Patent ID: 7795317
Filing Date: 2010-09-14
Classification: C01B,C10G

Abstract:
1. A process to prepare a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis product from a gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons comprising methane, ethane and optional higher carbon number hydrocarbons comprising the steps of: (a) pre-reforming the hydrocarbon mixture adiabatically in the presence of a reforming catalyst to convert ethane, and the optional higher carbon number hydrocarbons to form a gaseous mixture of methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen; (b) heating the gaseous mixture obtained in step (a) to a temperature greater than 650° C.; (c) performing a non-catalyzed partial oxidation by contacting the heated mixture of step (b) with a source of oxygen in a reactor burner yielding a reactor effluent having a temperature of between 1100 and 1500° C.; and (d) performing a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis using the hydrogen- and carbon monoxide-containing gas as obtained in step (c) as feedstock; (e) wherein the synthesis product obtained in step (d) is separated into a relatively light stream and a relatively heavy stream, wherein the relatively heavy stream comprises the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis product and the relatively light stream comprises unconverted synthesis gas, inerts, carbon dioxide and C