Catalyst manufacture

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF MAKING A SILICA-ALUMINA CATALYST WHICH COMPRISES; COMMINUTING A NATURAL, SUBSTITUTED MAGNESIUM SILICATE OF THE TYPE WHEREIN A PART OF SAID MAGNESIUM HAS BEEN REPLACED BY METALS OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF IRON, ALUMINUM, CALCIUM AND ALKALI METALS; COMMINGLING SAID COMMINUTED MINERAL WITH AN EXCESS OF SULPHURIC ACID OVER AND ABOVE THAT REQUIRED FOR THE STOICHIOMETRIC DEMAND OF THE RESIDENT BASES; REMOVING THE SOLUBLE SULPHATES THUS PRODUCED BY A WATER WASH; DRYING THE RESULTANT SILICA AND SATURATING SAME WITH AMMONIA GAS; IMMERSING THE RESULTANT PRODUCT IN A WATER SOLUTION OF AN ALUMINUM SALT; SEPARATING THE RESULTANT COMPOSITE OF SILICA AND ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE FROM THE CIRCUMAMBIENT LIQUOR AND WASHING WITH WATER UNTIL FREE FROM SOLUBLE SALTS; DRYING AND HEATING SAID SILICA-ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE COMPOSITE UNTIL WATER OF HYDRATION SHALL BE SUBSTANTIALLY EXPELLED; AIR FLOATING THE RESULTANT ANHYDROUS COMPOSITE TO REMOVE PARTICLES WITH A DIAMETER OF 15 MICRONS AND LESS; COMMINGLING SAID SEPARATED FINES WITH SODIUM SILICATE SOLUTION IN SUCH AN AMOUNT THAT THE MIXTURE CAN BE POURED IN THIN STREAMS INTO A SATURATED SOLUTION OF SODIUM BICARBONATE; COMMINGLING FINES, SODIUM SILICATE AND SODIUM BICARBONATE SOLUTION IN SAID MANNER; SEPARATING THE GRANULAR PRODUCT THUS FORMED FROM UNUSED SODIUM BI-CARBONATE SOLUTION; WASHING THE GRANULAR PRODUCT WITH WATER UNTIL FREE FROM SOLUBLE SALTS AND RE-CYCLING SAID PRODUCT TO THE MAIN BODY FROM WHICH IT HAD BEEN SEPARATED BY AIR FLOATING AT A POINT PRIOR TO THE DE-HYDRATION STEP.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF MAKING A SILICA-ALUMINA CATALYST WHICH COMPRISES; COMMINUTING A NATURAL, SUBSTITUTED MAGNESIUM SILICATE OF THE TYPE WHEREIN A PART OF SAID MAGNESIUM HAS BEEN REPLACED BY METALS OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF IRON, ALUMINUM, CALCIUM AND ALKALI METALS; COMMINGLING SAID COMMINUTED MINERAL WITH AN EXCESS OF SULPHURIC ACID OVER AND ABOVE THAT REQUIRED FOR THE STOICHIOMETRIC DEMAND OF THE RESIDENT BASES; REMOVING THE SOLUBLE SULPHATES THUS PRODUCED BY A WATER WASH; DRYING THE RESULTANT SILICA AND SATURATING SAME WITH AMMONIA GAS; IMMERSING THE RESULTANT PRODUCT IN A WATER SOLUTION OF AN ALUMINUM SALT; SEPARATING THE RESULTANT COMPOSITE OF SILICA AND ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE FROM THE CIRCUMAMBIENT LIQUOR AND WASHING WITH WATER UNTIL FREE FROM SOLUBLE SALTS; DRYING AND HEATING SAID SILICA-ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE COMPOSITE UNTIL WATER OF HYDRATION SHALL BE SUBSTANTIALLY EXPELLED; AIR FLOATING THE RESULTANT ANHYDROUS COMPOSITE TO REMOVE PARTICLES WITH A DIAMETER OF 15 MICRONS AND LESS; COMMINGLING SAID SEPARATED FINES WITH SODIUM SILICATE SOLUTION IN SUCH AN AMOUNT THAT THE MIXTURE CAN BE POURED IN THIN STREAMS INTO A SATURATED SOLUTION OF SODIUM BICARBONATE; COMMINGLING FINES, SODIUM SILICATE AND SODIUM BICARBONATE SOLUTION IN SAID MANNER; SEPARATING THE GRANULAR PRODUCT THUS FORMED FROM UNUSED SODIUM BI-CARBONATE SOLUTION; WASHING THE GRANULAR PRODUCT WITH WATER UNTIL FREE FROM SOLUBLE SALTS AND RE-CYCLING SAID PRODUCT TO THE MAIN BODY FROM WHICH IT HAD BEEN SEPARATED BY AIR FLOATING AT A POINT PRIOR TO THE DE-HYDRATION STEP.