Fluid contacting process involving fluidized particles

Claim 1

A HYDROGENATION PROCESS IN WHICH A HIGH-BOILING HYDROCARBON CHARGE IS CONTACTED WITH FLUIDIZED HYDROGENATION CATALYST PARTICLES IN THE PRESENCE OF A HYDROGENCONTAINING GAS AT REACTION CONDITIONS COMPRISING A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 750* TO 950*F. AND A PRESSURE IN THE RANGE OF 250 TO 2000 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH, SAID HIGH-BOILING HYDROCARBON CHARGE COMPRISING COMPONENTS WHICH ARE AT LEAST PARTIALLY IN LIQUID PHASE AT THE REACTION CONDITIONS, WHICH COMPRISES FLUIDIZING THE HYDROGENATION CATALYST PARTICLES BY MEANS OF A HYDROGEN-CONTAINING GAS, SPRAYING THE HYDROCARBON CHARGE THROUGH A SHROUDED NOZZLE ONTO SAID FLUIDIZED CATALYST PARTICLES, PREVENTING THE SPRAY FROM CONTACTING THE SHROUD, SURROUNDING SAID SPRAY WITH HYDROGEN-CONTAINING GAS FROM THE SHOUD, SAID HYDROGEN-CONTAINING GAS HAVING A SUFFICIENT LINEAR VELOCITY TO PREVENT THE FLUIDIZED CATALYST PARTICLES FROM ENTERING THE SHROUD.