Removable filter for slurry hydrocarbon synthesis process
AssigneeExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
InventorsCharles W. Degeorge, Barry J. Thompson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A removable filter for separating and filtering slurry liquid from solid particles includes one or more filter sections connected by a filtrate conduit. Each section comprises a plurality of vertical, hollow, sintered metal filter elements horizontally arranged across a manifold connected to a hollow filtrate conduit. The sections are vertically stacked and connected by the conduit(s) to form the filter which is removably secured in the slurry by means which permit it to be removed vertically up and out of the top of the reactor. This filter has a high surface area to volume ratio and is useful for removing the liquid hydrocarbon products from a slurry hydrocarbon synthesis reactor and can easily be replaced without having to drain out the slurry.
Claims11
A hydrocarbon synthesis process comprising:
- (a) reacting a synthesis gas comprising a mixture of H2 and CO in the presence of a solid, particulate hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst in a slurry in a hydrocarbon synthesis reactor at reaction conditions effective to form hydrocarbons, at least a portion of which are liquid at said reaction conditions, wherein said slurry comprises said catalyst and gas bubbles in a hydrocarbon slurry liquid, and wherein said slurry hydrocarbon liquid comprises said liquid hydrocarbons;
- (b) contacting said slurry with a first filter inside the reactor;
- (c) passing said slurry from the reactor to an external filtration zone and contacting said slurry with a second filter comprising at least one filter section, said filter section comprises a plurality of hollow filter elements arrayed across a manifold connected to a filtrate conduit, with the interior of the elements, manifold and conduit in fluid communication, and wherein a wall separating the interior of the elements from the slurry is permeable to said slurry hydrocarbon liquid but not said slurry solids;
- and
- (d) passing said slurry hydrocarbon liquid through said filter element walls and into said interior of said elements as a filtrate and then successively passing said filtrate through the interior of said manifold and said filtrate conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.