Method for start-up and operation of a fischer-tropsch reactor

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for start-up and operation of a Fischer-Tropsch reactor comprising the steps of: (a) providing a reactor with a fixed bed of reduced Fischer-Tropsch catalyst that comprises cobalt as catalytically active metal; (b) supplying a gaseous feed stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen to the reactor, wherein the gaseous feed stream initially comprises a nitrogen-containing compound other than molecular nitrogen in an initial concentration in the range of from 0.1 to 50 ppmv based on the volume of the gaseous feed stream; (c) converting carbon monoxide and hydrogen supplied with the gaseous feed stream to the reactor into hydrocarbons at an initial reaction temperature, wherein the initial reaction temperature is set at a value of at least 200° C. and hydrocarbons are produced at a first yield; (d) maintaining the initial reaction temperature at the set value and maintaining the first yield by decreasing the concentration of the nitrogen-containing compound in the gaseous feed stream supplied to the reactor; (e) optionally increasing the reaction temperature after the concentration of the nitrogen-containing compound in the gaseous feed stream has decreased to a value below 100 ppbv.