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Patent Abstracts

378.          ------.  [CLARK, A.]  (Phillips Petroleum Co.).  Fischer-Tropsch Process for the Synthesis of Hydrocarbons.  United States Patent 2,564,958, Aug. 21, 1951; appl. Filed June 21, 1948, Serial No. 34,212; 3 claims (Cl. 260-449.6).

                  Object of the invention is to provide for the synthesis reaction and the catalyst regeneration to be carried out simultaneously in the same reactor.  The reactor comprises 2 zones in free communication with each other, that portion above the synthesis gas inlet being the synthesis zone and that below being the catalyst regeneration zone, the former having 5-10 times the volume of the latter.  The reactor is filled with fluidized catalyst, which is maintained at 295°-325° abd 5-30 atm. Pressure, the fresh synthesis being introduced at a space velocity of 1,500-3,000 vol. Per vol. Per hr. into the bottom of the synthesis reaction zone.  The gaseous portion of the effluent from the synthesis zone rich in H2 and CO2 is recycled to the bottom of the regeneration zone at a space velocity 2-4 times that of the synthesis gas.  The volume ratio of recycle to fresh synthesis gas is about 3:1.  The fluidized catalyst particles are thus passed back and forth through the synthesis and regeneration zones and re reactivated.  At the end of about 300 hr. continuous operation, CO conversion is 97%, as compared with 91% for systems not employing continuous regeneration.  Diagram.