Pyrolytic conversion of hydrocarbons with recovery of coke

Claim 1

THE PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES SUBJECTING A HYDROCARBON OIL TO COKING CONDITIONS COMPRISING A TEMPERATURE OF BETWEEN ABOUT 800* AND 1200*F. AND A PRESSURE OF BETWEEN ABOUT 1 ATMOSPHERE AND 200 P.S.I.G. WHILE PASSING SAID OIL THROUGH A SUSPENDED BED OF DISCRETE, INERT, REFRACTORY, SOLID PARTICLES OF GREATER DENSITY THAN PETROLEUM COKE, WHEREBY SAID OIL IS DECOMPOSED AND COKE IS FORMED ON SAID PARTICLES, SAID PARTICLES RANGING IN DIAMETER FROM ABOUT 1/16 INCH TO ABOUT 1/4 INCH, AGITATING SEVERELY SAID PARTICLES TO REMOVE COKE DEPOSITED THEREON BY THE MUTUAL RUBBING ACTION OF SAID PARTICLES, PASSING SAID OIL THROUGH SAID BED AT A VELOCITY SUFFICIENT TO REMOVE SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE COKE FORMED IN SAID PROCESS, FROM SAID SUSPENDED BED OF PARTICLES TOGETHER WITH THE HYDROCARBON PRODUCT BUT INSUFFICIENT TO REMOVE THE INERT, REFRACTORY, SOLID PARTICLES FROM SAID BED IN SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS, AND SEPARATING SAID COKE FROM SAID HYDROCARBON PRODUCT.