Catalyst regeneration system

Claim 1

IN THE NORMAL OPERATION OF CATALYTIC PROCESSES IN WHICH A FEED OF CONSTANT COMPOSITION IS SUBJECTED TO CONTACT WITH A FINELY DIVIDED SOLID CATALYST TO YIELD A RESULTING CONVERSION PRODUCT OF SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT COMPOSITON WHERE THE CATALYST IS CONTINUOUSLY REGENERATED BY COMBUSTION OF ADHERENT CARBONACEOUS MATTER WITHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY VARYING THE DEGREE TO WHCIH THE CARBONACEOUS MATTER IS REMOVED FROM THE CATALYST BY SUCH COMBUSTION AND WHERE CATALYST INVENTORY IS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM BY PERIODIC ADDITION OF FRESH MAKE-UP CATALYST, THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONTROL OF CATALYST INVENTORY WHICH COMPRISES ADDING FRESH MAKE-UP CATALYST TO THE SYSTEM FOR A BRIEF PERIOD RELATIVE TO THE NORMAL OPERATING PERIOD, RETURNING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE CATALYST FINES CARRIED OVERHEAD FROM THE REGENERATING ZONE TO THE SYSTEM DURING SAID MAKEUP PERIOD AND FOR THE PERIOD OF NORMAL OPERATION IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER UNTIL CATALYST INVENTORY AND AVERAGE ACTIVITY HAVE DROPPED SO THAT FRESH CATALYST SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE SYSTEM, AND THEREUPON REJECTING SAID OVERHEAD FINES FROM THE SYSTEM FOR A RELATIVELY BRIEF PERIOD IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE SUCCEEDING PERIODIC ADDITION OF MAKE-UP CATTALYST SAID OPERATION BEING CARRIED OUT WITH NO MAKE-UP CATALYST BEING ADDED DURING THE NORMAL OPERATING PERIOD AND THE CATALYST FINES REJECTION PERIOD.