In many processes of selective catalytic oxidation of hydrocarbons, e.g. benzene or n-butane to maleic anhydride, large amounts of heat are evolved and the catalytic bed has to be intensely cooled by the mixture of molten salts. At higher temperatures, the reaction rate and thus the amount of released heat increase causing local superheatings of the catalyst (hot spots) and hence its deactivation. In these studies, we report on a new metal-structured catalyst carrier with better heat and hydraulic characteristics. The pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of over 30 novel-structured metal carriers as well as the standard ceramic ones have been experimentally investigated and correlated in terms of the Fanning friction factor and Nusselt number vs. Reynolds number. T he best-structured carrier gave 16-18% larger heat transfer coefficients and 10-40% lower pressure drops in the operation range of the industrial reactors in comparison with the classic random ceramic supports. The utility of this structured carrier has been confirmed by reaction experiment of n-butane oxidation to maleic anhydride.