Preparation of siliceous catalyst beads containing free magnesia

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PREPARING SILICEOUS GEL BEADS OF IMPROVED POROSITY CONTAINING MAGNESIA IN CATALYTICALLY ACTIVE FORM, WHICH COMPRISES DISTRIBUTING IN A FAST-SETTING SILICEOUS HYDROSOL MAGNESIA IN THE FORM OF PARTICLES OF A SIZE LESS THAN 50 MICRONS AND IN AN AMOUNT CORRESPONDING TO 20 TO 50% BY WEIGHT OF DRIED GEL TO BE PRODUCED, WHEREBY A PORTION OF THE MAGNESIA IS RETAINED IN PARTICULATE FORM IN THE SET GEL AT LEAST DURING SUBSEQUENT TREATMENT INCLUDING DRYING; SUSPENDING THE HYDROSOL AS DROPLETS IN A WATER-IMMISCIBLE MEDIUM AND SETTING THE DROPLETS TO FORM HYDROGEL GLOBULES CONTAINING AT LEAST PART OF THE MAGNESIA DISTRIBUTED THEREIN IN PARTICLE FORM, BASE EXCHANGING AND WASHING THE GLOBULES TO FREE THE SAID OF ALKALI METAL IONS UNDER PH CONDITIONS AND DURING A PERIOD INSUFFICIENT TO EFFECT DISSOLUTION OF ALL OF THE MAGNESIA PARTICLES IN THE HYDROGEL, AND DRYING THE HYDROGEL GLOBULES WHILE CONTAINING PARTICLES OF UNDISSOLVED MAGNESIA THEREIN TO FORM HYDROGEL BEADS.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF PREPARING SILICEOUS GEL BEADS OF IMPROVED POROSITY CONTAINING MAGNESIA IN CATALYTICALLY ACTIVE FORM, WHICH COMPRISES DISTRIBUTING IN A FAST-SETTING SILICEOUS HYDROSOL MAGNESIA IN THE FORM OF PARTICLES OF A SIZE LESS THAN 50 MICRONS AND IN AN AMOUNT CORRESPONDING TO 20 TO 50% BY WEIGHT OF DRIED GEL TO BE PRODUCED, WHEREBY A PORTION OF THE MAGNESIA IS RETAINED IN PARTICULATE FORM IN THE SET GEL AT LEAST DURING SUBSEQUENT TREATMENT INCLUDING DRYING; SUSPENDING THE HYDROSOL AS DROPLETS IN A WATER-IMMISCIBLE MEDIUM AND SETTING THE DROPLETS TO FORM HYDROGEL GLOBULES CONTAINING AT LEAST PART OF THE MAGNESIA DISTRIBUTED THEREIN IN PARTICLE FORM, BASE EXCHANGING AND WASHING THE GLOBULES TO FREE THE SAID OF ALKALI METAL IONS UNDER PH CONDITIONS AND DURING A PERIOD INSUFFICIENT TO EFFECT DISSOLUTION OF ALL OF THE MAGNESIA PARTICLES IN THE HYDROGEL, AND DRYING THE HYDROGEL GLOBULES WHILE CONTAINING PARTICLES OF UNDISSOLVED MAGNESIA THEREIN TO FORM HYDROGEL BEADS.