Catalytic hydrocarbon conversion process and apparatus

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MOTOR FUEL FROM A HIGH BOILING HYDROCARBON OIL BY A CATALYTIC CRACKING PROCESS IN WHICH THE OIL IS FIRST VAPORIZED AND THEN CATALYTICALLY CRACKED THE STEPS AS FOLLOWS: HEATING SAID OIL TO A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 500 TO 700* F. UNDER A PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN IT SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE LIQUID PHASE; FLASHING SAID OIL INTO THE TOP OF A VAPORIZING ZONE MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE 700 TO 1,000* F. TO FORM VAPORS AND AN UNVAPORIZED PORTION; IMMEDIATELY WITHDRAWING FROM SAID ZONE AND PASSING SAID VAPORS TO A CATALYTIC CRACKING ZONE AND PASSING SAID VAPORS TO SAID VAPORS TO FORM SAID MOTOR FUEL; ALLOWING SAID UNVAPORIZED PORTION OF THE OIL FLASHED INTO SAID VAPORIZING ZONE TO PASS DOWNWARDLY THERETHROUGH OVER A CHECKERWORK OF REFRACTORY MATERIAL IN CONTACT WITH A RISING CURRENT OF AIR AND STEAM AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 900 TO 1,000* F. AND IN A QUANTITY SUFFICIENT TO OXIDIZE A SUFFICIENT PORTION OF SAID DOWNWARDLY THEREOIL TO PROVIDE JUST SUFFICIENT HEAT AT SUCCESSIVE POINTS DURING ITS DOWNWARDLY TRAVEL TO JUST SUFFICIENTLY HEAT AND CRACK SAID OIL ON SAID CHECKERWORK TO CAUSE IT TO BECOME VAPOROUS, ALLOWING SAID VAPOROUS OIL TO RISE FREELY THROUGH SAID CHECKWORK AND TO JOIN SAID VAPORS RESULTING FROM THE FLASHING OF THE OIL IN SAID VAPORIZING ZONE THERE TO BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY WITH SAID VAPORS FROM SAID ZONE AND TO BE CATALYTICALLY CRACKED THEREWITH IN SAID CATALYTIC CRACKING ZONE, CONTROLLING THE SAID OXIDATION AND THE OTHER CONDITIONS OF OPERATION OF SAID VAPORIZING ZONE CONTAINING SAID CHECKERWORK TO ALLOW ANY TARRY MATERIAL WHICH IS FORMED TO ACCUMULATE AND TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE BOTTOM THEREOF WITHOUT ANY SUBSTANTIAL VAPORIZATION OR CRACKING THEREOF AND WITHDRAWING SAID TARRY MATERIAL FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID ZONE.