Synthesis gas conversion process
AssigneeVelocys, Inc.
InventorsRoger A. Harris, Soumitra R. Deshmukh, Paul E. Kennedy, Robert Dwayne Litt, Lucas D. Schrader, Andre P. Steynberg, Steven T. Perry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosed invention relates to a method for restarting a synthesis gas conversion process which has stopped. The synthesis gas conversion process may be conducted in a conventional reactor or a microchannel reactor. The synthesis gas conversion process may comprise a process for converting synthesis gas to methane, methanol or dimethyl ether. The synthesis gas conversion process may be a Fischer-Tropsch process.
Claims13
A method for restarting a synthesis gas conversion process, wherein the synthesis gas conversion process comprises flowing synthesis gas into a reactor in contact with a synthesis gas conversion catalyst at a desired reaction temperature and pressure to produce a synthesis gas product and flowing effluent comprising the synthesis gas conversion product out of the reactor, the method comprising:
- (A) stopping the flow of the synthesis gas into the reactor;
- (B) flowing hydrogen or natural gas into the reactor to purge the reactor;
- and
- (C) restarting the flow of synthesis gas into the reactor;
- wherein during step (B) hydrogen flows into the reactor in contact with the catalyst at a temperature of up to 400° C., then air flows into the reactor in contact with the catalyst at a temperature in the range from 70° C. to 350° C. for a period of time in the range from 1 to 24 hours, then hydrogen flows into the reactor in contact with the catalyst at a temperature of up to 400° C.
A method for restarting a synthesis gas conversion process, wherein the synthesis gas conversion process comprises flowing synthesis gas into a reactor in contact with a synthesis gas conversion catalyst at a desired reaction temperature and pressure to produce a synthesis gas product and flowing effluent comprising the synthesis gas conversion product out of the reactor, the method comprising:
- (A) stopping the flow of the synthesis gas into the reactor;
- (B) flowing hydrogen or natural gas into the reactor to purge the reactor;
- and
- (C) restarting the flow of synthesis gas into the reactor;
- wherein the reactor includes a heat transfer surface, and the ratio of the surface area of the heat transfer surface to the volume of catalyst in the reactor is at least about 300 m2 of heat transfer surface area per m3 of catalyst.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.