Method of removing metallic contaminants from particulate solid catalyst

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF REMOVING METALLIC CONTAMINANTS FROM PARTICULATE SOLID CATALYST AS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: (A) INTRODUCING AN AQUEOUS ACID SOLUTION CONTAINING A CHELATING AGENT AND AN ORGANIC SURFACE-ACTIVE FOAMING AGENT FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF NONIONIC AND CATIONIC SURFACTANTS INTO A CONFINED TREATING ZONE WHEREIN SAID SOLUTION IS MAINTAINED AS A RELATIVELY DEEP LIQUID BODY OF SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT DEPTH; (B) INTRODUCING THE SOLID PARTICLES OF METAL-CONTAMINATED CATALYST INTO THE REGION OF SAID ZONE ABOVE THE SURFACE OF SAID LIQUID BODY SO AS TO GRAVITATE INTO AND THROUGH SAID LIQUID BODY, SAID METALLIC CONTAMINANTS BEING DISSOLVED IN SAID ACID SOLUTION TO FORM THE CORRESPONDING METALLIC IONS WHICHTHEN REACT WITH SAID CHELATING AGENT TO FORM THE CORRESPONDING CHELATE; (C) INTRODUCING WITHIN THE BOTTOM REGION OF SAID LIQUID BODY AN INERT GASEOUS MATERIAL WHICH BUBBLES UPWARDLY THERETHROUGH AND COACTS WITH SAID FOAMING AGENT TO FORM A LAYER OF FOAM AT THE SURFACE OF SAID LIQUID BODY, SAID FOAM HAVING CONCENTRATED THEREIN THE CHELATE CONTAINING THE METALLIC IONS FORMED BY THE REACTION BETWEEN SAID METALLIC CONTAMINANTS AND SAID ACID; (D) COLLECTING THE METALLIC ION-CONTAINING FOAM IN THE UPPER REGION OF SAID ZONE UPON THE SURFACE OF SAID LIQUID BODY AND CONTINUOUSLY REMOVING THE SAME FROM SAID ZONE AS OVERFLOW;

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF REMOVING METALLIC CONTAMINANTS FROM PARTICULATE SOLID CATALYST AS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: (A) INTRODUCING AN AQUEOUS ACID SOLUTION CONTAINING A CHELATING AGENT AND AN ORGANIC SURFACE-ACTIVE FOAMING AGENT FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF NONIONIC AND CATIONIC SURFACTANTS INTO A CONFINED TREATING ZONE WHEREIN SAID SOLUTION IS MAINTAINED AS A RELATIVELY DEEP LIQUID BODY OF SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT DEPTH; (B) INTRODUCING THE SOLID PARTICLES OF METAL-CONTAMINATED CATALYST INTO THE REGION OF SAID ZONE ABOVE THE SURFACE OF SAID LIQUID BODY SO AS TO GRAVITATE INTO AND THROUGH SAID LIQUID BODY, SAID METALLIC CONTAMINANTS BEING DISSOLVED IN SAID ACID SOLUTION TO FORM THE CORRESPONDING METALLIC IONS WHICHTHEN REACT WITH SAID CHELATING AGENT TO FORM THE CORRESPONDING CHELATE; (C) INTRODUCING WITHIN THE BOTTOM REGION OF SAID LIQUID BODY AN INERT GASEOUS MATERIAL WHICH BUBBLES UPWARDLY THERETHROUGH AND COACTS WITH SAID FOAMING AGENT TO FORM A LAYER OF FOAM AT THE SURFACE OF SAID LIQUID BODY, SAID FOAM HAVING CONCENTRATED THEREIN THE CHELATE CONTAINING THE METALLIC IONS FORMED BY THE REACTION BETWEEN SAID METALLIC CONTAMINANTS AND SAID ACID; (D) COLLECTING THE METALLIC ION-CONTAINING FOAM IN THE UPPER REGION OF SAID ZONE UPON THE SURFACE OF SAID LIQUID BODY AND CONTINUOUSLY REMOVING THE SAME FROM SAID ZONE AS OVERFLOW;