Production of microspheroidal gel catalyst by spray drying

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PRODUCING A DRIED SILICA GEL TYPE CATALYST IN THE FORM OF REGULAR SPHEROIDS OF PREDETERMINED PARTICLE SIZE WHICH COMPRISES PREPARING A GROUND HYDROUS GEL COMPOSED OF A MAJOR PROPORTION OF HYDRATED SILICA TOGETHER WITH A MINOR QUANTITY OF A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HYDRATED ALUMINA, HYDRATED MAGNESIA AND HYDRATED MAGNESIA AND ALUMINA, THE EXTENT OF GRINDING BEING SUCH THAT AFTER IT IS COMPLETED AT LEAST 95% BY WEIGHT OF THE WET GEL WILL PASS THROUGH A 30 MESH SCREEN AND AT LEAST 50% WILL PASS THROUGH AN 80 MESH SCREEN WHILE AT LEAST 50% WILL BE RETAINED ON A 300 MESH SCREEN, AND THEN DISPERSING A 4-10% AQUEOUS SUSPENSION OF SAID GROUND CATALYST GEL INTO A CURRENT OF HOT GASES HAVING AN INLET TEMPERATURE OF 600-1000* F. AND MAINTAINING IT SUSPENDED IN SAID GASES WHILE THE FREE WATER OF THE SUSPENSION IS EVAPORATED AND THE GROUND GEL PARTICLES ARE DRIED TO A WATER CONTENT OF LESS THAN 20%.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF PRODUCING A DRIED SILICA GEL TYPE CATALYST IN THE FORM OF REGULAR SPHEROIDS OF PREDETERMINED PARTICLE SIZE WHICH COMPRISES PREPARING A GROUND HYDROUS GEL COMPOSED OF A MAJOR PROPORTION OF HYDRATED SILICA TOGETHER WITH A MINOR QUANTITY OF A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HYDRATED ALUMINA, HYDRATED MAGNESIA AND HYDRATED MAGNESIA AND ALUMINA, THE EXTENT OF GRINDING BEING SUCH THAT AFTER IT IS COMPLETED AT LEAST 95% BY WEIGHT OF THE WET GEL WILL PASS THROUGH A 30 MESH SCREEN AND AT LEAST 50% WILL PASS THROUGH AN 80 MESH SCREEN WHILE AT LEAST 50% WILL BE RETAINED ON A 300 MESH SCREEN, AND THEN DISPERSING A 4-10% AQUEOUS SUSPENSION OF SAID GROUND CATALYST GEL INTO A CURRENT OF HOT GASES HAVING AN INLET TEMPERATURE OF 600-1000* F. AND MAINTAINING IT SUSPENDED IN SAID GASES WHILE THE FREE WATER OF THE SUSPENSION IS EVAPORATED AND THE GROUND GEL PARTICLES ARE DRIED TO A WATER CONTENT OF LESS THAN 20%.