Exxon Research and Engineering Company

William C Behrmann

Charles H Mauldin

Kym B Arcuri

Stephen C Leviness

Larry E Pedrick

Stephen M Davis

Charles John Mart

David E Allan

Stephen J Hsia

Daniel Ray Neskora

Robert H Caulk

John F Moser, Jr

Earl E Turner

Victor C Bastron

Donald L Green

Thomas G Jones

A method for hydrocarbon synthesis reactions from carbon monoxide and hydrogen using a catalyst pellet which includes a solid core and a coated layer of porous support impregnated with a catalyst which optimizes the CO conversion.

Method for hydrocarbon synthesis reactions

A supported particulate cobalt catalyst is formed by dispersing cobalt, alone or with a metal promoter, particularly rhenium, as a thin catalytically active film upon a particulate support, especially a silica or titania support. This catalyst can be used to convert an admixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a distillate fuel constituted principally of an admixture of linear paraffins and olefins, particularly a C distillate, at high productivity, with low methane selectivity. A process is also disclosed for the preparation of these catalysts.

Surface supported cobalt catalysts, process utilizing these catalysts for the preparation of hydrocarbons from synthesis gas and process for the preparation of said catalysts

A slurry catalytic hydrocarbon synthesis process which employs a catalyst comprising a supported cobalt component achieves a short term catalyst half life of more than 10 days, by using a syngas feed which contains less than fifty parts per billion of a combined total amount of HCN and NH,.

Slurry hydrocarbon synthesis process with increased catalyst life

The operation of a hydrocarbon synthesis reactor and catalyst distributed in the reaction slurry therein are improved by the presence in said reactor of one or more vertical downcomers open at both ends with gas disengaging areas located at their top end. The downcomer which circulates catalyst from the top of the reaction slurry to the bottom of said slurry is fully immersed in the reaction slurry and preferably extends from just above the bottom of the reaction zone of the reaction vessel to just below the top surface of the reaction slurry. The bottom end of said downcomer is shielded from intrusion of rising synthesis gas by the placement of a baffle which blocks rising gas entry but facilitates the exit of catalyst and liquid from the bottom of said downcomer and distributes them radially throughout the adjacent reactor slurry.

Hydrocarbon synthesis reactor employing vertical downcomer with gas disengaging means

A reversibly deactivated, particulate catalyst in a slurry hydrocarbon synthesis slurry is rejuvenated by circulating the slurry from a slurry body through (i) a gas disengaging zone to remove gas bubbles from the slurry, (ii) a catalyst rejuvenation zone in which a catalyst rejuvenating gas contacts the catalyst in the slurry to rejuvenate it and form a rejuvenated catalyst slurry and, (iii) back into the slurry body. Removing at least a portion of the gas bubbles improves the rejuvenation process.

Hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst slurry rejuvenation with gas

Particulate solids and gas are removed from a three phase hydrocarbon synthesis slurry of solid catalyst particles, gas and liquid, by successively passing slurry from a slurry body through solids and gas disengaging zones in fluid communication, with the solids disengaging zone upstream of the gas disengaging zone. This is accomplished using a solids and gas disengaging downcomer immersed in the slurry wherein solids are disengaged in a quiescent zone adjacent the slurry body, from which the solids reduced slurry passes through an enclosed cup in which gas is disengaged and removed. The bottom of the cup terminates in a downwardly depending downcomer which hydraulically feeds the densified, solids and gas reduced slurry to the bottom of the reactor or to filtration.

Gas and solids reducing slurry downcomer

Hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst slurry rejuvenation with gas disengagement

A supported particulate cobalt catalyst is formed by dispersing cobalt, alone or with a metal promoter, particularly rhenium, as a thin catalytically active film upon a particulate support, especially a silica or titania support. This catalyst can be used to convert an admixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a distillate fuel constituted principally of an admixture of linear paraffins and olefins, particularly a C.sub.10+ distillate, at high productivity, with low methane selectivity. A process is also disclosed for the preparation of these catalysts.

Surface supported cobalt catalysts, process utilizing these catalysts

Hydrocarbon synthesis reactor employing vertical downcomer with gas

Catalyst in a slurry phase reactor is rejuvenated in said reactor using a substantially vertical draft tube fully immersed in the slurry which utilizes a rejuvenating gas injected substantially near the bottom of the substantially vertical draft tube whereby catalyst near the bottom of the slurry phase reactor is drawn up the draft tube and discharged from the top of the draft tube near the top of the slurry phase in said reactor, control over the rejuvenation temperature in the substantially vertical draft tube being achieved by means of insulating the draft tube and/or fitting the draft tube with heating or cooling means.

Temperature control in draft tubes for catalyst rejuvenation

Catalyst in a slurry phase reactor is rejuvenated and uniformly distributed in said reactor using a substantially vertical draft tube fully immersed in the slurry which utilizes a rejuvenating gas injected substantially near the bottom of the substantially vertical draft tube whereby catalyst near the bottom of the slurry phase reactor is drawn up the draft tube and discharged from the top of the draft tube near the top of the slurry phase in said reactor.

Draft tube for catalyst rejuvenation and distribution

The activity of supported cobalt catalysts for hydrocarbon synthesis is maximized by carrying out the reduction at conditions that keep both the partial pressure of water vapor and the maximum reduction temperature below critical maximum values. For titania supported cobalt catalysts, the preferred maximum water partial pressure is one atmosphere and the preferred maximum reduction temperature is 375.degree. C.

Activation conditions to maximize the HCS activity of supported cobalt

Activation conditions to maximize the HSC activity of supported cobalt

A supported particulate cobalt catalyst is formed by dispersing cobalt, alone or with a metal promoter, particularly rhenium, as a thin catalytically active film upon a particulate titania or titania-containing support, especially one wherein the rutile:anatase ratio of the support is at least about 3:2. This catalyst can be used to convert an admixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a distillate fuel constituted principally of an admixture of linear paraffins and olefins, particularly a C.sub.10 + distillate, at high productivity, with low methane selectivity. A process is also disclosed for the preparation of these catalysts.

Cobalt-titania catalysts, process utilizing these catalysts for the

A supported particulate cobalt catalyst is formed by dispersing cobalt, alone or with a metal promoter, particularly rhenium, as a thin catalytically active film upon a particulate titania or titania-containing support, especially one wherein the rutile:anatase ratio of the support is at least about 3:2. This catalyst can be used to convert an admixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a distillate fuel constituted principally of an admixture of linear paraffins and olefins, particularly a C.sub.10+ distillate, at high productivity, with low methane selectivity. A process is also disclosed for the preparation of these catalysts.

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Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America

William C Behrmann