Abstract: The liquid and gaseous products formed by reacting oxygen with isobutane in an oxidation reactor are separately processed; the liquid reaction product being charged to a distillation zone and separated into a lower boiling isobutane fraction and a higher boiling fraction comprising tertiary butyl alcohol and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide; the gaseous reaction product comprising inert gases and vaporized and/or entrained isobutane being cooled by an amount sufficient to condense isobutane contained therein for recycle to the oxidation reactor; the remaining gases, including isobutane being charged to a tertiary butyl alcohol absorber to obtain a solution of isobutane in tertiary butyl alcohol that is recycled to the distillation zone.

Abstract: A heat exchanger is provided, including a tubular shell having an opening in one end thereof, an open-topped, side-slotted shroud mounted inside the shell, a bundle of tubes extending through the opening into the shroud, means for circulating a hot fluid through the bundle of tubes,means for charging a heat-exchange fluid to the space between the shell and the shroud for flow through slots into the shroud and into indirect heat exchange contact with the bundle of tubes for cooling the hot fluid, andmeans for removing heated exchange fluid from the top of said shell.