Method of increasing the on-stream time of heat transfer units

Claim 1

A METHOD OF TREATING REFORMER CHARGE STOCK TO INCREASE THE ON-STREAM TIME OF HEAT TRANSFER SURFACES OPERATING AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 350* TO ABOUT 1200*F. WHICH COMPRISES, PRIOR TO SUBJECTING SAID REFORMER CHARGE STOCK TO SAID ELEVATED TEMPERATURE ENVIRONMENT, CONTACTING A CRACKED GASOLINE WITH AN EXTRACTING MEDIUM COMPRISING THE LIQUID ALKALI METAL ALKYL PHENOLATE PHASE OF A LIQUID MIXTURE COMPRISING ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE, ALKYL PHENOLS AND WATER IN PROPORTIONS TO FORM TWO SUBSTANTIALLY IMMISCIBLE LIQUID PHASE AT A TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 60* AND ABOUT 150*F., ONE OF SAID LIQUID PHASE BEING AN ALKALI METAL ALKYL PHENOLATE PHASE COMPRISING ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE, ALIALI METAL ALKYL PHENOLATE AND WATER, AND THE OTHER OF SAID LIQUID PHASE BEING AN ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE PHASE COMPRISING ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE AND WATER, SEPARATING TREATED CRACKED GASOLINE FROM FOULED EXTRACTING MEDIUM, PASSING AN INERT GAS THROUGH A STRAIGHT RUN GASOLINE TO REDUCE THE OXYGEN CONTENT THEREOF TO 0 TO 5 P.P.M. AND TO OBTAIN A DEAERATED STRAIGHT RUN GASOLINE MIXING SAID TREATED CRACKED GASOLINE AND SAID DEAERATED STRAIGHT RUN GASOLINE TO FORM A REFORMER FEED STOCK THEREAFTER HEATING SAID REFORMER FEED STOCK TO REFORMING CONDITIONS INCLUDING ELEVATED TEMPERATURES OF AT LEAST 350* F. AND RECOVERING REFORMED FEED STOCK.