Synthesis of hydrocarbons

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF NORMALLY LIQUID HYDROCARBONS WHICH COMPRISES PASSSING A MIXTURE OF HYDROGEN AND CARBON MONOXIDE THROUGH A REACTION ZONE IN THE PRESENCE OF A SUITABLE SUNTHESIS CATALYST UNDER REACTION CONDITIONS, INCLUDING A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 150 TO 400* C., SUCH THAT GASEOUS AND LIQUID HYDROCARBONS ARE FORMED IN SAID REACTION ZONE UNDER CONDITIONS PREVAILING THEREIN, REMOVING A GASEOUS EFFLUENT FROM SAID REACTING ZONE, AND A SEPARATING NORMALLY LIQUID HYDROCARBONS THEREFROM, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PASSING SAID MIXTURE OF HYDROGEN AND CARBON MONOXIDE IN A DIRECTION HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL HORIZONTAL COMPONENT THROUGH A NARROW CONTINUOUS CATALYST ZONE ELONGATED IN SAID DIRECTION, CONTINUOUSLY DRAINING LIQUID FORMED DURING SAID SYNTHESIS DOWNWARDLY BY GRAVITY TO THE BOTTOM SIDE OF SAID CATALYST ZONE AS SOON AS FORMED, IMMEDIATELY REMOVING SAID LIQUID FROM THE BOTTOM SIDE OF SAID CATALYST ZONE, AND REMOVING SAID GASEOUS EFFLUENT FROM THE END OPPOSITE THE INLET END OF SAID REACTION ZONE.