Optimized solid/liquid separation system for multiphase converters

A method for operating a filtration system of a Fischer-Tropsch slurry bed reactor system with a long cycle time comprising:

• a) providing a filtration housing comprising a slurry chamber and a filtrate chamber separated by a filter medium comprising a filter cake disposed on a substrate, wherein the filter cake has a thickness and provides a substantial majority of the filtration activity;
• b) removing a slurry, comprising a liquid phase and a solid phase, from a reactor, degassing the slurry, and passing at a slurry linear velocity through the slurry chamber;
• c) applying a pressure differential between the slurry chamber and the filtrate chamber so as to form a filter cake comprising a portion of the slurry solid phase disposed on the substrate;
• d) permeating a portion of the slurry liquid phase through the filter cake and the substrate to generate a filtrate flux;
• e) periodically performing a cake thickness reduction step;
• f) removing the filter cake after performing several cake thickness reduction steps (e);
• and
• g) repeating steps b through f.

A method for operating a filtration system comprising:

• flowing a slurry to a settler, wherein the slurry comprises a liquid phase and a solid phase, wherein the solid phase further comprises large diameter particles and small diameter particles;
• extracting from the settler a first portion of the slurry containing a high concentration of large diameter particles;
• passing the first portion of the slurry through a filter housing comprising a slurry chamber and a filtrate chamber separated by a filter medium comprising a substrate;
• applying a pressure differential between the slurry chamber and the filtrate chamber so as to form a filter cake comprising primarily large diameter particles disposed on the substrate, wherein the filter cake has a thickness and provides a substantial majority of the filtration activity;
• passing the slurry having both large and small diameter particles through the filter housing so as to permeate a portion of the slurry liquid phase through the filter cake and the substrate to generate a filtrate flux.