Patent ID: 7232848

Claim:
A method for convening a gaseous and/or liquid feed to gaseous and/or liquid products using a solid catalyst; comprising: providing a reactor comprising a reaction chamber; providing a liquid phase disposed within the reaction chamber; providing a cooling system having a cooling element in thermal contact with the liquid phase; providing a stationary catalyst phase at least partially disposed in the liquid phase, wherein the stationary catalyst phase is contained in a plurality of catalyst containers, each container having an outer wall, wherein said outer wall on the container sides, top and bottom ends which is in contact with said liquid phase is porous or perforated to allow the easy passage of gas and liquid therethrough; providing a collection chamber disposed in the reactor above the catalyst containers, said collection chamber being isolated from said reaction chamber such that fluid flowing from the reaction chamber into said collection chamber must pass through the top end of each catalyst container; feeding the feed comprising a gas steam into the reaction chamber such that the gas steam agitates the liquid phase and diffuses into the liquid phase; contacting the feed with the stationary catalyst phase to form products; removing liquid products from the collection chamber of the reactor via a liquid outlet; and removing gaseous products from the collection chamber of the reactor via a gas outlet.