PATENTS

      136.     ------.  [BARR, F. T.]  (Standard Catalytic Co.).  Internally Cooled Catalytic Converter for Exthermic Reactions.  United States Patent 2,384,874.  Sept. 18, 1945; appl. filed May 2, 1941, Serial No. 391,560; 4 claims (Cl. 260-449.6).  Chem. Abs., vol. 40, 1946, p. 2361.

Makeup synthesis gas plus recycled process gas is fed in parallel through an array of annular cylindrical catalyst beds arranged 1 above the other in an external cylindrical housing.  Gas flow is downward through each bed, and suitable baffles are provided to produce a relatively uniform flow pattern.  The reacted gases are collected in the annular space between the catalyst beds and the shell and flow downward to the bottom of the unit where they are directed radially inward over an annular cooler or waste heat boiler.  An internal blower circulates the gases from the cooler and the makeup fee through the catalyst beds, thus completing the flow circuit.  Part if the reacted gas is bled out before reaching the cooler.  By adjusting the relative ratio of product takeoff and makeup gas to the total internal circulation, the temperature rise in passing through the catalyst beds can be held to 5°-10° F.  A particular advantage to this design is that only 1 high-pressure external shell is needed and power requirements for circulation are relatively low.