Method for controlling a process such as the reforming of low octane naphthas

Claim 1

IN A CONTINUOUS HYDROCARBON REFORMING PROCESS WHEREIN A HYDROCARBONACEOUS CHARGE IS PASSED THROUGH A REFORMING ZONE AT REFORMING CONDITIONS AND A PRODUCT STREAM IS SEPARATED FROM THE RESULTING REFORMED CHARGE, SAID REFORMING PROCESS COMPRISING A SERIES OF AT LEAST THREE SEPARATE HYDROCARBON PROCESSING ZONES INCLUDING SAID REFORMING ZONE AND EACH OF SAID ZONES HAVING AT LEAST ONE HYDROCARBON INPUT STREAM AND AT LEAST ONE HYDROCARBON OUTPUT STREAM, A HYDROCARBON OUTPUT STREAM OF EACH ZONE EXCEPTING THE LAST OF SAID SERIES COMPRISING AN INPUT STREAM TO THE NEXT SUCCEEDING ZONE AND A HYDROCARBON OUTPUT STREAM OF SAID LAST ZONE CONSTITUTING SAID PRODUCT STREAM WHEREBY A CHANGE IN A SIGNIFICANT PROCESSING CONDITION OF A HYDROCARBON INPUT STREAM TO THE FIRST ZONE OF SAID SERIES IS MANIFESTED FIRST IN A CHANGE IN A FIRST STREAM PROPERTY OF A FIRST ZONE HYDROCARBON OUTPUT STREAM AND SUCCESSIVELY LATER IN A CHANGE IN A STREAM PROPERTY OF A HYDROCARBON OUTPUT STREAM OF EACH SUCCEEDING ZONE, THE METHOD OF CONTROLLING A STREAM PROPERTY OF SAID PRODUCT STREAM WHICH COMPRISES PRODUCING A REFERENCE SIGNAL CORRESPONDING TO THE DESIRED MAGNITUDE OF SAID PRODUCT STREAM PROPERTY, PRODUCING A FIRST CONTROL SIGNAL RESPONSIVE BOTH TO SAID REFERENCE SIGNAL AND TO THE ACTUAL MAGNITUDE OF SAID PRODUCT STREAM PROPERTY, PRODUCING A SECOND CONTROL SIGNAL RESPONSIVE BOTH TO SAID FIRST CONTROL SIGNAL AND TO THE MAGNITUDE OF A STREAM PROPERTY OF A HYDROCARBON OUTPUT STREAM FROM A ZONE OTHER THAN SAID FIRST AND LAST ZONES, PRODUCING A THIRD CONTROL SIGNAL RESPONSIVE BOTH TO SAID SECOND CONTROL SIGNAL AND TO THE MAGNITUDE OF SAID FIRST STREAM PROPERTY, AND VARYING SAID SIGNIFICANT PROCESSING CONDITION IN RESPONSE TO SAID THIRD CONTROL SIGNAL.