Process for the dehydrogenation of olefins

Claim 1

IN A CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR DEHYDROGENATING OLEFINS TO DIOLEFINS OVER A FIXED BED OF DEHYDROGENATION CATALYST WHEREIN C4 TO C6 OLEFIN VAPORS ARE PASSED THROUGH THE BED DURING THE DEHYDROGENATION REACTION CYCLE AND WHEREIN AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS IS PASSED THROUGH SAID BED DURING THE REGENERATION CYCLE TO REACTIVATE THE CATALYST, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PASSING THE VAPORS THROUGH A CATALYST BED LONGITUDINALLY DIVIDED INTO A PLURALITY OF SECTIONS THAT ARE PARALLEL TO THE FLOW OF VAPORS THROUGH SAID BED, DETERMINING THE CARBON DIOXIDE CONTENT OF THE EFFLUENT GAS IN THE SEVERAL SECTIONS DURING REGENERATION AND LOCATING CATALYST DECATIVATING CARBON MOUNDING IN A SECTION OF THE CATALYST BED BY THE PRESENCE OF HIGHER THAN NORMAL CARBON DIOXIDE CONTENT IN THE EFFLUENT REGENERATION GAS FROM SAID SECTION, BLANKING OFF THE SECTION HAVING CARBON MOUNDING THEREIN DURING THE DEHYDROGENATION CYCLE THEREBY PREVENTONG FURTHER DEACTIVATION AND OPEING SAID BLANKED-OFF SECTION DURING THE REGENERATION CYCLE THEREBY RESTORING THE ACTIVITY OF THE CATALYST.