Method and apparatus for hydrocarbon conversion

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR CONVERTING LIQUID HYDROCARBONS TO VALUABLE GASIFORM PRODUCTS IN THE PRESENCE OF A PARTICLE-FORM CONTACT MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES, MAINTAINING A SUBSTANTIALLY COMPACT BED OF PARTICLE-FORM CONTACT MATERIAL IN A CONFINED CONVERSION ZONE, BRINGING THE LIQUID HYDROCARBON CHARGE IN THE LIQUID PHASE INTO AN INITIAL CONTACT WITH PARTICLE-FORM CONTACT MATERIAL EXISTING AT A SUITABLE CONVERSION SUPPORTING TEMPERATURE IN A REGION APART FROM SAID BED AND THEN DELIVERING THE INITIALLY CONTACTED CONTACT MATERIAL AND HYDROCARBONS TO SAID BED, WITHDRAWING CONTACT MATERIAL FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID BED TO PROMOTE DOWNWARD FLOW OF THE PARTICLES IN SAID BED, FLOWING THE LIQUID HYDROCARBONS DOWNWARDLY THROUGH A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF SAID BED TO EFFECT COMPLETION OF THE DESIRED CONVERSION TO GASIFORM PRODUCTS AND WITHDRAWING GASIFORM PRODUCTS FROM SAID BED.