Solid/liquid separation system for multiphase converters

Methods and apparatus for removing wax products from a slurry used in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are characterized by a solid/liquid separation system that removes liquid products from a slurry by drawing the fluid across a filter medium composed of a filter cake disposed on a substrate. In the preferred embodiments, the filter cake is desirable and performs the majority of the filtration. In certain embodiments, the filter medium is disposed in a filter housing where slurry flows parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filter medium from and inlet to an outlet. The characteristics or properties of the cake, which will effect the performance of the solid/liquid separation system, can be controlled by regulating the velocity of the slurry flowing across the cake, where the velocity may be regulated by adjusting the slurry flow through the filter housing or may be self-regulated by changing slurry velocities influenced by the design of the filter housing.