Process for charging catalyst

Claim 2

A process of claim 2 wherein the rate of fill is from about 2 to about 4 inches per minute.

Claim 3

A process of claim 1 wherein the free fall distance is from about 5 to about 125 feet.

Claim 4

A process of claim 2 wherein the free fall distance is from about 10 to about 70 feet.

Claim 5

A process of claim 1 wherein the catalyst particles have a diameter of from about 1/64 of an inch to about 1/2 of an inch.

Claim 6

A process of claim 4 wherein the catalyst particles have a diameter of from about 1/64 of an inch to about 1/2 of an inch.

Claim 8

A process of claim 8 wherein the rate of fill is from 1 to about 6 inches per minute.

Claim 9

A process of claim 9 wherein the free fall distance is from about 10 to about 70 feet.

Claim 10

In an oxidation, hydrodesulfurization, hydrocracking, cracking, reforming or hydrogenation hydrocarbon conversion process wherein said hydrocarbon material is subjected to processing over a catalyst in a reactor, the improvement which comprises charging to said reactor in downflow relationship to said reactor, solid catalyst particles having a substantially spherical geometry on an average basis at a rate of fill of the rector of up to about 17 vertical inches per minute, and at an average free fall distance of the catalyst particles through a gaseous medium to catalyst surface of at least about 1 foot, and distributing the catalyst particles at substantially the same rate of fill over the catalyst bed surface.

Claim 11

A process of claim 11 wherein the process is a hydrodesulfurization, hydrocracking, reforming or hydrogenation process.

Claim 12

A process of claim 12 wherein the rate of fill is from about 1 to about 6 inches per minute.

Claim 13

A process of claim 13 wherein the free fall distance is from about 10 to about 70 feet.

Claim 14

A process of claim 11 wherein the process is a hydrogenation process.

Claim 15

A process of claim 15 wherein the rate of fill is from about 1 to about 6 inches per minute.

Claim 16

A process of claim 16 wherein the free fall distance is from about 10 to about 70 feet.

Claim 17

A process of claim 15 wherein the catalyst is selected from a Group VI-B metal-on-alumina and a Group VIII metal-on-alumina support.

Claim 18

A process of claim 18 wherein the hydrogenation process is at least a two-stagE process wherein the first stage uses a Group VI-B metal-on-alumina catalyst and the second stage utilizes a Group VIII metal-on-alumina catalyst.