2559.     PADOVANI, C., AND LOTTERI, A.  [Reaction Velocities at Low Temperatures in the Water-Gas Equilibrium.]  Studi ric. comb., vol. 6, 1936-1937; Jour. Soc. Chem. Ind., vol. 56, 1937, pp. 391-395T; British Coal Utilization and Research Assoc., Monthly Bull., vol. 2, 1938, No. 11, abs. 2342; British Chem. Abs., 1938, B, p. 13; Chem. Abs., vol. 32, 1938, p. 1170.

        Composition of the feed was H₂, 46.5; CO, 52.5; N₂, 1.0%; trace of O₂; and no CO₂ or C_nH_m.  The catalyst had an Fe₂O₃ basis (commercial).  The apparatus is shown.  The temperature of the reaction chamber was kept at 400° and that of the preheater was carried at 400°, 520°, and 580° at atmospheric pressure, and a H₂C:CO ratio of 1.87 was used.  The velocity coefficient k₁ for the reaction CO+H₂→CO₂+H₂ was calculated from k₁dt=dx/(ax²+bx=c), where t=reaction time and x concentration of CO.  At preheater temperatures of 400°, 520°, and 580° the values of k₁ obtained were 0.00509, 0.00732, and 0.00860, respectively.  Experiments on the effect of pressure showed that the highest yields lie between 10 and 20 atm.  The effect of H₂O:CO ratio was investigated, and it was shown that in order to obtain absolute yields above 90% at 400° a large excess of H₂O is necessary (ratios of 3-4 and space velocities not greater than 300-400).  Experiments also are reported for catalytic temperatures of 300°, 350°, 400°, 450°, and 500° with equalized preheater temperature.  The variation of k₁ as a function of temperature could be expressed by k₁=9.38T²X10^-T-5.919TX10^-4+0.09384.  With a H₂O:CO ratio of 2, high yields are possible only at 450°-500°.  With space velocities of about 500, yields of 75-80% can be realized.  At 350°-400°, yields of 30-60% only are possible with space velocities between 300 and 500, and at 300° the reaction velocity is definitely too low.