Abstract: For the separation of sulfur from a sulfur/alkaline solution suspension, the suspension is heated to a temperature above the melting temperature of the sulfur and is introduced under pressure into a separating tank 1, containing a separating chamber 8, alkaline solution chamber, and sulfur chamber 12. From the separating tank, settled liquid sulfur is continuously withdrawn, on the one hand, via conduit 16 and alkaline solution is continuously withdrawn, on the other hand, via conduit 9. In order to provide a system having little susceptibility to trouble, the separating chamber and alkaline solution chamber are operated in the flooded mode, thereby avoiding the necessity for a steam blanket therein.

Abstract: A methanol-synthesis reactor has a housing receiving a catalyst packing and coils of cooling tubes surrounding a core tube and disposed in helical radially spaced layers coaxial with the core tube. According to the invention, the internal diameters of the cooling tubes are from 4 to 50 mm, the distance between neighboring tubes in a direction transverse to the axis and the direction of fluid flow through the catalyst packing is between 2 and 20 times the smallest longitudinal dimension of the catalyst particles and the distance between neighboring tubes measured in the direction of the synthesis gas flow is less than 10 times the transverse distance.