Synthesis of hydrocarbons

Claim 1

IN THE CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF HYDROCARBONS BY CONVERSION OF CARBON OXIDES WITH HYDROGEN IN THE PRESENCE OF A FINELY DIVIDED IRON-BASE CATALYST MAINTAINED IN A CONVERSION ZONE IN THE FORM OF A DENSE, FLUIDIZED MASS IN WHICH USED FLUIDIZED CATALYST IS WITHDRAWN FROM THE CONVERSION ZONE, REACTIVATED IN A REGENERATION ZONE IN THE FORM OF A DENSE, FLUIDIZED MASS AND THEREAFTER RETURNED TO THE CONVERSION ZONE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONTINUOUSLY HEATING THE WITHDRAWN CATALYST BY THE COMBUSTION OF AN EXTRANEOUS COMBUSTIBLE GAS WITH FREE OXYGEN IN CONTACT WITH THE CATALYST TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO INITIATE AND MAINTAIN THE COMBUSTION OF COMBUSTIBLE CATALYST DEPOSITS, SUBJECTING THE HEATED CATALYST TO AN OXIDIZING TREATMENT WITH AN OXIDIZING GAS IN AN OXIDATION ZONE WHEREIN THE CATALYST IS MAINTAINED IN THE FORM OF A DENSE FLUIDIZED MASS AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 1000*-1600*F. SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO INITIATE AND MAINTAIN THE COMBUSTION OF COMBUSTIBLE CATALYST DEPOSITS, REMOVING AT LEAST A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF CARBONACEOUS DEPOSITS FROM THE CATALYST BY COMBUSTION IN THE COURSE OF SAID OXIDIZING TREATMENT, PASSING CATALYST SUBSTANTIALLY AT SAID TEMPERATURE FROM SAID OXIDATION ZONE TO A REDUCTION