Method of regenerating hydroforming catalysts

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF HYDROFORMING A NAPHTHA HYDROCARBON FEED TO PRODUCE A HIGH YIELD OF NAPHTHA OF HIGH OCTANE NUMBER WHICH COMPRISES VAPORIZING THE HYDROCARBON FEED AND PASSING SAID VAPORS TOGETHER WITH A HYDROGEN-CONTAINING GAS INTO A BED OF HIGHLY ACTIVE REGENERATED CATALYST PARTICLES CONTAINING ABOUT 0.1 TO 2.0% BY WEIGHT OF PLATINUM ON AN ALUMINA BASE SAID CATALYST BEING MAINTAINED WITHIN A REACTION ZONE AT A PRESSURE OF FROM ABOUT 50 TO BELOW 500 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH AND A TEMPERATURE OF BETWEEN ABOUT 800* AND 975* F., PERMITTING THE HYDROCARBON VAPORS TO REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH THE CATALYST IN SAID REACTION ZONE FOR A SUFFICIENT PERIOD OF TIME TO EFFECT THE DESIRED CONVERSION AND RECOVERING FROM SAID HYDROFORMING ZONE A HYDROFORMED PRODUCT OF HIGH OCTANE NUMBER WHILE GRADUALLY DEACTIVATING SAID CATALYST BY THE DEPOSITION OF COKE OR SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL THEREON, CONTINUING THE CONTACT OF SAID HYDROCARBON FEED WITH CATALYST IN THE REACTION ZONE FOR A PERIOD OF OVER ABOUT 4 HOURS ON STREAM DURING WHICH FROM ABOUT 0.5 TO 5% BY WEIGHT OF COKE IS DEPOSITED ON SAID CATALYST, SUBSEQUENTLY TREATING CATALYST PARTICLES DEACTIVATED BY SAID COKE DEPOSIT WITH A HYDROGEN-RICH GAS FOR A PERIOD SUFFICIENT TO SUBSTANTIALLY REMOVE SAID DEPOSIT THEREFROM AND REGENERATE THEIR CATALYTIC ACTIVITY, AND REUSING SAID REGENERATED CATALYST FOR THE TREATMENT OF ADDITIONAL HYDROCARBON FEED VAPORS UNDER SAID HYDROFORMING CONDITIONS.