Method of effecting the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide

Claim 1

IN THE SYNTHESIS OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS WHEREIN A SYNTHESIS GAS COMPRISING HYDROGEN AND CARBON MONOXIDE IS CONTACTED WITH A HYDROCARBON SYNTHESIS CATALYST AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE CATALYST IS EFFECTIVE TO CONVERT THE REACTANTS INTO DESIRED SYNTHESIS PRODUCTS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES ATOMIZING INTO SAID SYNTHESIS GAS REACTANT STREAM A LIQUID CARRIER MATERIAL CARRYING SUSPENDED THEREIN THE HYDROCARBON SYNTHESIS CATALYST IN THE FORM OF FINELY DIVIDED SOLID PARTICLES TO FORM A FOG OF MINUTE, FINELY DIVIDED DROPLETS WITH THE REACTANT GAS MIXTURE, PASSING SAID INTIMATELY INTERMINGLED MIXTURE OF SYNTHESIS GAS AND FOG DROPLETS THROUGH A REACTION ZONE MAINTAINED UNDER TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE CONDITIONS EFFECTIVE FOR SUBSTANTIAL CONVERSION OF SAID SYNTHESIS GAS INTO SAID DESIRED PRODUCTS OF REACTION, SAID PASSAGE OF THE FOG THROUGH THE REACTION ZONE BEING EFFECTED WITHOUT VAPORIZATION OF MORE THAN A PORTION OF SAID CARRIER LIQUID SUCH THAT ALL OF THE FINELY DIVIDED CATALYST PARTICLES REMAIN SUSPENDED IN, AND ARE DELIVERED TO THE OUTLET OF THE REACTION ZONE IN THE UNVAPORIZED LIQUID PARTICLES OF SAID FOG AND WITHDRAWING SAID EFFLUENT PRODUCTS OF REACTION CONTAINING THE ENTRAINED FOG DROPLETS OF UNVAPORIZED CARRIER LIQUID WITH THE CATALYST PARTICLES SUSPENDED THEREIN.