Apparatus for the production of hydrocarbons

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HYDROCARBONS BY THE REACTION OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN WHEREIN A HYDROGENATION CATALYST IS MAINTAINED IN A LIQUID COLUMN OF CIRCULATING CONTACT OIL THROUGH WHICH THE SYNTHESIS GAS IN PASSED AND WHEREIN CONTACT OIL IS MOVED FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP OF THE LIQUID COLUMN AND IS RETURNED TO THE BOTTOM IN AN EXTERNAL CIRCUIT AFTER SEPARATION OF THE GAS THEREFROM, IN COMBINATION A CLOSED VERTICAL CYLINDRICAL REACTION VESSEL HAVING A RATIO OF HEIGHT TO DIAMETER GREATER THAN 10 TO 1 FOR MAINTAINING SAID LIQUID COLUMN, SAID VESSEL HAVING AN ENLARGED TOP SECTION FACILITATING SEPARATION OF CONTACT OIL AND GAS DISSOLVED THEREIN, CONTACT OIL DISTRIBUTING MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID ENLARGED TOP SECTION ADAPTED UNIFORMLY TO WASH THE WALLS OF SAID ENLARGED SECTION FREE OF CATALYST, A PLURALITY OF INDIRECT COOLING MEANS INTERNALLY DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIDISTANTLY ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE COLUMN, SYNTHESIS GAS-CONTACT OIL INLET MEANS IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID REACTION VESSEL COMPRISING A GAS INLET NOZZLE AXIALLY DISPOSED WITHIN A CONCENTRIC CONTACT OIL INLET VENTURI TUBE, SAID GAS INLET NOZZLE HAVING A TAPERING GAS OUTLET TERMINATING IN AID VENTURI AND MEANS FOR EXTERNALLY CIRCULATING CONTACT OIL FROM THE ENLARGED TOP SECTION OF THE REACTION VESSEL TO SAID CONTACT OIL INLET VENTURI TUBE.