Abstract: The amount of sulfur oxides in flue gas evolved in a catalyst regenerator in a catalytic cracking system is lowered by incorporating into the cracking catalyst, before using the catalyst in the cracking system, finely divided, high surface area alumina which has been calcined at 700.degree.-1600.degree.0 F. before incorporation into the catalyst. Sulfur oxides react with the calcined alumina in the regenerator to form a sulfur-containing solid. The sulfur-containing solid reacts with hydrocarbon to form fluid sulfur compounds in the FCC reactor, and the sulfur compounds exit the reactor mixed with the cracked hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Sulfur oxides in flue gas formed during cracking catalyst regeneration are reacted with a zeolitic crystalline aluminosilicate containing sodium cations in the catalyst regenerator to form a sulfur-containing solid, and the sulfur component is removed from the crystalline aluminosilicate in the cracking reactor by contacting the sulfur-containing solid with the hydrocarbon feed.

Abstract: Thiol impurities are removed from hydrocarbon oils by contacting the oil with a scavenger at a temperature in the range of about 120.degree. to 400.degree. C. The scavenger is a composite having a copper component and an inorganic porous carrier component and having a surface area in the range 20 to 1000 square meters per gram. The contacting must be with the scavenger below its thiol-sulfur end point.

Abstract: UV-unstable hydrocrackate lube oil stock is improved by hydrogenating the stock at a temperature in the 200.degree. to 300.degree. C. range using a hydrogenating component disposed upon an alumina carrier having a substantial pore volume of which a major portion is in pores having diameters in the 80- to 150-Angstrom range.

Abstract: Low-octane C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 gasoline pool mixtures or components are upgraded into improved-octane gasoline blendstock by (1) catalytically converting a minor yet significant portion of the C.sub.6 -fraction into a relatively high-octane stock using a unique crystalline aluminosilica zeolite catalyst, (2) isomerizing the C.sub.5 -fraction plus the remainder of the C.sub.6 -fraction, and (3) blending the converted C.sub.6 -portion with the C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 isomerizate.

Abstract: The useful life of catalyst-filled tubes exposed to a heat source in a steam-light hydrocarbon reforming furnace is increased by painting at least a portion of the exposed surface of at least one tube with a liquid which forms a ceramic-like reflective surface on the tube.

Abstract: Oil contaminants present in water are removed by contacting the water with deoiled petroleum asphalt bottoms.

Abstract: An improved process for recovering phenol from phenol-water mixtures by distillation is provided by carrying out the distillation in a manner which avoids the normal phenol-water azeotropic limitation by introducing a ketone-hydrocarbon mixture into the upper section of a fractional distillation column used for the recovery. Mixtures of benzene or lower alkyl substituted benzene with lower ketones are employed in the process.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for contacting at least two solids and a fluid, particularly for retorting and/or gasification of solid carbonaceous materials such as coal, coke, shale or tar sands by introducing a solid heat-transfer material into an upper portion of a treatment or contacting zone and a solid carbonaceous material into a lower portion of the treatment or contacting zone. The solid heat carrier is fluidized by an upflowing gas and moves downwardly, while the solid carbonaceous materials are entrained and move upwardly. The fluidizing gas may be inert or reactive. Substantially countercurrent plug flow of the two solids in the treatment or contacting zone is maintained by including means for preventing back mixing, such as a packing material filling the treatment or contacting zone.

Abstract: Sulfur oxides are removed from a gas and the sulfur is converted to hydrogen sulfide by the steps of: (1) reacting sulfur oxides in the gas with alumina to form a solid sulfur-containing compound and remove sulfur oxides from the gas; and (2) contacting the solid compound resulting from step (1) with a hydrocarbon at a temperature of about 800.degree.-1300.degree. F. and reacting the solid sulfur-containing compound with components of the hydrocarbon to form hydrogen sulfide.

Abstract: A process is provided for extracting phenol from phenol-water mixtures using a hydrocarbon-extracting medium having an improved extraction coefficient. The extracting medium comprises a mixture of a hydrocarbon component containing at least a substantial amount of an aromatic hydrocarbon for example benzene, and a ketone component, for example 2-butanone.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for upgrading a hydrodesulfurized hydrocarbonaceous oil by extracting residual nitrogen-containing impurities from a sulfur-reduced oil. A furfural solution containing a minor amount of ferric chloride is contacted with the oil under liquid-liquid extracting conditions, including a 0 to 50.degree. C. temperature and an 0.1-5 solution-to-oil volume ratio.

