Patent ID: 8859630

Claim:
A method of operating a hydrocarbon synthesis process for catalytically converting one or more reactants to one or more products using a fluid bed reactor containing a catalyst which deactivates over time, which method includes, during a catalyst campaign, in a step A, gradually increasing an operating temperature of the reactor to counteract the negative effect of catalyst deactivation on a conversion rate of said one or more reactants, the operating temperature not exceeding a selected maximum operating temperature; in a step B, adding catalyst which has the tendency to increase the conversion rate of said one or more reactants into the reactor, and reducing the operating temperature of the reactor to counteract to at least some extent the effect of the added catalyst on the conversion rate of said one or more reactants, the operating temperature remaining above a selected minimum operating temperature; and repeating steps A and B until the end of the catalyst campaign or until the end of a production run.