Patent ID: 6114399
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: B01J,C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
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; andrecycling 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.