Destructive hydrogenation

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION OF A CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL IN THE PRESENCE OF A REDUCIBLE HYDROGENATING CATALYST DEPOSITED UPON AN ACTIVE CRACKING CATALYST CARRIER, WHICH COMBINED CATALYST IS PERIODICALLY REGENERATED TO REMOVE, BY OXIDATION, CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL DEPOSITED THEREON AND THE REGENERATED CATALYST IS RE-USED IN THE DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION PROCESS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES TREATING THE REGENERATED CATALYST WITH HYDROGEN SULFIDE TO AT LEAST PARTIALLY CONVERT THE OXIDIZED HYDROGENATING COMPONENT OF THE CATALYST INTO SULFIDE, PREVENTING THE PARTIAL PRESSURE OF WATER VAPOR FORMED DURING THIS TREATMENT FROM RISING TO AN AMOUNT WHICH WILL CAUSE MATERIAL DEACTIVATION OF THE CATALYST, AND CONTINUING SUCH TREATMENT UNTIL THE AMOUNT OF HYDROGENATING COMPONENT REMAINING IN THE OXIDE FORM IS SUFFICIENT TO FORM A PARTIAL PRESSURE OF WATER VAPOR WHICH WILL CAUSE A MATERIAL DEACTIVATION OF THE CATALYST WHEN THE CATALYST IS RE-USED IN THE DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION PROCESS.