Patent ID: 7153432

Claim:
A process for production of a purified water from a Fischer-Tropsch reaction water, the Fischer-Tropsch reaction water comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of oxygenated hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, cyclic hydrocarbons, inorganic compounds, and mixtures thereof, wherein the process comprises the steps of: a) conducting a distillation or a liquid-liquid extraction of 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; and b) subjecting the primary water-enriched stream to a membrane separation process in a secondary treatment stage, whereby at least some suspended solids and acidic oxygenated hydrocarbons are removed from at least a portion of the primary water-enriched stream, 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 and 9.0, a suspended solids content of less than 250 mg/l, and a total dissolved solids content of less than 600 mg/l.