Catalytic Reactor Treatment Process
An activation process for a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst is described. The process comprises a first reduction step; an oxidation step; the introduction of the catalyst into a Fischer-Tropsch reactor; and a second reduction step.
1 .- 10 . (canceled)
11 . An activation process for a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, the process comprising:
a first reduction step applied to the catalyst in powdered form;
then an oxidation step applied to the catalyst in powdered form;
then the introduction of the oxidized catalyst into a Fischer-Tropsch reactor either:
(a) by forming a coating on a substrate from the catalyst material in powdered form, and then inserting the coated substrate into the Fischer-Tropsch reactor; or
(b) by forming a coating on internal surfaces of the reactor from the catalyst material in powdered form, by suspending the catalyst powder as a wash coat, and flowing the wash coat through the reactor; and
then a second reduction step applied to the oxidized catalyst material in the coating within the Fischer-Tropsch reactor.
12 . The process according to claim 11 , wherein the process is carried out prior to operation of the Fischer-Tropsch reactor with a reactant gas stream and wherein the second reduction step is carried out using a reducing gas comprising carbon monoxide, and the ratio of carbon monoxide to hydrogen in the reducing gas is greater than that in the reactant gas stream.
13 . The process according to claim 11 , wherein the second reduction step is carried out using a reducing gas comprising synthesis gas, natural gas, methanol or ammonia.
14 . The process according to claim 12 , wherein the second reduction step is carried out using a reducing gas comprising synthesis gas, natural gas, methanol or ammonia.
15 . The process according to claim 11 , wherein the second reduction step is carried out using a reducing gas comprising hydrogen-rich tail gas from a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction.
16 . The process according to claim 12 , wherein the second reduction step is carried out using a reducing gas comprising hydrogen-rich tail gas from a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction.
17 . The process according to claim 15 , wherein the tail gas is processed to remove at least some of the hydrogen, before using it to perform the second reduction step.
18 . The process according to claim 16 , wherein the tail gas is processed to remove at least some of the hydrogen, before using it to perform the second reduction step.
19 . The process according to claim 11 , wherein the first reduction step and the oxidation step are carried out on the catalyst in a powdered form.
20 . The process according to claim 12 , wherein the first reduction step and the oxidation step are carried out on the catalyst in a powdered form.
21 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein the first reduction step and the oxidation step are carried out on the catalyst in a powdered form.
22 . The process according to claim 15 , wherein the first reduction step and the oxidation step are carried out on the catalyst in a powdered form.
23 . The process according to claim 17 , wherein the first reduction step and the oxidation step are carried out on the catalyst in a powdered form.
24 . The process according to claim 11 , wherein the step of introducing the catalyst into the Fischer-Tropsch reactor includes the step of coating the catalyst onto a substrate, and the substrate is a metal substrate in the form of a foil, a wire mesh, a felt sheet or a pellet core.
25 . The process according to claim 12 , wherein the step of introducing the catalyst into the Fischer-Tropsch reactor includes the step of coating the catalyst onto a substrate, and the substrate is a metal substrate in the form of a foil, a wire mesh, a felt sheet or a pellet core.
26 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein the step of introducing the catalyst into the Fischer-Tropsch reactor includes the step of coating the catalyst onto a substrate, and the substrate is a metal substrate in the form of a foil, a wire mesh, a felt sheet or a pellet core.
27 . The process according to claim 15 , wherein the step of introducing the catalyst into the Fischer-Tropsch reactor includes the step of coating the catalyst onto a substrate, and the substrate is a metal substrate in the form of a foil, a wire mesh, a felt sheet or a pellet core.
28 . The process according to claim 17 , wherein the step of introducing the catalyst into the Fischer-Tropsch reactor includes the step of coating the catalyst onto a substrate, and the substrate is a metal substrate in the form of a foil, a wire mesh, a felt sheet or a pellet core.
29 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein the step of introducing the catalyst into the Fischer-Tropsch reactor includes the step of coating the catalyst onto a substrate, and the substrate is a metal substrate in the form of a foil, a wire mesh, a felt sheet or a pellet core.