Methods and apparatus for separating Fischer-Tropsch catalysts from liquid hydrocarbon product
First Claim
1. A method of separating a particle-free hydrocarbon product from the output slurry of a Fischer-Tropsch bubble column reactor, said slurry comprising Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles and liquid hydrocarbon, said method comprising:
- contacting a compressed hydrocarbon solvent with said output slurry at a temperature of from 150 to 400 degrees centigrade and at a pressure of from 10 to 100 atmospheres, said hydrocarbon solvent comprising C4 to C12 hydrocarbon, whereby said liquid hydrocarbon product is soluble in said solvent to form a concentrated slurry phase containing said catalyst particles and an enriched solvent phase containing liquid hydrocarbon product;
separating said concentrated slurry from said enriched solvent;
separating a first fraction of said liquid hydrocarbon product from said enriched solvent to form a first hydrocarbon product fraction and a first depleted solvent;
compressing at least a portion of said first depleted solvent to form a compressed hydrocarbon solvent; and
thenrecycling said compressed hydrocarbon solvent to said contacting step; and
recycling said concentrated slurry to said Fischer-Tropsch bubble column reactor;
wherein said first hydrocarbon product fraction contains not more than 100 parts per million of said Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles.
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Abstract
A method of separating a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst from the output slurry of a Fischer-Tropsch bubble column reactor, where the slurry comprises Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles and liquid hydrocarbon product is disclosed. The method comprises contacting a compressed hydrocarbon solvent (e.g., a supercritical hydrocarbon solvent, or liquid hydrocarbon solvent which may be at near supercritical conditions) with the output slurry at a temperature and pressure where the liquid hydrocarbon product is soluble in the solvent to form a concentrated slurry phase containing the catalyst particles, and an enriched solvent phase containing liquid hydrocarbon product. This contacting step is then followed by the step of separating the concentrated slurry from the enriched solvent. Apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention is also disclosed.
43 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of separating a particle-free hydrocarbon product from the output slurry of a Fischer-Tropsch bubble column reactor, said slurry comprising Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles and liquid hydrocarbon, said method comprising:
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contacting a compressed hydrocarbon solvent with said output slurry at a temperature of from 150 to 400 degrees centigrade and at a pressure of from 10 to 100 atmospheres, said hydrocarbon solvent comprising C4 to C12 hydrocarbon, whereby said liquid hydrocarbon product is soluble in said solvent to form a concentrated slurry phase containing said catalyst particles and an enriched solvent phase containing liquid hydrocarbon product; separating said concentrated slurry from said enriched solvent; separating a first fraction of said liquid hydrocarbon product from said enriched solvent to form a first hydrocarbon product fraction and a first depleted solvent; compressing at least a portion of said first depleted solvent to form a compressed hydrocarbon solvent; and
thenrecycling said compressed hydrocarbon solvent to said contacting step; and recycling said concentrated slurry to said Fischer-Tropsch bubble column reactor; wherein said first hydrocarbon product fraction contains not more than 100 parts per million of said Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of making a hydrocarbon product by a Fisher-Tropsch reaction, comprising:
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reacting a synthesis gas in the presence of Fisher-Tropsch catalyst particles in a Fischer-Tropsch slurry bubble column reactor to produce a liquid hydrocarbon product in said reactor and an output slurry comprising Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles and said liquid hydrocarbon product; contacting a compressed hydrocarbon solvent with said output slurry at a temperature of from 150 to 400 degrees centigrade and at a pressure of from 10 to 100 atmospheres, said hydrocarbon solvent comprising C4 to C12 hydrocarbon, wherein said liquid hydrocarbon product is soluble in said solvent to form a concentrated slurry phase containing said catalyst particles and an enriched solvent phase containing liquid hydrocarbon product; separating said concentrated slurry from said enriched solvent; recycling said concentrated slurry to said Fischer-Tropsch bubble column reactor; separating a first fraction of said liquid hydrocarbon product from said enriched solvent to form a first hydrocarbon product fraction and a first depleted solvent; compressing at least a portion of said first depleted solvent to form a compressed hydrocarbon solvent; and recycling said compressed hydrocarbon solvent to said contacting step. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification