Hydrorefining of coke-forming hydrocarbon distillates

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR HYDROREFINING AN UNSATURATRED, COKEFORMING HYDROCARBON DISTILLATE WHICH COMPRISES INITIALLY FRACTIONATING SAID DISTILLATE TO PROVIDE A LIGHT FRACTION HAVING AN END BOILING POINT OF FROM ABOUT 250*F. TO ABOUT 280*F. AND A HEAVY FRACTION HAVING AN INITIAL BOILING POINT OF FROM ABOUT 250*F. TO ABOUT 280*F.; REACTING SAID LIGHT FRACTION AND HYDROGEN IN A FIRST REACTION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE LESS THAN ABOUT 500*F., AND SEPARATELY REACTING SAID HAVY FRACTION AND HYDRGEN IN A SECOND REACTION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE LESS THAN ABOUT 500*F., CONBINING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE EFFLUENT FROM SAID FIRST ZONE WITH AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE EFFLUENT FROM SAID SECOND ZONE, RAISING THE TEMPERATURE OF TEH RESULTANT MIXTURE AND PASSING HTE HEATED MIXTURE INTO A THIRD REACTION ZONE; EFFECTING FURTHER REACTION OF SAID MIXTURE WITH ADDITIONAL HYDROGEN IN SAID THIRD ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE IN EXCESS OF 500*F., SEPARATING THE EFFLUENT FROM SAID THIRD REACTION ZONE INTO A GASEOUS PRODUCT AND A LIQUID PRODCT, AND COMMINGLING SEPARATE PORTIONS OF SAID LIQUID PRODUCT WITH THE AFORESAID LIGHT AND HEAVY FRACTIONS PRIOR TO REACTING THE SAME IN SAID FIRST AND SECOND REACTION ZONES RESPECTIVELY.