Method for conditioning metal oxide catalysts

Claim 1

IN A METHOD FOR REDUCING A METAL OXIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AN OXIDE OF IRON, COBALT, AND NICKEL PRIOR TO USE THEREOF AS A FISCHER-TROPSCH CATALYST FOR CATLYTIC CONVERSION OF CARBON MONOXIDEHYDROGEN MIXTURES TO HYDROCARBONS AND OXYGENATED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES HEATING SAID METAL OXIDE TO A TEMPERATURE ABOVE ABOUT 900* C., BUT BELOW THE MELTING POINT THEREOF, INTRODUCING THE HOT METAL OXIDE INTO A QUANTITY OF A QUENCHING LIQUID OF AN ORGANIC COMPOUND HAVING AN ATOM RATIO OF HYDROGEN TO CARBON NOT EXCEEDING ABOUT 3 AND CAPABLE OF YIELDING A GASEOUS REDUCING ATMOSPHERE UPON THERMAL DECOMPOSITION AT TEMPERATURES OF THE HOT METAL OXIDE, SAID QUANTITY BEING SUFFICIENTLY LARGE TO AFFORD AN AMOUNT OF A GASEOUS REDUCING ATMOSPHERE UPON SAID THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF A PORTION SAID QUENCHING LIQUID AT TEMPERTURES OF THE HOT METAL OXIDE TO EFFECT SURFACE REDUCTION OF SAID OXIDE DURING THE INTERVAL OF INITIAL CONTACT THEREOF WITH SAID QUENCHING LIQUID, AND THEREAFTER REMOVING THE REDUCED METAL OXIDE FROM SAID QUENCHING LIQUID.