Process and apparatus for performing exothermic reactions under high pressure and at elevated temperature

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF PERFORMING EXOTHERMIC CATALYTIC REACTION UNDER PRESSURE IN A REACTION ZONE HAVING CATALYST CONTAINING REGIONS AND, INTERMEDIATE SAID CATALYST REGIONS, HEAT EXCHARGE REGIONS TRAVERSED BY COOLANT, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF PASSING A FLOW OF REACTION GASES SERIALY THROUGH THE CATALYST CONTAINING REGIONS AND HEAT EXCHANGE REGIONS WHEREBY THE EVOLVING HEAT OF REACTION EVAPORATED THE COOLANT, COOLING THE VAPOROUS COOLANT OUTSIDE THE REACTION ZONE TO CONDENSE IT TO THE LIQUID STATE, RETURNING THE CONDENSED COOLANT IN A CLOSED CYCLE TO THE HEAT EXCHANGE ZONES, AND APPLYING SUBSTANTIALLY THE PRESSURE OF SAID REACTION ZONE TO THE CONDENSED COOLANT TO MAINTAIN EQUALIZED PRESSURES IN THE COOLANT CYCLE AND IN THE REACTION ZONE.