Process and apparatus for the synthesis of hydrocarbons

Claim 1

A REACTOR COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED CHAMBER ENCLOSING A REACTION ZONE; INLET MEANS FOR REACTANT MATERIALS IN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER; COOLING MEANS WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, WHICH COOLING MEANS MATERIALLY RESTRICT THE CROSS SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID CHAMBER AT SPACED INTERVALS THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE LENGTH OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID COOLING MEANS FORMING REACTION ZONE SECTIONS OF SUCCESSIVELY SMALLER VOLUME FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP OF SAID CHAMBER; AND EFFLUENT OUTLET MEANS IN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF SYTHESIZING HYDROCARBONS BY THE REACTION OF HYDROGEN AND CARBON MONOXIDE WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION THE STEPS OF PASSING A SYNTHESIS GAS COMPRISING HYDROGEN AND CARBON MONOXIDE INTO AN INJECTION ZONE; INJECTING SAID SYNTHESIS GAS INTO A FIRST SUBSTANTIALLY UNRESTRICTED PORTION OF A REACTION ZONE AT SUCH A VELOCITY AS TO SUBSTANTIALLY FLUIDIZE PARTICULATE CATALYST IN SAID REACTION ZONE PORTION; REDUCING SAID GAS VELOCITY IN SAID UNRESTRICTED ZONE PORTION, PASSING SAID SYNTHESIS GAS AND REACTION PRODUCTS THROUGH A RESTRICTED ZONE WITHIN SAID REACTION ZONE AND INTO A SECOND SUBSTANTIALLY UNRESTRICTED REACTION ZONE PORTION AT A VELOCITY SUFFICIENT TO SUBSTANTIALLY FLUIDIZE PARTICULATE CATALYST IN SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE PORTION; REDUCING SAID GAS VELOCITY IN SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE PORTION; SIMILARLY PASSING SAID SYNTHESIS GAS AND REACTION PRODUCTS THROUGH AT LEAST ONE MORE RESTRICTED ZONE AND AT LEAST ONE MORE SUBSTANTIALLY UNRESTRICTED REACTION ZONE PORTION; PASSING A RELATIVELY COOL HEAT EXCHANGE MATERIAL IN DIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE RELATION WITH SAID SYNTHESIS GAS AND REACTION PRODUCTS THROUGH A COOLING ZONE WITHIN AND SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF SAID RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED PORTIONS OF SAID REACTION ZONE; AND REMOVING EFFLUENT MATERIAL FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID REACTION ZONE.

Claim 4

A METHOD OF SYTHESIZING HYDROCARBONS BY THE REACTION OF HYDROGEN AND CARBON MONOXIDE WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION THE STEPS OF PASSING A SYNTHESIS GAS COMPRISING HYDROGEN AND CARBON MONOXIDE INTO AN INJECTION ZONE; INJECTING SAID SYNTHESIS GAS INTO A FIRST SUBSTANTIALLY UNRESTRICTED PORTION OF A REACTION ZONE AT SUCH A VELOCITY AS TO SUBSTANTIALLY FLUIDIZE PARTICULATE CATALYST IN SAID REACTION ZONE PORTION; REDUCING SAID GAS VELOCITY IN SAID UNRESTRICTED ZONE PORTION, PASSING SAID SYNTHESIS GAS AND REACTION PRODUCTS THROUGH A RESTRICTED ZONE WITHIN SAID REACTION ZONE AND INTO A SECOND SUBSTANTIALLY UNRESTRICTED REACTION ZONE PORTION AT A VELOCITY SUFFICIENT TO SUBSTANTIALLY FLUIDIZE PARTICULATE CATALYST IN SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE PORTION; REDUCING SAID GAS VELOCITY IN SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE PORTION; SIMILARLY PASSING SAID SYNTHESIS GAS AND REACTION PRODUCTS THROUGH AT LEAST ONE MORE RESTRICTED ZONE AND AT LEAST ONE MORE SUBSTANTIALLY UNRESTRICTED REACTION ZONE PORTION; PASSING A RELATIVELY COOL HEAT EXCHANGE MATERIAL IN DIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE RELATION WITH SAID SYNTHESIS GAS AND REACTION PRODUCTS THROUGH A COOLING ZONE WITHIN AND SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF SAID RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED PORTIONS OF SAID REACTION ZONE; AND REMOVING EFFLUENT MATERIAL FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID REACTION ZONE.