2093. LYONS, L. R. (Standard Oil Co. of Indiana). Synthesis of Hydrocarbons. United States Patent 2,472,219, June 7, 1949; appl. filed Feb. 13, 1945, Serial No. 577,679; 9 claims (Cl. 260-449.6). Chem. Abs., vol. 43, 1949, p. 7213.

In the conversion of H₂ and CO with Fe catalyst oxygenated compounds are produced and appear in the hydrocarbon liquids, H₂O condensed from the reaction stream and in gas streams beyond the liquid recovery. 2-20% of the recoverable compounds, such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, and n-butyl alcohols, appear in the condensed H₂O. The H₂O is withdrawn from the desuperheater, raised to boiling temperature and the chosen pressure, and introduced into a steam stripper. A rich fraction containing the greater proportion of oxygenated compounds is taken overhead from the stripper, cooled, and recovered. The stripped H₂O is withdrawn from the bottom of the stripper, increased in temperature, and introduced into a CH₄ saturator. Fresh feed, with or without CO₂, is passed through the packed saturator and about equal weights of CO₂ and H₂O vapor are withdrawn overhead from the saturator and introduced into the makeup gas step along with CO₂. Solvent extraction may be used in place of the steam stripping. 7 United States patents cited.