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A slurry bubble column reactor with a gas distribution arrangement comprising an upper sparger, a lower sparger, and an open-ended tube. Gas from the lower sparger enters the tube and lowers the density of slurry in the tube. The difference in slurry density causes the slurry in the tube to rise, ca

A slurry bubble column reactor with a gas distribution arrangement comprising an upper sparger, a lower sparger, and an open-ended tube. Gas from the lower sparger enters the tube and lowers the density of slurry in the tube. The difference in slurry density causes the slurry in the tube to rise, causing slurry outside the tube to move down, maintaining circulation and flushing catalyst from the vessel wall.

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1. A slurry bubble column reactor comprising: a reactor vessel having a gas outlet and a liquid outlet, wherein a bottom of the vessel comprises a downwardly tapering part-conical portion that joins a curved base, anda gas distributor arrangement in the region of the bottom of the vessel when in an

1. A slurry bubble column reactor comprising: a reactor vessel having a gas outlet and a liquid outlet, wherein a bottom of the vessel comprises a downwardly tapering part-conical portion that joins a curved base, anda gas distributor arrangement in the region of the bottom of the vessel when in an orientation for use, the gas distributor arrangement including— an upper gas sparger,a lower gas sparger spaced from the upper gas sparger to a position nearer the bottom of the vessel, anda tube having a upper end and a lower end, the tube being open at both ends, and a longitudinal axis of the tube extending generally vertically when the vessel is in the orientation for use,wherein the upper gas sparger surrounds the outside of the tube at a position located at a level of or below the upper end of the tube, and the lower gas sparger is located at a level close to the lower end of the tube, whereby in use gas from the lower gas sparger rises into the tube, reduces a density of a slurry within the tube, and causes the slurry in the tube to rise; andwherein the bottom end of the tube is at substantially the position where the part-conical portion joins the curved base. 2. The reactor of claim 1, wherein sparger the lower gas sparger is radially within the circumference of the lower open end of the tube. 3. The reactor of claim 1, wherein the upper gas sparger comprises one or more pipes, each having a plurality of upper nozzles. 4. The reactor of claim 3, wherein the one or more pipes comprises a plurality of generally circular or part-circular concentric pipes, each pipe having a plurality of upper gas nozzles arranged along a length of the pipe. 5. The reactor of claim 4, wherein the concentric pipes are tubular toroids or toroid sections. 6. The reactor of claim 3, wherein the upper nozzles all lie in a common generally horizontal plane. 7. The reactor of claim 3, wherein a diameter of openings of the upper nozzles is equal to or greater than 5 mm. 8. The reactor of claim 3, wherein openings of the upper nozzles are positioned such that a principal axis of jets of gas produced has an inclination of 90° or less below the horizontal. 9. The reactor of claim 3, wherein the upper nozzles have an L/D ratio >1, where L is a length of the nozzle and D is a diameter of the nozzle. 10. The reactor of claim 1, wherein the upper gas sparger is connected to an upper gas supply arrangement. 11. The reactor of claim 1, wherein the lower gas sparger comprises a manifold arrangement with a plurality of lower nozzles. 12. The reactor of claim 11, wherein the manifold arrangement comprises one or more pipes, each pipe having a plurality of lower nozzles. 13. The reactor of claim 12, wherein the one or more pipes comprises a plurality of generally circular or part-circular concentric pipes, each pipe having a plurality of lower nozzles arranged along a length of the pipe. 14. The reactor of claim 13, wherein the concentric pipes are tubular toroids or toroid sections. 15. The reactor of claim 11, wherein the lower nozzles all lie in a common generally horizontal plane. 16. The reactor of claim 11, wherein openings of the lower nozzles are positioned such that a principal axis of jets of gas produced has an inclination of 90° or less below the horizontal. 17. The reactor of claim 11, wherein a diameter of openings of the lower nozzle is equal to or greater than the 5 mm. 18. The reactor of claim 11, wherein the lower nozzles have an L/D ratio >1, where L is a length of the nozzle and D is a diameter of the nozzle. 19. The reactor of claim 1, wherein the lower gas sparger is connected to a lower gas supply arrangement. 20. The reactor of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower gas spargers together represent from 30 to 100% of a cross-sectional area of the reactor. 21. The reactor of claim of claim 20, wherein the upper and lower gas spargers together represent from 40 to 80% of the cross-sectional area of the reactor. 22. The reactor of claim 20, wherein the lower gas sparger represents from 2 to 12% of a cross-sectional area of the reactor. 