Slurry hydrocarbon synthesis with downcomer fed product filtration

摘要

Hydrocarbon liquid products are filtered and removed from a three phase hydrocarbon synthesis slurry comprising gas bubbles and particulate catalyst solids in a hydrocarbon liquid, by circulating the slurry through a gas disengaging downcomer immersed in the slurry to a filtration zone external or internal of the reactor, and then back into the slurry in the reactor. The gas disengagement densifies the slurry which is passed across the filtration surface under high flow conditions, to reduce solids build up on the filter as filter cake. Circulation through the filtration zone occurs by gravity and hydrostatics due to slurry density differences. The downcomer may also be a gas and solids reducing downcomer.