Preparation of highly active hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF VALUABLE ORGANIC PRODUCTS BY REACTING CARBON MONOXIDE WITH HYDROGEN IN THE PRESENCE OF A FINELY DIVIDED FLUIDIZED IRON CATALYST IN A REACTION ZONE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING CATALYST WITH A SYNTHETIC GAS (TOTAL FEED) HAVING A H2:CO RATIO NOT SUBSTANTIALLY IN EXCESS OF 3:1 AT TEMPERATURES OF FROM ABOUT 550* TO ABOUT 700* F., AND AT REACTOR PRESSURE BELOW ABOUT 250 P.I.S., CONTINUING SYNTHESIS IN SAID REACTION ZONE UNDER THE AFORESAID CONDITIONS UNTIL SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE QUALITY OF THE ORIGINAL CATALYST CHARGED TO SAID ZONE HAS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED INTO A PRODUCT OF MUCH SMALLER PARTICLE SIZE HAVING DEPOSITED THEREON FROM ABOUT 25 TO ABOUT 70 PER CENT OF CARBON, CONVEYING THE RESULTING LOW DENSITY HIGHLY ACTIVE CATALYST TO A SECOND REACTION ZONE, CHARGING FRESH HIGH DENSITY IRON CATALYST TO SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AND EFFECTING SYNTHESIS THEREIN BY CONTACTING SAID CATALYST WITH SYNTHESIS GAS (FRESH FEED) HAVING A H2:CO RATIO OF FROM ABOUT 1.8:1 TO ABOUT 2.6:1 AT SYNTHESIS TEMPERATURES, AT A REACTOR PRESSURE OF FROM ABOUT 350 TO ABOUT 550 P.S.I AT A ASCE VELCOCITY SUFFICIENT TO CONVERT NOT MORE THAN ABOUT 75% OF THE TOTAL FEED CO, AND WITHDRAWING TAIL GAS FROM SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AND INTRODUCING SAID TAIL GAS INTO SAID SECOND REACTION ZONE WHERE IT CONTACTS A FLUIDIZED BED OF SAID FINELY DIVIDED HIGHLY ACTIVE LOW DENSITY CATALYST AT TEMPERATURES OF FROM ABOUT 560* TO ABOUT 680* F. AND UNDER OTHER NORMAL SYNTHESIS CONDITIONS CONVERT ESSENTIALLY ALL THE CARBON MONOXIDE PRESENT IN SAID TAIL GAS TO USEFUL ORGANIC PRODUCTS.