Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (Ripi)

Bahman Amini Horri

Khairolah Jafari Jozani

Alimorad Rashidi

Hossein Manafi Varkiani

Sasan Sadraei Noori

Ali Mohajeri

Ali Nakhaeipor

Sasan Sadraei

Hamid Reza Khakdaman

The present invention relates to a continuous process for producing carbon nanotubes (herein after also referred to as 'CNT') of single, double and/or multi-wall type, with any possible desired diameter and with high purity. The preferred embodiment provides means for continuous supply of a catalyst during the process for producing the carbon nanotubes, according to which one can achieve the advantageous continuity of the process.

Continuous process for producing carbon nanotubes

An improved Method for the separation of catalyst particles and the wax product from the output slurry of a Fischer-Tropsch bubble column reactor comprising the contact of a hydrocarbon solvent from a cyclic solvent stream with the slurry, wherein the solvent is a hydrocarbon fraction which is pressurized and heated to its supercritical state and the temperature and the pressure of the solvent at the supercritical state are similar to those of the F-T reactor. After the separating of the catalyst from the hydrocarbon mixture of the solvent and the slurry in a catalyst separation section the hydrocarbon solvent and the wax product are separated, whereby the recovered solvent phase is lead to the cyclic solvent stream; which is used after re-pressurizing and re-heating in a supercritical solvent supply module to recycling the hydrocarbon solvent for the contact step. A system for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Continuous catalyst / wax separation method

Growing community of inventors

Karaj, Iran

Bahman Amini Horri