Paraffins and waxes are produced from a gaseous feed stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor using a fixed bed of reduced Fischer-Tropsch catalyst having cobalt as catalytically active metal. A nitrogen-containing compound is added to the gaseous feed stream in a concentration of up to 10 ppmV and the mixture if fed to the reactor to obtain paraffins having from 5 to 300 carbon atoms. The product is subjected to a hydrogenation step, to obtain a hydrogenated fraction comprising 5 to 300 carbon atoms. The hydrogenated product is separated into C5-C9, C10-C17, and C18-300 fractions. The C18-C300 fraction is separated to obtain one or more first light waxes having a congealing point in the range of 30 to 75 C. and a second heavy wax having a congealing point in the range of 75 to 120 C.

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 comprises a nitrogen-containing compound other than molecular nitrogen in an initial concentration, wherein the initial concentration in the range of from 10 to 350 ppbv 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 a reaction temperature and at a set reactor productivity, whilst maintaining the initial concentration of the nitrogen-containing compound and maintaining the set reactor productivity during a first time period by adjusting the reaction temperature; (d) decreasing the concentration of the nitrogen-containing compound to a second concentration in the range of from 0 to 20 ppbv, wherein the second concentration is at least 5 ppbv below the initial concentration, preferably at least 20 ppbv below the initial concentration, and maintaining the reactor productivity by adjusting the reaction temperature.

The invention provides methods of making laminated devices (especially microchannel devices) in which plates are assembled and welded together. Unlike conventional microchannel devices, the inventive laminated devices can be made without brazing or diffusion bonding; thus providing significant advantages for manufacturing. Features such as expansion joints and external welded supports are also described. Laminated devices and methods of conducting unit operations in laminated devices are also described.

In some embodiments, method for producing liquid fuel from landfill gas, the method including providing landfill gas to a tri-reformer, performing a tri-reforming process on the landfill gas within the tri-reformer to convert the landfill gas into synthesis gas, wherein the tri-reforming process combines carbon dioxide reforming, steam reforming, water-gas shifting, and methane oxidation and wherein the synthesis gas has a H.sub.2:CO ratio of approximately 2:1, providing the synthesis gas to a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) reformer, and converting the synthesis gas into liquid fuel within the FTS reformer.

The invention relates to a method to start up a Fischer-Tropsch process. A catalyst with a latent activity is used. The catalyst comprises titania, cobalt, promoter, and chlorine. The catalyst comprises more than 0.7 and less than 4 weight percent of the element chlorine, calculated on the total weight of the catalyst.

A nano-nickel catalyst and a hydrogenation device of carbon oxides are provided. The hydrogenation device is configured to reduce the carbon oxides to form low carbon hydrocarbons. The nano-nickel catalyst has a metallic nickel body and a plurality of microstructures connecting with at least one surface of the metallic nickel body. The microstructures are sharp, and have a length-diameter ratio ranging from 2 to 5.

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing hydrocarbons by operating a Fischer-Tropsch reactor comprising a fixed bed of reduced Fischer-Tropsch catalyst that comprises cobalt as catalytically active metal. Further, the present invention relates to a mixture of hydrocarbons obtainable by said Fischer-Tropsch reaction.

Paraffins and waxes are produced from a gaseous feed stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor using a fixed bed of reduced Fischer-Tropsch catalyst having cobalt as catalytically active metal. A nitrogen-containing compound is added to the gaseous feed stream in a concentration of up to 10 ppmV and the mixture if fed to the reactor to obtain paraffins having from 5 to 300 carbon atoms. The product is subjected to a hydrogenation step, to obtain a hydrogenated fraction comprising 5 to 300 carbon atoms. The hydrogenated product is separated into C5-C9, C10-C17, and C18-300 fractions. The C18-C300 fraction is separated to obtain one or more first light waxes having a congealing point in the range of 30 to 75 C. and a second heavy wax having a congealing point in the range of 75 to 120 C.

The invention relates to a method for start-up and operation of a Fischer-Tropsch reactor comprising the steps of: providing a reactor with a fixed bed of Fischer-Tropsch catalyst precursor that comprises cobalt as catalytically active metal; supplying an initial hydrogen containing gaseous feed stream to the reactor, at a reduction temperature and pressure; supplying a further gaseous feed stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen to the reactor; converting carbon monoxide and hydrogen supplied with the second gaseous feed stream to the reactor into hydrocarbons at a reaction temperature, wherein the reaction temperature is set at a value of at least 200 C. and hydrocarbons are produced.

The present disclosure includes a method of producing a liquid FT hydrocarbon stream, an FT tail gas stream and an FT water stream using an FT reactor feed in an FT reactor under low temperature, high pressure FT operating conditions. The FT reactor feed includes syngas, the syngas having a low H.sub.2:CO ratio in the range of approximately 1.4:1 to approximately 1.8:1, and carbon dioxide at a level of at least as high as about 10 volume percent. The FT reactor has a cobalt-based, alumina-supported FT catalyst. In embodiments, a syngas preparation unit is used to produce the syngas and carbon dioxide recovered from the FT tail gas is recycled to the syngas preparation unit. Other methods, systems and apparatuses are also disclosed.