Addition of a desiccant to a fluidized iron reduction process

Claim 1

IN THE PREPARATION OF CATALYSTS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF HYDROCARBONS, OXYGENATED HYDROCARBONS AND THE LIKE BY THE CATALYTIC REDUCTION OF CARBON MONOXIDE WITH HYDROGEN WHEREIN AN OXIDATION PRODUCT OF A METAL OF THE IRON GROUP IS REDUCED BY A STEAM OF HYDROGEN THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PASSING SAID STREAM OF HYDROGEN IN CONTACT WITH A POWDERED MASS OF SAID OXIDATION PRODUCT IN A REDUCTION ZONE UNDER REACTION CONDITIONS INCLUDING AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE METAL COMPOUND PASSAGE OF HYDROGEN METALLIC STATE, CONTINUING PASSAGE OF HYDROGEN UNTIL AT LEAST ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF THE POWDER IS REDUCED TO THE METALLIC FORM, THEREAFTER ADDING A SOLID PARTICLE DESICCANT MATERIAL EFFECTIVE TO COMBINE WITH WATER VAPOR UNDER SAID REACTION CONDITIONS WITH THE FORMATION OF A DRY SOLID PRODUCT INEFFECTIVE TO IMPAIR REDUCTION OF THE METAL AND CAPABLE OF BEING SEPARATED FROM THE CATALYST PARTICLES, CONTINUING SAID PASSAGE OF HYDROGEN UNDER SAID REACTION CONDITIONS UNTIL REDUCTION IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED AND SEPARATING THE RESULTING DESICCANT MATERIAL FROM SAID REDUCED CATALYST.