Process for the production in continuous of hydrocarbons from synthesis gas
AssigneesENI S.p.A., Institut Francais du Petrole, Enitecnologie S.p.A.
InventorsGiuseppe Belmonte, Vincenzo Calemma
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Abstract
Hydrocarbons are prepared, which are liquid at the reaction temperature, by feeding synthesis gas into three-phase turbulent reactors in which the solid phase, consisting of the catalyst in the form of particles, is kept in suspension in the liquid phase by the rising synthesis gas. The reaction product is extracted in continuous, together with the catalyst dispersed therein, and sent to a separation section which comprises a primary filtration unit and a micro/ultra-filtration unit.
Claims16
A process for the production in continuous of hydrocarbons from synthesis gas which comprises:
- a. continuously feeding to the bottom of a reactor for Fischer-Tropsch reactions, containing in suspension in the reaction product a catalyst based on supported cobalt, a synthesis gas consisting essentially of hydrogen and carbon monoxide;
- b. continuously discharging from the head of the reactor, a vapour stream consisting essentially of light reaction products and non-reacted reaction gas;
- c. continuously discharging from the reactor, the heavy reaction product consisting essentially of a liquid hydrocarbon phase containing the catalyst, in suspension;
- d. condensing the light hydrocarbon products and sending at least part of them to a collection container maintained under pressure and at a temperature higher than 150° C. and the possible remaining part to be discharged, at room temperature, or to subsequent treatment units;
- e. subjecting the heavy reaction product to a separation treatment which comprises:
- e1 degasification;
- e2 primary separation of the liquid from the solid;
- and e3 micro/ultra-filtration of the fine or sub-micronic particles, still contained in the liquid after the primary separation, by means of membranes with an average pore diameter ranging from 0.002 to 0.1 μm;
- f. sending the heavy reaction product, in liquid phase, having a content of fine or sub-micronic particles lower than 5 ppm to subsequent treatment units, or discharging it and cooling it to room temperature;
- g. recycling to the reaction reactor the solids coming from the primary separation and micro/ultra-filtration steps;
- and
- h. periodically washing the separation and micro/ultrafiltration devices by means of flushings with the light hydrocarbon condensate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.