The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 18, 2006
Filed:
Jan. 07, 2004
Oluwaseyi A. Odueyungbo, Ponca City, OK (US);
Rafael L. Espinoza, Ponca City, OK (US);
Sergio R. Mohedas, Ponca City, OK (US);
James Dale Ortego, Jr., Ponca City, OK (US);
Beatrice C. Ortego, Ponca City, OK (US);
Ralph T. Goodwin, Ponca City, OK (US);
Todd H. Harkins, Ponca City, OK (US);
Oluwaseyi A. Odueyungbo, Ponca City, OK (US);
Rafael L. Espinoza, Ponca City, OK (US);
Sergio R. Mohedas, Ponca City, OK (US);
James Dale Ortego, Jr., Ponca City, OK (US);
Beatrice C. Ortego, Ponca City, OK (US);
Ralph T. Goodwin, Ponca City, OK (US);
Todd H. Harkins, Ponca City, OK (US);
ConocoPhillips Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
This invention relates to methods and apparatus for separating liquid products and catalyst particles from a slurry used in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor system. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are characterized by a separation system that uses a sedimentation chamber, which contains at least one inclined channel that enhances the settling of particles within the slurry. The enhanced settling separates the slurry into a catalyst-rich bottom stream and a catalyst-lean overhead stream. The catalyst-rich bottom product stream is preferably recycled to the reactor, while the catalyst-lean overhead stream can be further processed by a secondary separation system to produce valuable synthetic fuels. The inclined channel may be provided by a structure selected from the group consisting of tube, pipe, conduit, sheets, trays, walls, plates, and combinations thereof.