PATENT

3476. ----- [STANDARD OIL CO.]  Catalytic Synthesis of Hydrocarbons.  British Patent 626,742, July 20, 1949; appl. filed Feb. 14, 1947.  Fuel Abs., 1949, No. 5,012; Chem. Abs., vol. 44, 1950, p. 2205.

Mixture of gases containing CO and H₂ is forced into a reaction zone containing a bed of powdered fluidized Fe catalyst.  Elevated temperature and pressure are maintained in the reaction zone, and the reactants remain there for enough time to effect the desired conversion.  The Fe catalyst is withdrawn, quenched, and heated to a temperature of at least incipient fusion in the presence of an oxidizing gas whereby agglomeration of the catalyst particles occurs, after which they are ground to a size > the Fe removed from the reaction zone and then returned to the process.