Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body

1. A Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body having an open-celled foam structure, said catalyst body comprising a substrate material and a catalytic active material or precursor thereof wherein:

the substrate material:

is a metal alloy or ceramic material;

having a surface roughness of 50 μm or more;

has an open-celled foam structure with at least 15 pores per inch; and

the catalytically active material or precursor thereof which:

is present on the surface of the substrate material;

comprises cobalt, iron, ruthenium or a combination thereof; and

comprises a catalyst support selected from titania, alumina or silica.

2. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body according to claim 1 ,

wherein the catalytically active material is present as a layer which is in direct contact with the substrate material; and

wherein the catalytically active material or precursor thereof are particles comprising cobalt, iron, ruthenium or a combination thereof; and a catalyst support selected from titania, alumina or silica.

3. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body according to claim 1 ,

wherein the catalytically active material or precursor thereof, is a Cobalt based catalyst material.

4. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body according to claim 3 , wherein the catalytically active material or precursor thereof has a layer thickness in a range of from 10 to 200 μm.

5. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body according to claim 1 ,

wherein 5-30 vol % of the FT catalyst body is catalytic active material.

6. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body according to claim 2 ,

wherein the layer is deposited on the surface by means of vacuum wash coating.

7. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body according to claim 1 ,

wherein the catalyst body is disc/cylinder-shaped, sphere-, rectangular-, squared- or polyhedral shaped.

8. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body according to claim 7 , wherein the catalyst body has a particle size of at least 5 mm.

9. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body according to claim 1 ,

wherein the substrate material has a rigidity of at least 0.7 MPa as measured with compression strength tests.

10. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body according to claim 1 ,

wherein the catalytically active material is adhered to and substantially covers the substrate material.

11. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body according to claim 1 ,

wherein the substrate material has a voidage of 70-96 vol.

12. A process for producing normally gaseous, normally liquid in a three-phase reactor comprising the steps of:

providing a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body comprising a substrate material and a catalytic active material or precursor thereof to at least one reactor tube in a three phase Fischer-Tropsch reactor;

wherein the substrate material:

is a metal alloy or ceramic material;

having a surface roughness of 50 μm or more;

has a open-celled foam structure with at least 15 pores per inch; and

wherein the catalytically active material or precursor thereof which:

is present on the surface of the substrate material;

comprises cobalt, iron, ruthenium or a combination thereof; and

comprises a catalyst support selected from titania, alumina or silica;

providing a liquid to the reactor;

providing to the Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body a gas mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen in order for the synthesis to occur while the Fischer-Tropsch catalyst body remains stationary in the reactor tubes;

obtaining a synthesis product from the reactor comprising the normally gaseous, normally liquid, and optionally normally solid hydrocarbons.

13. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the hydrogen and carbon monoxide molar ratio of the synthesis gas is in the range from 0.4 to 2.5.

14. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the gaseous hourly space velocity is in the range from 500 to 20,000 NI/1/h.

15. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the process is carried out at a temperature in the range of from 125 to 150° C. and a pressure of from 5 to 150 bar abs.

16. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the synthesis product is withdrawn from the reactor by withdrawing liquid medium.

17. The process according to claim 12 , wherein a gas mixture is withdrawn from the reactor.

18. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the hydrogen and carbon monoxide molar ratio of the synthesis gas is in the range from 1.0 to 2.4.

19. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the process is carried out at a temperature in the range of from 175 to 275° C.

20. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the process is carried out at a pressure in the range of from 5 to 80 bar abs.