Method for recovering hydrocarbon compounds and a hydrocarbon recovery apparatus from a gaseous by-product

Abstract

There is provided a method for recovering hydrocarbon compounds from gaseous by-products generated in a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction. The method includes absorbing light hydrocarbon compounds and a carbon dioxide gas from the gaseous by-products using an absorption solvent including liquid hydrocarbon compounds and a carbon dioxide gas absorbent, separating the absorption solvent which has absorbed the light hydrocarbon compounds and the carbon dioxide gas into the liquid hydrocarbon compounds and the carbon dioxide gas absorbent, heating the separated liquid hydrocarbon compounds to recover the light hydrocarbon compounds from the separated liquid hydrocarbon compounds, heating the separated carbon dioxide gas absorbent to strip the carbon dioxide gas from the separated carbon dioxide gas absorbent, and reusing the gaseous by-products from which the light hydrocarbon compounds and the carbon dioxide gas are absorbed as a feedstock gas for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A hydrocarbon recovery apparatus for recovering hydrocarbon compounds from a gaseous by-products discharged from a Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reactor, the hydrocarbon recovery apparatus comprising:
 an absorber which allows an absorption solvent including a carbon dioxide gas absorbent and liquid hydrocarbon compounds to absorb a carbon dioxide gas and light hydrocarbon compounds from the gaseous by-products;   a separator which separates the absorption solvent including the carbon dioxide gas and the light hydrocarbon compounds into the carbon dioxide gas absorbent and the liquid hydrocarbon compounds;   a carbon dioxide gas stripping device which strips the carbon dioxide gas from the separated carbon dioxide gas absorbent;   a light hydrocarbon recovering device which recovers the light hydrocarbon compounds from the separated liquid hydrocarbon compounds; and   a gaseous by-product supply line which allows the gaseous by-products from which the light hydrocarbon compounds and the carbon dioxide gas are absorbed, to be supplied to the Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reactor.   
     
     
         8 . The hydrocarbon recovery apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising a recycle line which allows the carbon dioxide gas absorbent from which the carbon dioxide gas is stripped, and the liquid hydrocarbon compounds from which the light hydrocarbon compounds are recovered, to be recycle to the absorber. 
     
     
         9 . The hydrocarbon recovery apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the absorber is a carbon dioxide gas absorption tower which absorbs a carbon dioxide gas from a feedstock gas introduced into the Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reactor. 
     
     
         10 . The hydrocarbon recovery apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the absorber is a carbon dioxide gas absorption tower which absorbs a carbon dioxide gas from a feedstock gas introduced into the Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reactor.