# US 8,569,387 B2 · Hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit and operating method thereof

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- Number: US 8,569,387 B2
- Document ID: US8569387B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/998,216
- Filed: 2009-09-25
- Published: 2011-08-04
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2008-09-30
- Assignees: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation; Inpex Corporation; Jx Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation; Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd.; Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd.; Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Yasuhiro Onishi; Yuzuru Kato; Eiichi Yamada; Atsushi Murata; Osamu Wakamura; Kentarou Morita
- Inventors: Yasuhiro Onishi; Yuzuru Kato; Eiichi Yamada; Atsushi Murata; Osamu Wakamura; Kentarou Morita
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569387B2

## CPC

- C10G 2/34: {Apparatus, reactors}
- B01J 8/006: {by filtration}
- B01J 8/1836: {Heating and cooling the reactor (B01J8/42 takes precedence)}
- B01J 8/22: gas being introduced into the liquid
- C10G 2/32: {with the use of catalysts}
- B01J 2219/00006: Large-scale industrial plants
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS

## Abstract

A hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit which synthesizes a hydrocarbon compound by a chemical reaction of a synthesis gas including a hydrogen and a carbon monoxide as the main components, and a slurry having a solid catalyst suspended in liquid hydrocarbons, the hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit is provided with: a reactor which contains the slurry inside, into which the synthesis gas is introduced, and from which the gas after the reaction is discharged from the top thereof; an internal separation device provided inside the reactor to separate the catalyst and the synthesized liquid hydrocarbons in the slurry; and an external separation device provided outside the reactor to separate the catalyst and the liquid hydrocarbons in the slurry which is extracted from the reactor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit for synthesizing a hydrocarbon compound by a chemical reaction of a synthesis gas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide as main components, and a slurry having a solid catalyst suspended in liquid hydrocarbons, the hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit comprising:
a reactor which is configured to contain the slurry inside, into which the synthesis gas can be introduced, and from which the gas after the reaction can be discharged from the top thereof;
an internal separation device provided inside the reactor to separate the catalyst and the liquid hydrocarbons in the slurry; and
an external separation device provided outside the reactor for separating the catalyst and the liquid hydrocarbons in the slurry which is extracted from the reactor, wherein
the unit is configured to switch operation so that the internal separation device and the external separation device can be simultaneously or alternatively used, wherein
the unit further comprises:
a return flow line installed between the external separation device and the reactor, and configured to transfer the slurry separated by the external separation device to the reactor;
a slurry container connected to a branch line which branches from the return flow line, and to which the slurry is transferred from the external separation device; and
a nitrogen gas introduction device installed on the return flow line, and configured to introduce nitrogen gas to transport the slurry to the slurry container after the external separation device is stopped and before the internal separation device is operated.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit according to claim 1, further comprising a washing device configured to flow a washing fluid through the internal separation device and the external separation device to wash the internal separation device and the external separation device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit according to claim 2, wherein
the washing device has a storage tank which stores the washing fluid, and supplies the washing fluid to the internal separation device and the external separation device via the storage tank.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit according to claim 2, wherein
the washing fluid is the liquid hydrocarbons separated by the internal separation device or the external separation device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An operating method of the hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit according to claim 1, the operating method comprising:
switching operation so that the internal separation device and the external separation device are simultaneously or alternatively used; and
introducing nitrogen gas to the return flow line to transport the slurry to the slurry container after the external separation device is stopped and before the internal separation device is operated.