Fischer–Tropsch synthesis: Overview of reactor development and future potentialities

An overview of the reactors utilized for the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis is considered during three time periods: discovery to 1945, 1945–1970, and 1970 to date. A brief outline of the scientific and engineering developments related to chemical reactor design for the same three periods is also presented. In general, the reactor developments outpaced the ability to utilize the scientific and engineering advances on the academic level. However, today it appears that the academic and industrial developments closely match each other in content and interests. Even so, the availability of reliable data from large-scale pilot plants and/or commercial operations remain available only to the organization developing the data.