Gas-liquid separation in an ebullated bed process

Claim 1

In a continuous process for treating a fluent hydrocarbon feedstock with a hydrogen-containing gas at elevated catalytic reaction temperatures and pressures in the presence of a bed of particulate solid catalyst, comprising introducing the hydrogen-containing gas and feedstock into the lower end of a generally vertical reaction vessel containing catalyst at sufficient velocity whereby the catalyst is placed in random motion within the fluent hydrocarbon and is expanded to a volume greater than its static volume, wherein the mixture of feedstock, gas and catalyst constitutes a turbulent zone, the upper portion of which is defined by a substantially catalyst free zone wherein liquid is recycled from the catalyst free zone to the lower end of the turbulent zone by pump means and hydrocarbon is removed from the substantially catalyst free zone, the improvement which comprises: (a) passing liquid from said catalyst free zone to the inlet of a hydroclone submerged in said zones to provide an inlet head of at least 5 psi, (b) maintaining a differential pressure of at least 5 psi between the inlet and a hydroclone liquid outlet in direct fluid communication with the suction of said pump means.