Fischer tropsch process
View Patent ↗Process for converting synthesis gas to hydrocarbons in a slurry reactor in the presence of a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst comprising cobalt and zinc oxide. The process is carried out by a) activating the Fischer-Tropsch catalyst with a reducing gas consisting of hydrogen and an inert gas at a temperature between 330 and 400° C., and b) contacting the activated Fischer-Tropsch catalyst from step a) with synthesis gas in the slurry reactor in order to convert the synthesis gas into hydrocarbons.
1. Process for converting synthesis gas to hydrocarbons in a slurry reactor in the presence of a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst comprising cobalt and zinc oxide, the process comprising:
a) activating the Fischer-Tropsch catalyst with a reducing gas consisting of hydrogen and an inert gas at a temperature comprised between 330 and 400 degrees C., and
b) contacting the activated Fischer-Tropsch catalyst from step a) with synthesis gas in the slurry reactor in order to convert the synthesis gas into hydrocarbons.
2. Process according to claim 1 wherein step a) is performed at a temperature comprised between 351 and 400 degrees C.
3. Process according to claim 1 wherein step a) is performed at a pressure comprised between 1 and 100 bar.
4. Process according to claim 1 wherein the reducing gas consists of hydrogen and an inert gas in a molar ratio of 1 to 75% of hydrogen and 99 to 25% of the inert gas.
5. Process according to claim 1 wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.
6. Process according to claim 1 wherein step a) is performed in a fluidised bed reactor.
7. Process for activating a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst comprising cobalt and zinc oxide for use for converting synthesis gas into hydrocarbons in a slurry reactor characterising in that the said catalyst is subjected to an activation step in the presence of a reducing gas consisting of hydrogen and an inert gas at a temperature comprised between 330 and 400 degrees C.
8. Process according to claim 7 wherein the activation step is performed at a pressure comprised between 1 and 100 bar.
9. Process according to claim 7 wherein the reducing gas consists of hydrogen and an inert gas in a molar ratio of 1 to 75% of hydrogen and 99 to 25% of the inert gas.
10. Process according to claim 7 wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.
11. Process according to claim 7 wherein step the activation step is performed in a fluidised bed reactor.
12. Activated Fischer-Tropsch catalyst for use for converting synthesis gas into hydrocarbons in a slurry reactor wherein a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst comprising cobalt and zinc oxide is activated according to the process of claim 7 .
13. Process according to claim 3 wherein step a) is performed at a pressure comprised between 1 and 10 bar.
14. Process according to claim 4 wherein the reducing gas consists of hydrogen and an inert gas in a molar ratio of 20 to 30% of hydrogen and 80 to 70% of inert gas.
15. Process according to claim 7 wherein the temperature is comprised between 351 and 400 degrees C.
16. Process according to claim 8 wherein the activation step is performed at a pressure comprised between 1 and 10 bar.
17. Process according to claim 9 wherein the reducing gas consists of hydrogen and an inert gas in a molar ratio of 20 to 30% of hydrogen and 80 to 70% of inert gas.