Aldehyde synthesis process

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS FOR CONVERTING OLEFINS, CO AND H2 INTO ALDEHYDES IN THE PRESENCE OF A COBALT CATALYST IN A REACTION ZONE UNDER PRESSURE OF ABOUT 2000 TO 4000 P. S. I. G. AND AT TEMPERATURES OF ABOUT 300* TO 375*F. AND WHEREIN A LIQUID ALDEHYDE PRODUCT CONTAINING IN SUSPENSION, SOLID OIL-INSOLUBLE FORMS OF COBALT IS WITHDRAWN FROM SAID REACTION ZONE AND PASSED TO A CATALYST REMOVAL ZONE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PASSING SAID ALDEHYDE PRODUCT AND FINELY DIVIDED COBALT COMPRISING SOLIDS AND UNREACTED CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN TO A SOAKING ZONE, MAINTAINING IN SAID ZONE PRESSURES OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME ORDER OF MAGNITUDE AS IN SAID FIRSTNAMED ZONE, MAINTAINING IN SAID ZONE TEMPERATURES OF ABOVE 200* AND BELOW 300*F., MAINTAINING A RESIDENCE TIME OF SAID ALDEHYDE PRODUCT, COBALT AND CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN FOR A PERIOD CONDUCIVE TO THE CONVERSION OF SAID FINELY DIVIDED SOLID COBALT TO COBALT CARBONYL, THEREAFTER WITHDRAWING FROM SAID ZONE LIQUID ALDEHYDE PRODUCT DEPLETED IN SOLID COBALT AND AUGMENTED IN COBALT CARBONYL, PASSING SAID ALDEHYDE PRODUCT AND UNREACTED GASES TO A GAS-LIQUID SEPARATION ZONE, AND DRAWING LIQUID PRODUCT FROM SAID SEPARATION ZONE, AND RECYCLING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE THUS WITHDRAWN LIQUID ALDEHYDE PRODUCT AUGMENTED IN COBALT CARBONYL DISSOLVED THEREIN TO SAID FIRST-NAMED ZONE TO PROVIDE COOLING AND ACTIVE CATALYST THEREIN.