PATENTS

3326.            SENSEL, E. E.  (The Texas Co.).  Method and Apparatus for Catalytic Conversion.  United States Patent 2,411,760, Nov. 26, 1946; appl. filed Apr. 13, 1944, Serial No. 530,844; 5 claims (Cl. 260-449.6).  Chem. Abs., vol. 41, 1947, p. 1507.

Reaction tower has a number of separate beds of solid granular catalyst spaced apart, one above the other, with an intervening screen or porous bed of noncatalytic material in the spaces between.  Liquid is collected between the noncatalytic material and the catalyst bed immediately below and discharged directly from the tower.  CO and H₂ are passed continuously through the reactor.  Conversion conditions are maintained in the catalyst beds.  A cooling liquid is introduced in zones between catalyst beds and mixes with the gas stream as it goes through the noncatalytic bed.  Then it is withdrawn with the liquid products, and the gaseous stream of reactants continues to flow toward the next catalytic bed.