Patent ID: 6919290

Claim:
A process for activating a cobalt-containing catalyst by contacting the catalyst with hydrogen in a reactor system suitable for use in a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis wherein a first gaseous stream comprising 0.25 to 5% by volume of hydrogen and 95 to 99.75% by volume of inert gas is continuously introduced into the reactor system and a second gaseous stream is continuously withdrawn from the reactor system wherein the activation procedure comprises the steps of: (A) heating the contents of the reactor system to a temperature which is in a range of 25 to 5° C. below a critical activation temperature; (B) thereafter increasing the temperature at a rate of up to 20° C. per hour to a first hold temperature which is in a range of from the critical activation temperature to a temperature which is at most 20° C. above the critical activation temperature; and (C) maintaining the contents of the reactor system at the first hold temperature until the hydrogen content of the second gaseous stream approaches the hydrogen content of the first gaseous stream.