Regeneration of isomerization catalysts

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR REGENERATING A CATALYST CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A SILICA-ALUMINA HYDROCARBON CRACKING CATALYST SUPPORT CONTAINING 2 TO 8% W. OF NICKEL WHICH HAS BEEN ACTIVATED BY SEQUENTIAL REDUCTION AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE, OXIDATION AT 650*-850* F., AND REDUCTION WITH SUBSTANTIALLY PURE HYDROGEN AT 650*-850* F. FOR A TIME SUFFICIENT TO SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY REDUCE THE HYDROGENATING AGENT THEREON, SAID CATALYST BEING USED IN THE REDUCED, ACTIVATED FROM IN THE ISOMERIZATION OF INSOMERIZABLE N-PARAFFINS AT TEMPERATURES OF 600*-750* F., IN ADMIXTURE WITH HYDROGEN AT A PRESSURE 50-1000 P.S.I. UNTIL THE CATALYST HAS BECOME DEGENERATED FROM EXTENDED USE, SAID REGENERATING PROCESS COMPRISING PURGING THE REDUCTION ZONE CONTAINING SAID CATALYST IN THE REDUCED, DEGENERATED FROM WITH AN INERT GAS, FREE OF H2O,CO, AND H,S, AT ABOUT 600*-700* F. AND 0-15 P.SI.G. TO STRIP THE REACTION ZONE SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF ISOMERIZATION REACTANTS AND REACTION EFFLUENT, REDUCING THE PRESSURE IN THE REACTION ZONE TO ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE WHILE MAINTAINING SAID TEMPERATURE, CONTACTING SAID CATALYST WITH AN OXYGENCONTAINING GAS AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 800*-100*F. UNTIL ALL OXIDIZABLE CONSTITUENTS OF THE CATALYST ARE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY OXIDIZED, PURGING SAID CATALYST WITH A DRY INERT GAS AT A TEMPERATURE OF 975-1050* F. UNTIL THE CATALYST IS DEHYDRATED, AND THEREAFTER REDUCING THE OXIDIZED CATALYST WITH A HYDROGEN-CONTAINING GAS AT A TEMPERATURE OF 700*-775*F. UNTIL ALL REDUCIBLE CATALYST CONSTITUENTS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY REDUCED AND ALL BYPRODUCT WATER IS REMOVED.