Patent ID: 7230034

Claim:
A method for operating a gas-agitated fluidized bed hydrocarbon synthesis reactor, wherein the fluidized bed comprises catalyst particles that are prone to slumping at times when an insufficient rate of gas is supplied to the fluidized bed, the method comprising: (A) providing the gas-agitated hydrocarbon synthesis reactor comprising a catalyst bed and a gas injection zone, wherein the catalyst bed comprises catalyst particles, and wherein the gas injection zone is suitable for injecting a reactor gas feed with a reactor gas feed flow rate to the catalyst bed, and further wherein the gas injection zone comprises at least one gas distributor; (B) selecting a reference flow rate that is sufficient to disperse substantially all of the catalyst particles in the catalyst bed; (C) passing a reactor gas supply from the at least one gas distributor in the gas injection zone through the catalyst bed, wherein the reactor gas supply comprises at least a portion of the reactor gas feed; (D) measuring the reactor gas feed flow rate; (E) comparing the measured reactor gas feed flow rate to the reference flow rate; and (F) supplying a supplemental gas to the gas injection zone when the reactor gas feed flow rate becomes less than the reference flow rate.