Method for reducing the maximum water concentration in a multi-phase column reactor

A method for producing hydrocarbons comprising:

• a) contacting a synthesis gas with a hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst in a multi-phase reactor having an expanded slurry bed, under reaction conditions effective to form a product stream comprising hydrocarbons and water;
• and
• b) changing the flow pattern of a predetermined region in the reactor so as to cause mixing of slurry from the predetermined region with slurry from the rest of the slurry bed.

A Fischer-Tropsch reactor system, comprising:

• a slurry bed reactor receiving a synthesis gas feed and containing a hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst, said catalyst forming an expanded slurry bed under reaction conditions effective to form a product stream comprising hydrocarbons and water;
• and
• a device changing the flow pattern within a predetermined region in the reactor so as to cause mixing of slurry from said predetermined region with fluids from the rest of the slurry bed.