Process for controlling reaction temperature in vapor phase oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR CONTROLLING THE REACTION TEMPERATURE OF TE EXOTHERMIC VAPOR-PHASE CATALYTIC OXIDATION OF ALCOHOLS TO ALDEHYDES, WHEREIN AN OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS AND ALCOHOL ARE CONTINUOUSLY PASSED THROUGH TUBES CONTAINING CATALYST WITHIN A REACTOR, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CATALYST TUBES BY CONTINUOUSLY MAINTAINING A VAPORIZABLE LIQUID PHASE HEAT EXCHANGE MEDIUM IN LIQUID PHASE HEAT TRANSFER RELATION TO SAID TUBES, REMOVING A PORTION OF THE HEAT EXCHANGE MEDIUM FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF THE REACTOR IN LIQUID PHASE AND RETURNING THE SAME TO THE UPPER PORTION OF THE REACTOR IN A CLOSED CIRCULATING SYSTEM, CONTINUOUSLY REMOVING ANY VAPOR FROM SAID CIRCULATING MEDIUM WITHIN THE REACTOR THROUGH A CONDUIT SEPARATE FROM THE CIRCULATION SYSTEM TO A CONDENSING ZONE REMOVED FROM SAID REACTOR, CONDENSING SAID VAPOR IN SAID CONDENSING ZONE, SEPARATELY RETURNING THE LIQUID TO SAID CIRCULATION SYSTEM WITHOUT CONTACTING THE VAPOR PASSING FROM THE REACTOR TO THE CONDENSING ZONE, AND MAINTAINING THE HEAT EXCHANGE MEDIUM IN LIQUID PHASE WHILE IN CONTACT WITH SAID CATALYST TUBES BY PASSING THE VAPORS FROM THE REACTOR HEAT EXCHANGE MEDIUM THROUGH A PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE PRIOR OF ENTERING THE CONDENSING ZONE.