pressurizes the unreacted gas, and supplies the unreacted gas to a constituent device which constitutes the hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus.

Abstract: There is provided a bubble column type hydrocarbon synthesis reactor which synthesizes a hydrocarbon compound by a chemical reaction of a synthesis gas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide as main components, and a slurry having solid catalyst particles suspended in liquid. The hydrocarbon synthesis reactor includes a reactor main body which accommodates the slurry, a synthesis gas supplying section which supplies the synthesis gas to the slurry; one pressure sensor which is arranged higher than the liquid level of the slurry to measure the pressure of the synthesis gas above the liquid level, another pressure sensor which is arranged lower than the liquid level of the slurry to measure the pressure of the slurry, and a liquid level detecting device which detects a liquid level position of the slurry on the basis of measurement results of the pressure sensors. A plurality of the other pressure sensors are provided at arbitrary intervals in an axial direction of the reactor main body.

Abstract: A method of extracting the contents from the inside of a reactor kept at high temperature and high pressure includes the steps of introducing the contents of the reactor into a pipe having an internal space which communicates with the reactor, closing the pipe to enclose the contents in the internal space, removing unnecessary gas from the internal space, and supplying an inert gas to the internal space, thereby replacing the contents enclosed in the internal space with the inert gas. The contents are discharged from the internal space by replacing the contents enclosed in the internal space with the inert gas.