Dual catalyst converter and process

Claim 1

A NEW USE FOR A DUAL CATALYST CONVERTER HAVING A BED OF SHAPE SELECTIVE HYDROCRACKING CATALYST AND A BED OF HYDROTREATING CATALYST TO AFFORD FLEXIBILITY IN OPERATION TO PASS REACTANTS SELECTIVELY THROUGH BOTH BEDS IN SEQUENCE OR THROUGH EITHER BED ALONE WHICH COMPRISES: A. ARRANGING THE TWO DISCRETE BEDS IN SPACED APART RELATION AND EACH SPACED FROM THE EXTREMITY OF THE CONVERTER ADJACENT THERTO THEREBY PROVIDING A COMMON PLENUM CHAMBER BETWEEN THE BEDS AND A TERMINAL PLENUM CHAMBER ADJACENT EACH BED ON THE SIDE THEREOF REMOTE FROM THE OTHER BED, B. PROVIDING INLET MEANS TO THE COMMON PLENUM CHAMBER, C. PROVIDING BOTH INLET MEANS AND OUTLET MEANS TO EACH OF THE TERMINAL PLENUM CHAMBERS, D. SUPPLYING A HYDROCARBON CHARGE CONVERTIBLE BY BOTH OF SAID CATALYSTS IN SEQUENCE TO THE SAID TERMINAL PLENUM CHAMBER ADJACENT ONE OF SAID BEDS AND WITHDRAWING CONVERSION PRODUCTS FROM THE OTHER OF SAID ERMINAL PLENUM CHAMBERS WHEREBY THE CONVERSIONS CHARACTERISTICS OF SAID TWO CATALYSTS ARE ACCOMPLISHED IN SEQUENCE, AND E. INTERRUPTING THE FLOW RECITED IN (D) AND SELECTIVELY ACCOMPLISHING CONVERSION BY ONE OF SAID CATALYST ALONE BY INTRODUCING A HYDROCARBON CHARGE CONVERTIBLE BY A SELECTED ONE OF SAID CATALYST BEDS TO SAID COMMON PLENUM CHAMBER AND WITHDRAWING CONVERSION PRODUCTS FROM THE TERMINAL PLENUM CHAMBER ADJACENT THE SAID SELECTED CATALYST BED.