3902.  WENZEL, ---, REISINGER, ---, AND WINTZER, ---. (I. G. Farbenindusrie A. G.). [Process for Reacting Carbon Monoxide With Hydrogen.] German Patent Appl. I 70,488,OZ 13,005, filed Sept. 24, 1941 (Cl. IV d-12 o). FIAT Reel 172, frames 249-250; PB 25,616; TOM Reel 17, item 32 frames 855-865; TOM Reel 19 item 137, frames 1,608-1,618; Meyer Transl. PC-S-II, Fischer-Tropsch, vol. 2, 1948, chap.97, p. 65.

In catalytically converting CO and H₂ into liquid and solid oxygenated organic compounds, besides multibranched hydrocarbons, under conditions which cause the O not entering into these compounds to form CO₂ only so much gas is converted in 1 passage through a stage that < 20%, suitably not > 15%, of CO₂ is formed, calculated on the end gas freed from liquid and solid products. The conversion is carried out in several stages, and before further conversion of the gas is effected the CO₂ contained therein is wholly or extensively removed. Example: A gas mixture, consisting essentially of CO:H₂=1:0.8, containing 3%CO₂ is passed under 25 atm. pressure through 2-plate converters filled with a fused Fe catalyst with additions of Al and K oxides. The rate of throughput is 150 m.³ of catalyst per hr. The temperature in the 1^st converter is 180°, in the 2d 200°. The gas from each converter, after separation of the liquid and solid products, contains 12.5% of CO₂. The contraction is respectively 22% and 15%. The average alcohol content of the fractions of the 1^st stage is about 45%, that of the 2d stage about 32%. A considerably higher alcohol content results when a 2-stage, rather than a single-stage process is used. Similar to German Patent appl. I 70,503 (abs. 3905).