Conditioning catalysts employed in the reforming of hydrocarbons

Claim 1

IN THE REFORMING OF A HYDROCARBON DISTILLATE CONTAINING CHLORINE IN CONTACT WITH A CATALYST HAVING DEHYDROGENATING AND HYDROCRACKING ACTIVITY, WHEREIN CHLORINE FROM THE DISTILLATE ACCUMULATES ON THE CATALYST, WHEREBY THE HYDROCRACKING ACTIVITY OF THE CATALYST IS INCREASED TO AN UNDESIRABLE EXTENT, THE PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES DISCONTINUING THE CONTACTING OF THE CHLORINECONTAINING DISTILLATE WITH SAID CATALYST WHEN THE CATALYST HAS ACCUMULATED AN AMOUNT OF CHLORINE CAUSING EXCESSIVE HYDROCRACKING OF THE DISTILLATE, THEREAFTER WASHING THE CATALYST WITH AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A COMPOUND HAVING AN ANION CONVERTIBLE TO AN OXIDE AND A CATION SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AMMONIUM AND ALUMINUM, DRYING THE WASHED CATALYST, AND SUBSEQUENTLY RESUMING THE CONTACTING OF HYDROCARBON DISTILLATE WITH THE THUS TREATED CATALYST.