Patent ID: 6849664

Claim:
A method of inhibiting growth and reproduction of microorganisms in a cooling water system for a Fischer Tropsch facility, comprising the steps of: a) providing cooling water; b) performing a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process to provide a product stream; c) fractionally distilling the product stream and isolating liquid hydrocarbonaceous products and olefins; d) subjecting the olefins to dehydrogenation to form alkynes; e) adding an effective amount of the alkynes to the cooling water to resist visible growth for at least 10 days under ambient conditions when exposed to a certified inoculant; and f) adding an effective amount of a neutralizing agent, wherein the neutralizing agent is a hydrogenation catalyst and H 2 , to the cooling water to irreversibly deactivate the alkynes before or upon disposal of the cooling water, such that after the neutralizing agent is added, the cooling water supports visible growth of microorganisms in less than 10 days when exposed to a certified inoculum, growth media, and rapidly biodegradable substance under ambient conditions.