Process and installation for making protected catalyst bodies by means of a molten organic substance

A process for handling an active catalyst, which process includes

• introducing a mixture of active catalyst particles in the form of an active Fischer-Tropsch catalyst comprising a catalyst precursor which has been subjected to an activation step, which catalyst precursor comprises a catalyst support and a cobalt compound, and a molten wax, which is at a temperature T1, and which sets at a lower temperature T2 which is between 70° C. and 140° C. so that T2<T1, into a plurality of moulds;
• at least partly submerging the moulds in a cooling liquid, so as to cool the organic substance down to a temperature T3, where T3 ≦T2, thereby to obtain castings, with each casting being in the form of a candle having a volume less than 140 ml, but more than 2 ml, and comprising a wax matrix in which the active catalyst particles are dispersed so that the catalyst particles are covered by the wax;
• removing the castings from the moulds;
• and
• with the introduction of the mixture into the moulds, the submerging of the moulds into the cooling liquid and the removal of the castings from the moulds being effected by a casting machine.