Patent ID: 7166219

Claim:
A process for the production of a purified water from a Fischer-Tropsch reaction water comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of oxygenated hydrocarbons, aliphatic, aromatic and cyclic hydrocarbons, inorganic compounds, and mixtures thereof, wherein the process comprises the steps of: a) distilling the Fischer-Tropsch reaction water in a primary treatment stage, whereby at least a fraction of non-acid oxygenated hydrocarbons are removed from the Fischer-Tropsch reaction water to produce a primary water enriched stream; b) conducting a biological treatment of the primary water enriched stream in a secondary treatment stage, whereby at least a fraction of acidic oxygenated hydrocarbons are removed from at least a portion of the primary water enriched stream to produce a secondary water enriched stream; and c) removing at least some solids from at least a portion of the secondary water enriched stream in a tertiary treatment stage, whereby a purified water is obtained, the purified water comprising an aqueous stream having a chemical oxygen demand of from 20 to 500 mg/l, a pH of from 6.0 to 9.0, a suspended solids content of less than 250 mg/l, and a total dissolved solids content of less than 600 mg/l.