Process for condensing formaldehyde

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CARBOHYDRATES, WHICH COMPRISES CONTINUOUSLY CIRCULATING A REACTION MIXTURE PRODUCED BY THE CONDENSATION OF AQUEOUS FORMALDEHYDE IN THE PRESENCE OF A CATALYST FOR THE CONDENSATION OF FORMALDEHYDE TO CARBOHYDRATES AT A PH OF 5 TO 8, SAID CIRCULATING REACTION MIXTURE BEING MAINTAINED AT A PH OF 5 TO 8 AND AT A TEMPERATURE OF 80 TO 130* C., SUPPLYING TO SAID CIRCULATING REACTION MIXTURE AN AQUEOUS MIXTURE COMPRISING ABOUT 5 TO 20% OF FORMALDEHYDE, WHICH CONCENTRATION OF FORMALDEHYDE IN SAID AQUEOUS MIXTURE IS FROM 5 TO 20 TIMES THE CONCENTRATION OF FORMALDEHYDE IN SAID REACTION MIXTURE, SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE ADDITION OF SAID AQUEOUS MIXTURE WITHDRAWING A PORTION OF SAID REACTION MIXTURE, THE RATE OF ADDITION OF SAID AQUEOUS MIXTURE TO THE CIRCULATING REACTION MIXTURE AND THE RATE OF WITHDRAWAL OF SAID REACTION MIXTURE FROM THE BODY THEREOF BEING SUCH THAT THE CONCENTRATION OF FORMALDEHYDE IN THE REACTION MIXTURE IS MAINTAINED AT 5 TO 20% OF THE CONCENTRATION OF THE FORMALDEHYDE IN THE AQUEOUS MIXTURE, AND STOPPING THE CONDENSATION REACTION IN SAID WITHDRAWN PORTION.