532. ------. [DREYFUS, H.] Hydrocarbons. British Patent 500,264, Feb. 6, 1939; appl. Filed Aug. 5, 1937. Chem. Abs., vol. 33, 1939, p. 5410.

Patent Abstracts

Hydrocarbons are produced by the catalytic reaction of CO and H₂, the absolute pressure in the reaction zone being normally above 0.5 atm. But periodically reduced to below 0.5 atm. The catalysts, apparatus, temperatures, and other conditions of working are those described in British Patent 496,292 (abs. 531). As an example, CO with 2 times its vol. of H₂ and with or without 3 times its vol. of steam or CO₃ is passed at 1 atm. over a Co-ThO₂ catalyst at 180º; when, after some hours, the proportion of the hydrocarbons in the exit gases falls appreciably, the pressure is reduced to 0.1 atm., usually for a relatively short time, to reactivate the catalyst; most of the hydrocarbons are condensed from the exit gases, which are recycled with fresh reactants.