Desulfurization of hydrocarbon mixtures with nickel carbonyl

Claim 1

A METHOD OF DESULFURIZING A MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS WHICH COMPRISES HEATING A MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING SULFUR BEARING COMPOUNDS TO AT LEAST 400* F. TO VAPORIZE SAID MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS, INTRODUCING SAID VAPORIZED HYDROCARBONS, INTO A CYLINDRICAL REACTON ZONE IN THE REGION OF THE BOTTOM THEREOF IN A DIRECTION TANGENTIAL TO THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID ZONE THEREBY CAUSING SAID VAPORS TO RISE IN SAID REACTION ZONE AS A SWIRLING COLUMN, MAINTAINING SAID REACTION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE OF 400*-900* F. AND AT LEAST THE VAPORIZATION POINT OF SAID MIXTURE, INTRODUCING FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL CARBONYL INTO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID SWIRLING COLUMN OF VAPORS OF SAID MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBON AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE CENTER THEREOF, WHEREBY SAID NICKEL CARBONYL IS DECOMPOSED TO FORM FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL, CAUSING SAID FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL TO DESCEND THROUGH AND IN CONTACT WITH SAID RISING SWIRLING COLUMN OF VAPORS OF SAID MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING SULFUR BEARING COMPOUNDS THEREBY CONVERTING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID DIVIDED NICKEL TO NICKEL SULFIDE, WITHDRAWING TRATED VAPORS OF SAID MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS HAVING A REDUCED CONCENTRATION OF SULFUR FROM THE TOP OF SAID REACTION ZONE, WITHDRAWING A MIXTURE OF FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL AND NICKEL SULFIDE FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID REACTION ZONE, CONTACTING SAID MIXTURE OF FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL AND NICKEL SULFIDE WITH CARBON MONOXIDE, CONVERTING SAID NICKEL AND NICKEL SULFIDE TO NICKEL CARBONYL, AND TREATING ANOTHER MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING SULFUR BEARING COMPOUNDS WITH SAID NICKEL CARBONYL.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF DESULFURIZING A MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS WHICH COMPRISES HEATING A MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING SULFUR BEARING COMPOUNDS TO AT LEAST 400* F. TO VAPORIZE SAID MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS, INTRODUCING SAID VAPORIZED HYDROCARBONS, INTO A CYLINDRICAL REACTON ZONE IN THE REGION OF THE BOTTOM THEREOF IN A DIRECTION TANGENTIAL TO THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID ZONE THEREBY CAUSING SAID VAPORS TO RISE IN SAID REACTION ZONE AS A SWIRLING COLUMN, MAINTAINING SAID REACTION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE OF 400*-900* F. AND AT LEAST THE VAPORIZATION POINT OF SAID MIXTURE, INTRODUCING FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL CARBONYL INTO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID SWIRLING COLUMN OF VAPORS OF SAID MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBON AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE CENTER THEREOF, WHEREBY SAID NICKEL CARBONYL IS DECOMPOSED TO FORM FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL, CAUSING SAID FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL TO DESCEND THROUGH AND IN CONTACT WITH SAID RISING SWIRLING COLUMN OF VAPORS OF SAID MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING SULFUR BEARING COMPOUNDS THEREBY CONVERTING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID DIVIDED NICKEL TO NICKEL SULFIDE, WITHDRAWING TRATED VAPORS OF SAID MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS HAVING A REDUCED CONCENTRATION OF SULFUR FROM THE TOP OF SAID REACTION ZONE, WITHDRAWING A MIXTURE OF FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL AND NICKEL SULFIDE FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID REACTION ZONE, CONTACTING SAID MIXTURE OF FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL AND NICKEL SULFIDE WITH CARBON MONOXIDE, CONVERTING SAID NICKEL AND NICKEL SULFIDE TO NICKEL CARBONYL, AND TREATING ANOTHER MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING SULFUR BEARING COMPOUNDS WITH SAID NICKEL CARBONYL.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF TREATING A MIXTURE OF FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL AND NICKEL SULFIDE PRODUCED BY DESULFURIZING A MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS WITH NICKEL CARBONYL TO REGENERATE NICKEL CARBONYL WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING SAID MIXTURE OF FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL AND NICKEL SULFIDE WITH CARBON MONOXIDE, CONVERING SAID NICKEL AND NICKEL SULFIDE TO NICKEL CARBONYL AND TREATING ANOTHER MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING SULFURBEARING COMPOUNDS WITH SAID NICKEL CARBONYL.

Claim 4

A METHOD OF TREATING A MIXTURE OF FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL AND NICKEL SULFIDE PRODUCED BY DESULFURIZING A MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS WITH NICKEL CARBONYL TO REGENERATE NICKEL CARBONYL WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING SAID MIXTURE OF FINELY DIVIDED NICKEL AND NICKEL SULFIDE WITH CARBON MONOXIDE, CONVERING SAID NICKEL AND NICKEL SULFIDE TO NICKEL CARBONYL AND TREATING ANOTHER MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING SULFURBEARING COMPOUNDS WITH SAID NICKEL CARBONYL.