Water stripping and catalyst/liquid product separation system

A method for producing hydrocarbons from synthesis gas, comprising:

• a) contacting the synthesis gas with a hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst in a slurry body comprising the catalyst and gas bubbles in a hydrocarbon slurry liquid, under reaction conditions effective to form hydrocarbons and secondary products including water from the synthesis gas, at least a portion of which are liquid at the reaction conditions, thereby forming a water-rich slurry;
• b) passing the water-rich slurry into a stripping zone, wherein the water-rich slurry is contacted with an inert stripping gas that at least partially removes water therefrom so as to form a water-reduced slurry;
• and
• c) passing the water-reduced slurry back into the slurry body.

A method for removing water from a slurry reactor containing a water-rich slurry, comprising:

• (a) removing a portion of water-rich slurry from the slurry reactor;
• (b) stripping water from the water-rich slurry using a stripping gas to form a water-reduced slurry and a water-rich gas stream;
• and
• (c) returning the water-reduced slurry back to the reactor.

A method for removing liquid product from a slurry reactor containing slurry comprising liquid product and catalyst, comprising:

• (a) removing a portion of the slurry from the slurry reactor;
• (b) separating a portion of the liquid product from the catalyst using density differences so as to form a liquid product stream and a catalyst-rich slurry;
• and
• (c) returning the catalyst-rich slurry back to the reactor.