Hydrodesulfurization process

Claim 1

THE PROCESS FOR HYDRODESULFURIZING A PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON WHICH COMPRISES PASSING THE PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON AND A HYDROGEN CONTAINING GAS INTO AN ENCLOSED CHAMBER WHICH CONTAINS A CONTACT AGENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF IRON GROUP METALS, IRON GROUP METAL OXIDES AND MIXTURES THEREOF, SUCH PASSAGE TAKING PLACE AT AN INITIAL SPACE VELOCITY (VOLUMES OF CHARGE PER HOUR PER VOLUME OF CONTACT AGENT IN THE ENTIRE ENCLOSED CHAMBER), REACTING SULFUROUS MATERIAL IN THE PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON WITH THE IRON GROUP PORTION OF THE CONTACT AGENT TO FORM IRON GROUP METAL SULFIDE, REDUCING THE SPACE VELOCITY (VOLUME OF CHARGE PER HOUR PER VOLUME OF CONTACT AGENT IN THE ENTIRE ENCLOSED CHAMBER) TO BELOW THE INITIAL SPACE VELOCITY WHEN A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF IRON GROUP METAL SULFIDE HAS BEEN FORMED, WHEREBY THE CHARGE IS IN ANY GIVEN PORTION OF THE CONTACT AGENT A LONGER TIME THAN AT THE INITIAL SPACE VELOCITY, OXIDATIVELY REGENERATING THE CONTACT AGENT TO RESTORE IT SUBSTANTIALLY TO ITS ORIGINAL FORM AND AGAIN PLACING THE SYSTEM ON-STREAM BY INTRODUCING HYDROGEN CONTAINING GAS AND PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON INTO THE CHAMBER.