23. The reactor of claim 22, wherein the lower gas sparger represents from 5 to 8% of the cross-sectional area of the reactor. 24. The reactor of claim 1, wherein the lower gas sparger is adapted to supply 4 to 20% of gas flow to the reactor. 25. The reactor of claim 24, wherein the lower gas sparger is adapted to supply 8 to 15% of the gas flow to the reactor. 26. The reactor of claim 1, wherein the tube is cylindrical and positioned generally in the reactor such that a longitudinal axis of the tube is substantially vertical. 27. The reactor of claim 1, wherein the upper gas sparger is located between the level of the upper end of the tube and half way up the tube. 28. The reactor of claim 27, wherein the upper gas sparger is at a position less than 10% of the height of the tube beneath the top end of the tube. 29. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the lower gas sparger is located at a level between 3 m above and 3 m beneath the lower end of the tube. 30. The reactor of claim 1, wherein beneath a main cylindrical portion of the vessel, the bottom of the vessel comprises a curved portion extending from the main cylindrical portion, the part-conical portion extending from the curved position, and the part-conical portion joining the curved base. 31. A method of conducting a chemical reaction involving gaseous reactants, the method comprising: providing a slurry bubble column reactor comprising—a reactor vessel having a gas outlet and a liquid outlet, wherein a bottom of the vessel comprises a downwardly tapering part-conical portion that joins a curved base, anda gas distributor arrangement in the region of the bottom of the vessel when in an orientation for use, the gas distributor arrangement including— an upper gas sparger,a lower gas sparger spaced from the upper gas sparger to a position nearer the bottom of the vessel, anda tube having a upper end and a lower end, the tube being open at both ends, and a longitudinal axis of the tube extending generally vertically when the vessel is in the orientation for use,wherein the upper gas sparger surrounds the outside of the tube at a position located at a level of or below the upper end of the tube, and the lower gas sparger is located at a level close to the lower end of the tube, whereby in use gas from the lower gas sparger rises into the tube, reduces a density of a slurry within the tube, and causes the slurry in the tube to rise, and wherein the bottom end of the tube is at substantially the position where the part-conical portion joins the curved base; andsupplying the gaseous reactants to the reactor by way of the upper and lower gas spargers,wherein the reactor contains a volume of slurry comprising a liquid phase and solid catalyst particles, and the catalyst particles are maintained in suspension in the slurry by rising gas bubbles from the gas spargers. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein gas flowing through each individual nozzle of at least one of the upper gas sparger and the lower gas sparger exerts a dynamic pressure of less than 15 000 kg/m s2. 33. The method of claim 31, wherein a difference in density is established between the slurry outside the tube and the slurry inside the tube by means of the gas from the lower gas sparger entering the tube, such that slurry outside the tube flows downwards thereby sweeping an inside wall of the vessel, and then upwards through the tube as the gas from the lower gas sparger is entrained. 34. The method of claim 31, wherein the reaction is a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, wherein a reaction temperature is in a range from 150 to 300° C., and wherein a reaction pressure is in a range from 1 to 100 bar. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the reaction temperature is in a range from 200 to 260°C., and the reaction pressure is in a range from 10 to 50 bar. 36. A slurry bubble column reactor comprising: a reactor vessel having a gas outlet and a liquid outlet, wherein beneath a main cylindrical portion of the vessel a bottom of the vessel comprises a curved portion extending from the main cylindrical portion, a downwardly tapering part-conical portion extending from the curved portion, and the part-conical portion joining a curved base; anda gas distributor arrangement in the region of the bottom of the vessel when in an orientation for use, the gas distributor arrangement including— an upper gas sparger,a lower gas sparger spaced from the upper gas sparger to a position nearer the bottom of the vessel, anda tube having a upper end and a lower end, the tube being open at both ends, and a longitudinal axis of the tube extending generally vertically when the vessel is in the orientation for use,wherein the upper gas sparger surrounds the outside of the tube at a position located at a level of or below the upper end of the tube, and the lower gas sparger is located at a level close to the lower end of the tube, whereby in use gas from the lower gas sparger rises into the tube, reduces a density of a slurry within the tube, and causes the slurry in the tube to rise; andwherein the bottom end of the tube is at substantially the position where the part-conical portion joins the curved base.