Fischer−Tropsch synthesis is technically classified into two categories, the high-temperature Fischer−Tropsch (HTFT) and the low-temperature Fischer−Tropsch (LTFT) processes. The criterion for this classification is the operating temperature of the synthesis, which ranges between 310−340 °C for the HTFT process and 210−260 °C for the LTFT process. A Fischer−Tropsch facility can be divided into roughly three sections, synthesis gas (syngas) generation, FT synthesis, and refining of the synthetic crude (syncrude). Fischer−Tropsch refineries differ regarding the product upgrading, and both transportation fuels and chemicals can be produced. Regarding the FT refinery history, the configuration of each refinery also reflects the requirements of the fuel specification at that time. This paper gives a condensed overview of how Fischer−Tropsch facilities changed during the last 70 years and focuses in particular on the diesel fuel produced. Some conceptual flow schemes are additionally presented with emphasis on the combined upgrading of the high boiling part of the FT product spectrum with liquids derived from coal pyrolysis.
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Dieter Leckel (2009) studied this question.