Rentech, Inc.

Midwest Research Institute

Res Usa, LLC

Mark S Bohn

Charles B Benham

Dennis L Yakobson

Mark D Ibsen

James E Siebarth

Belma Demirel

John A Corey

Harold A Wright

Sergio Mohedas

James B Moreno

Charles E Andraka

K Scott Rawlinson

Mark S Mehos

Kenneth M Anselmo

Frank Hogsett

Elijah C Philipp

Desikan Bharathan

Peter S Pedersen

William H Hawthorne

Charles S Benham

Mark Anselmo

Thomas A Williams

A method for converting synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons by introducing a synthesis gas feed into a Fischer-Tropsch system that includes a catalytic reactor fluidly connected with at least two slurry loops, the reactor comprising at least as many reactor product outlets and slurry return inlets as slurry loops; each slurry loop comprising a separation system comprising at least one separator, an inlet of each separator fluidly connected to a reactor product outlet via a slurry offtake, and an outlet of each separator fluidly connected to a slurry return inlet via a slurry return; separating concentrated catalyst slurry from the reaction product via the slurry loops; removing liquid hydrocarbon product from each separator; and returning concentrated catalyst slurry to the catalytic reactor via the slurry returns and slurry return inlets. A system for converting synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons via the method is also disclosed.

Commercial Fischer-Tropsch reactor

A catalytic reaction system comprising: a catalytic reactor fluidly connected with at least two slurry loops, wherein the reactor comprises at least as many reactor product outlets and at least as many slurry return inlets as slurry loops; wherein each slurry loop comprises a separation system comprising a separation system inlet, a separation system product outlet, and a concentrated catalyst slurry outlet; a slurry offtake fluidly connecting the separation system inlet with one of the reactor product outlets; and a slurry return fluidly connecting the separation system outlet with one of the slurry return inlets. The system may comprise at least three slurry loops. The system may comprise at least four slurry loops. A method for converting synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons via the catalytic reaction system in also disclosed.

Solvent extraction is used to remove wax and contaminants from an iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst in a natural circulation continuous-flow system. The wax-free catalyst is then subjected to controlled oxidation to convert the iron to its initial oxidized state, FeO. Reactivation of the oxide catalyst precursor is carried out by addition of synthesis gas.

Method and apparatus for regenerating an iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst

Solvent extraction is used to remove wax and contaminants from an iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst in a natural circulation continuous-flow system. The wax-free catalyst is then subjected to controlled oxidation to convert the iron to its initial oxidized state, Fe0. Reactivation of the oxide catalyst precursor is carried out by addition of synthesis gas.

Method and apparatus for regenerating an iron-based fischer-tropsch catalyst

A method for transforming at least a part of the catalyst precursor hematite into x-carbide (FeC) and &#x3b5;'-carbide (FeC) without a large amount of fines generation. This method slows the transformation of the hematite to iron carbides by reducing the partial pressure of the synthesis gas by inert gas dilution. The activation time is about three to about five hours.

Method for activating an iron-based fischer-tropsch catalyst

A method for transforming at least a part of the catalyst precursor hematite into &#x3c7;-carbide (FeC) and &#x3b5;'-carbide (FeC) without a large amount of fines generation. This method slows the transformation of the hematite to iron carbides by reducing the partial pressure of the synthesis gas by inert gas dilution. The activation time is about three to about five hours.

An arrangement of cooling tubes within a Fischer-Tropsch slurry reactor simplifies removal and reinstallation of cooling tubes for reactor maintenance.

Fischer-tropsch slurry reactor cooling tube arrangement

A combustion system for a hybrid solar receiver comprises a pre-mixer which combines air and fuel to form an air-fuel mixture. The mixture is introduced tangentially into a cooling jacket. A burner plenum is fluidically connected to the cooling jacket such that the burner plenum and the cooling jacket are arranged in thermal contact with one another. The air-fuel mixture flows through the cooling jacket cooling the burner plenum to reduce pre-ignition of the air-fuel mixture in the burner plenum. A combustion chamber is operatively associated with and open to the burner plenum to receive the air-fuel mixture from the burner plenum. An igniter is operatively positioned in the combustion chamber to combust the air-fuel mixture, releasing heat. A recuperator is operatively associated with the burner plenum and the combustion chamber and pre-heats the air-fuel mixture in the burner plenum with heat from the combustion chamber. A heat-exchanger is operatively associated and in thermal contact with the combustion chamber. The heat-exchanger provides heat for the hybrid solar receiver.

Combustion system for hybrid solar fossil fuel receiver

Catalyst particles are separated from the wax in a reactor slurry reactor by feeding a portion of the slurry to a dynamic settler. Heavier catalyst particles settle and are removed as the slurry at the bottom of the settler is recycled back to the reactor. Clarified wax is removed at the top of the settler. A multi-channel baffle prevents turbulence, improving retention of the desired heavier catalyst particles.

Dynamic settler

Method of removing catalyst particles from wax

Increased hydrocarbon yields from natural gas and reduced oxygen consumption improvements are obtained by recycling hydrogen to a Fischer-Tropsch reactor, which can have a catalyst exhibiting either a low water gas shift activity such as cobalt, or a high water gas shift activity such as iron. At least a portion of the remaining tail gas, either before or after the hydrogen has been removed, is recycled to the inlet of the synthesis gas production reactor.

Producing liquid hydrocarbons from natural gas

A hybrid high-temperature solar receiver is provided which comprises a solar heat-pipe-receiver including a front dome having a solar absorber surface for receiving concentrated solar energy, a heat pipe wick, a rear dome, a sidewall joining the front and the rear dome, and a vapor and a return liquid tube connecting to an engine, and a fossil fuel fired combustion system in radial integration with the sidewall for simultaneous operation with the solar heat pipe receiver, the combustion system comprising an air and fuel pre-mixer, an outer cooling jacket for tangentially introducing and cooling the mixture, a recuperator for preheating the mixture, a burner plenum having an inner and an outer wall, a porous cylindrical metal matrix burner firing radially inward facing a sodium vapor sink, the mixture ignited downstream of the matrix forming combustion products, an exhaust plenum, a fossil-fuel heat-input surface having an outer surface covered with a pin-fin array, the combustion products flowing through the array to give up additional heat to the receiver, and an inner surface covered with an extension of the heat-pipe wick, a pin-fin shroud sealed to the burner and exhaust plenums, an end seal, a flue-gas diversion tube and a flue-gas valve for use at off-design conditions to limit the temperature of the pre-heated air and fuel mixture, preventing pre-ignition.

Dish/stirling hybrid-receiver

Apparatus and processes for producing power, liquid hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide from heavy feedstocks, using a partial oxidation reactor to produce a synthesis gas, a Fischer-Tropsch reactor to convert the synthesis gas to hydrocarbon products and tail gases containing hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and a combined cycle plant to produce power from steam generated by recovering heat from the reactors and from combustible tail gases. By varying operating conditions and utilizing hydrogen for recycle to the Fischer-Tropsch reactor and/or hydrocracking wax products to produce lighter hydrocarbons, the process can selectively maximize the production of power, hydrocarbons or carbon dioxide. In preferred embodiments, the Fischer-Tropsch reactor can be a slurry reactor and can employ an iron-based catalyst.

Growing community of inventors

Golden, CO, United States of America

Mark S Bohn