Slurry activation of Fischer-Tropsch catalyst with carbon monoxide co-feed
AssigneeConocoPhillips Company
InventorAjoy P. Raje
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of in situ reduction of a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst slurry. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are characterized by a system that utilizes a co-feed of carbon monoxide along with the reducing gas into a reduction vessel maintained at an elevated temperature. As the metal oxide reduces to the active Fischer-Tropsch metal, the carbon monoxide acts as a poison to hydrogenolysis and reduces the loss of liquid from the slurry and the production of methane. The carbon monoxide is generally in parts-per-million quantities and will achieve the desired results in quantities less than 5,000 ppm, preferably less than 2,000 ppm.
Claims30
A method for decreasing hydrogenolysis during reduction of a slurry containing an oxidized metal catalyst, comprising:
- providing a slurry containing a catalyst comprising an oxidized metal and a liquid comprising organic compounds;
- contacting at least a portion of the slurry with a reducing gas in a reduction vessel along with carbon monoxide at a concentration between 1 ppm and 5,000 ppm so as to decrease hydrogenolysis of at least a fraction of said organic compounds;
- and
- reducing at least a portion of the oxidized metal in the catalyst with at least a portion of said reducing gas to form a catalytic active catalyst.
A process for activating a slurry comprising an oxidized metal catalyst and organic compounds while minimizing hydrogenolysis of said organic compounds and producing hydrocarbons from synthesis gas using said activated slurry, comprising:
- (a) providing a catalyst slurry containing a catalyst and a liquid comprising organic compounds, wherein the catalyst comprises an oxidized catalytic metal;
- (b) contacting the catalyst slurry to a reducing gas along with carbon monoxide at a concentration between 1 ppm and 5,000 ppm so as to minimize hydrogenolysis of at least a fraction of said organic compounds;
- (c) reducing at least a portion of the oxidized catalytic metal in the catalyst with at least a portion of said reducing gas to form a reduced catalyst and to generate an activated catalyst slurry comprising said reduced catalyst;
- and
- (d) converting at least a portion of a gas feed comprising synthesis gas with at least a portion of said activated slurry comprising said reduced catalyst to form a product stream comprising hydrocarbons in a synthesis reactor.
The process of claimy 12 wherein the reducing step is done in a reduction vessel.
A method for producing hydrocarbons from synthesis gas with a catalyst slurry and regenerating a spent catalyst slurry, comprising:
- reacting synthesis gas with a catalyst comprising a catalytically active metal to form hydrocarbons and product water in a synthesis reactor comprising a slurry, wherein the slurry contains said catalyst and said hydrocarbons;
- converting at least a portion of said catalytically active metal to a partially oxidized catalytic metal simultaneously with reaction to form a partially deactivated slurry;
- contacting at least a portion of the partially deactivated slurry with a reducing gas along with carbon monoxide in a reduction vessel at a concentration between 1 ppm and 5,000 ppm so as to decrease hydrogenolysis of at least a fraction of said organic compounds;
- reducing at least a portion of the oxidized metal in the catalyst with at least a portion of said reducing gas to a catalytic active metal to form an activated catalyst slurry;
- and
- recycling partially or totally said activated slurry to the synthesis reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.