Patent ID: 7303731
Filing Date: 2007-12-04
Classification: B01D,B01J,C10G

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for removing wax and impurities from a deactivated iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, said apparatus comprising: extraction means functioning to extract wax from said deactivated catalyst in a catalyst bearing slurry using an extraction solvent in the presence of an inert gas; said extraction means having a heating means functioning to heat inlet gases; a first cooling means functioning to cool overhead gases from said extraction means; a second cooling means functioning to condense solvent present in said cooled overhead gases; a first separator means functioning to separate said cooled overhead gases from said condensed solvent exiting said second cooling means; catalyst settler means functioning to produce a catalyst-free, wax-laden solvent mixture from said catalyst bearing slurry; heating means functioning to increase temperature of the wax-laden solvent mixture before said wax-laden solvent mixture undergoes flash evaporation; flash evaporator means functioning to separate solvent vapor from liquid wax in said wax-laden solvent mixture; a third cooling means functioning to condense said solvent vapor discharged from said flash evaporator means; a second separator means functioning to separate said condensed solvent from gases exiting said flash evaporator means; solvent storage means functioning to store condensed solvent from said first and second separator means; and wax storage means functioning to store liquid wax from said flash evaporator means.