Abstract: An arsenic-contaminated shale oil is thermally treated to precipitate the arsenic and to lower the pour point. Treated oil is then transported and thereafter heated to produce coke and a liquid hydrocarbon distillate. At least a portion of the distillate is catalytically processed in the presence of hydrogen, forming a treated shale oil product.

Abstract: A method is provided for avoiding feed-transfer-line plugging by a deposit comprising arsenic in hydroprocessing an oil containing an arsenic contaminant. In the method, a mixture of hydrogen gas and the oil is formed in situ in a bed of porous particulate contact material.

Abstract: Electrofiltration, in which solids are removed from a liquid by adherence to surfaces of bodies maintained in an electrostatic field when the liquid is passed through the field, is improved by subjecting the liquid to pretreatment with an electrostatic field of oscillating intensity, especially a field of oscillating alternating polarity.

Abstract: A continuous process and apparatus are disclosed for the retorting or gasification of hydrocarbon-containing solids such as oil shale, coal, tar sands, etc., wherein the solids are retorted or gasified in a combined entrained and fluidized bed. A solid fluidized heat-transfer material flows downwardly through a conversion zone. Subdivided hydrocarbon-containing solids are introduced into a central portion of the conversion zone, with smaller particles of the solids being entrained and moving upwardly through the conversion zone countercurrent to the flow of the fluidized heat-transfer material, and larger particles of the solids being fluidized and moving downwardly through the conversion zone concurrent with the flow of the heat-transfer material. A fluidizing gas is injected into a lower portion of the conversion zone and a portion of the solids is combusted, providing the necessary heat for the conversion reactions.

Abstract: A composition useful in hydrocarbon conversion processes such as catalytic cracking is disclosed, comprising 0.05 to 10 weight percent lanthanum associated with a refractory support. The composition may also include 0.02 to 10 weight percent iron.

Abstract: A process is described for producing gasoline from a paraffinic hydrocarbon feed wherein the feed is catalytically cracked and then reformed. In the process a novel porous hydrocracking catalyst composite is employed. This catalyst comprises a silica-alumina cracking base component and a noble metal hydrogenation component. It is stabilized as a result of a unique method used for introducing the noble metal in the form of a highly dispersed gravimetric precipitate into a gelatinous silica-alumina cogel precursor of the cracking base component. An organic gravimetric reagent is used for the precipitation. The resulting crackate is reformed by ordinary methods.

Abstract: A continuous process and apparatus are disclosed for the retorting or gasification of hydrocarbon-containing solids such as oil shale, coal, tar sands, etc., wherein the solids are retorted or gasified in a combined entrained and fluidized bed. A solid fluidized heat-transfer material flows downwardly through a conversion zone. Subdivided hydrocarbon-containing solids are introduced into a central portion of the conversion zone, with smaller particles of the solids being entrained and moving upwardly through the conversion zone countercurrent to the flow of the fluidized heat-transfer material, and larger particles of the solids being fluidized and moving downwardly through the conversion zone concurrent with the flow of the heat-transfer material. A fluidizing gas is injected into a lower portion of the conversion zone and a portion of the solids is combusted, providing the necessary heat for the conversion reactions.

Abstract: A method is provided for preparing a porous catalyst carrier having a pore volume of at least 0.5 cc/g, a content of micropores in which the pore diameter is between 80 and 150 A. which constitutes at least 70% of the pore volume and a content of macropores which constitutes less than 3% of the pore volume. In the method, a powdered solid comprised of predominantly alpha-alumina monohydrate and sized in the range below 500 microns is treated with a particular amount of a monobasic acid. The acid in the resulting mixture is then at least partially neutralized by admixing with a nitrogen base such as aqueous ammonia. The treated and neutralized feed is converted into a novel catalyst carrier by shaping as desired, drying, and calcining. Further aspects of the invention are a catalytic reforming catalyst containing the present carrier and a reforming process using this catalyst.