Method and apparatus for hydrocarbon conversion employing hydrocarbon reactant and recycle gas containing solid particles

Claim 1

IN THE METHOD OF HYDROCARBON CONVERSION WHICH COMPRISES MIXING A RECYCLE GAS AND HYDROCARBON REACTANT AT REACTION TEMPERATURE IN EXCESS OF 300* F. AND REACTION PRESSURE OF AT LEAST 500 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH TO OBTAIN A CHARGE MIXTURE CONTAINING ENTRAINED CATALYST BED INTERSTICES FILLING PARTICLES OF SOLID FOREIGN MATERIAL PASSING A 250-MESH SCREEN AND PARTICLES OF SOLID FOREIGN MATERIAL HAVING DIAMETERS UP TO THREE INCHES, PASSING SAID CHARGE MIXTURE CONTAINING THE AFORESAID ENTRAINED PARTICLES OF SOLID FOREIGN MATERIAL THROUGH A STATIC BED OF CATALYST IN A REACTION ZONE, AND WITHDRAWING REACTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID REACTION ZONE WHEREBY THE PRESSURE DROP THROUGH SAID BED OF CATALYST BUILDS UP TO IMPRACTICAL PROPORTIONS THROUGH INFILTRATION OF CATALYST BED INTERSTICES FILLING PARTICLES FROM SAID CHARGE MIXTURE INTO SAID STATIC BED OF CATALYST, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES SUBJECTING SAID CHARGE MIXTURE CONTAINING ENTRAINED CATALYST BED INTERSTICES FILLING PARTICLES OF FOREIGN MATERIAL PASSING A 250-MESH SCREEN AND PARTICLES OF SOLID FOREIGN MATERIAL HAVING DIAMETERS UP TO ABOUT THREE INCHES IN SAID REACTION ZONE AT REACTION TEMPERATURE IN EXCESS OF 300* F. AND AT PRESSURE OF AT LEAST 500 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH TO CENTRIFUGAL FORCE TO SEPARATE PARTICLES OF SAID ENTRAINED SOLID FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM SAID CHARGE MIXTURE AND FROM SAID STATIC BED OF CATALYST TO PROVIDE A CLEANED CHARGE MIXTURE AND TO REDUCE SUBSTANTIALLY THE PRESSURE DROP THROUGH SAID STATIC BED OF CATALYST, PASSING SAID CLEANED CHARGE MIXTURE DIRECTLY THROUGH SAID STATIC BED OF CATALYST, WITHDRAWING REACTION PRODUCTS FROM SIAD REACTION ZONE, AND WITHDRAWING SEPARATED PARTICLES OF SOLID FOREIGN MATERIAL DEVOID OF PARTICLES OF CATALYST FROM SAID REACTION ZONE.