Abstract: Disclosed is a process and apparatus for reducing the particulate content in a gaseous stream containing entrained particulate matter and condensable hydrocarbons wherein said stream is obtained from the retorting of hydrocarbon-containing solids, particularly from retorted shale. A gaseous effluent containing condensable hydrocarbons and entrained solid particulate matter is produced during the retorting of hydrocarbon-containing solids and is discharged from a retorting vessel through a conduit containing a rotating elongate spiral-shaped element on which a portion of the particulate matter and condensable hydrocarbons form a semi-solid mass. The rotating spiral collects and conveys the semi-solid mass back into the retorting vessel for further processing thereby reducing the solid particulate content of the condensable hydrocarbon product.

Abstract: A process is provided for preparing catalytically active emerald green colored alumina by contacting colorless alumina with carbonyl sulfide. This material catalyzes the reduction of sulfur dioxide by carbon monoxide.

Abstract: Heavy oil feedstocks containing at least 20 ppm metals, particularly residuum feedstocks, are hydrodesulfurized using a catalyst prepared by impregnating Group VIb and Group VIII metals or metal compounds into a support comprising alumina wherein the support has at least 70 volume percent of its pore volume in pores having a diameter between 80 and 150 Angstroms and less than 3 volume percent of its pore volume in pores having a diameter above 1000 Angstroms. The catalyst preferably has at least 80 volume percent of its pore volume in pores having a diameter between 80 and 150 Angstroms and less than 1.5 volume percent of its pore volume in pores having a diameter above 1000 Angstroms.

Abstract: The invention is a process for manufacturing a material, a mass of finely divided particles of which an applied magnetic field can induce to change from a non-magnetized condition, in a sense of exhibiting no net external field, to a magnetized condition, in a sense of exhibiting an external field, which comprises:A. reacting starting materials comprising a salt of an alkali metal, e.g., lithium, sodium or potassium, a salt of a first metal in a divalent state, a salt of iron in a trivalent state, at least one of said salts being a halide, and an epoxy compound in the presence of a solvent selected from the group consisting of lower alkanols and water to obtain a mixture comprising a metal hydroxide-containing and solvent-containing gel;B. drying said gel to remove the majority of the solvent therefrom without significantly altering the distribution of lithium, sodium, or potassium therein to obtain porous particles; andC. heating the porous particles to produce the desired material.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing a selected C.sub.8 alkylaromatic isomer from a feedstock containing a less than equilibrium concentration of the selected isomer and a low C.sub.8 naphthenes concentration, in which the feedstock is first contacted with a platinum-halogen catalyst at low temperature isomerization conditions to form an intermediate reaction mixture containing a substantial amount of C.sub.8 naphthenes and a partially isomerized mixture of C.sub.8 alkylaromatics; the intermediate mixture is then contacted with another platinum-halogen catalyst at higher temperature dehydrogenation conditions to form a final product mixture with a very low naphthenes content and a substantially equilibrium concentration of the selected isomer; and the selected xylene isomer is recovered from the final product mixture.

Abstract: A catalytic composition of matter comprising 0.01 to 5 weight percent of a platinum group component, 0.01 to 5 weight percent of a Group IIB component and 0.1 to 3 weight percent of a halogen in association with a porous solid carrier and processes for the hydroconversion of hydrocarbons using said catalyst.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a novel catalyst support, a method of making said support by treatment of prior art crystalline catalyst supports with hydroxy-aluminum solution and hydrocarbon conversion processes wherein the catalyst used therein includes said support.

Abstract: An alkylaromatic hydrocarbon is isomerized by contacting a feed including the alkylaromatic and hydrogen in the presence of 1.5-150 ppm free chloride, and not more than 10 ppm water, with a catalyst containing platinum, rhenium and more than 1.2 weight percent combined chloride on an alumina support at 650.degree.-950.degree. F and 100-300 psi hydrogen pressure.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for gravity separating lighter and heavier liquids are disclosed, the apparatus including a vessel with its interior divided by a horizontal baffle into upper and lower spaces, which are in communication at one end. The horizontal baffle is shaped to provide a sloping floor in the upper space. Mixed lighter and heavier liquids are passed into the lower space, forming a heavier, lower phase, containing most of the heavier liquid and a lighter, upper phase containing the lighter liquid and a small amount of heavier liquid. The lighter phase passes into one end of the upper space. The opposite end of the upper space has a vertical baffle to retain the lighter phase above the sloping floor formed by the horizontal baffle. The minor portion of heavier liquid separates by gravity from the lighter phase and flows toward the lower portion of the sloping floor, and the lighter liquid is removed from the vessel through an outlet orifice located at the higher portion of the floor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the retorting of shale and other similar hydrocarbon-containing solids in which the solids to be retorted are mixed with a hot solid heat transfer material to rapidly heat the hydrocarbon-containing solids to a high temperature and conveyed through the retorting vessel by means of a flexible, generically helical shaped, elongated, hollow longitudinal core element. The shale and heat transfer material are conveyed concurrently through a first section of a cylindrical vessel while a stripping gas is introduced into a latter section of the vessel and flows countercurrent to the movement of the two solids. The stripping gas along with entrained fines, gaseous hydrocarbons, and liquid hydrocarbons in the form of a mist are removed from a middle section of the vessel while the retorted shale is removed from the end of the vessel.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon feed containing an olefinic component and sulfur-containing impurities is upgraded in a sulfur removal process without hydrogenating the olefins by contacting a mixture of the feed and hydrogen gas with a catalyst comprising copper under conditions, including a temperature in the range of about 120.degree. C to 400.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for producing a high-octane gasoline having reduced smog-forming tendencies, which comprises:A. thermally dehydrogenating-cracking isobutane to obtain propylene and isobutene;B. hydrating propylene to obtain isopropanol;C. etherating the isopropanol with the isobutene to obtain t-butyl isopropyl ether; andD. blending the t-butyl isopropyl ether with gasoline-boiling-range hydrocarbons.Preferably the thermal dehydrogenation is carried out under conditions, specifically including a temperature between about 1125.degree. and 1275.degree. F., to produce a molar ratio of isobutene to propylene between 1.0 and 1.25.

Abstract: A petroleum oil containing, in parts by weight, at least 10 parts of vanadium and/or nickel per million parts of the oil is upgraded by contacting the oil in the liquid phase with an aqueous solution of at least one extraction agent of the group ferric salts soluble in acidified water and stannic chloride. The aqueous solution must have a pH at least sufficiently acidic to inhibit precipitation of the agent as hydroxide or basic salt.

Abstract: A process is disclosed wherein a naphtha feedstock is subjected to hydrotreating, a C.sub.5 + fraction from the hydrotreating zone effluent is catalytically reformed in a reforming zone with the reformate being subjected to selective catalytic hydrocracking to produce C.sub.4 + liquid fraction. The liquid fraction is then admixed with a portion of C.sub.4 hydrocarbons obtained from the hydrotreating zone effluent.

Abstract: An improved process for removing sulfur from a bed of deactivated and sulfur-contaminated platinum-alumina catalyst in a reactor in a hydrocarbon conversion system having a vessel associated with the reactor, including the steps of: treating the catalyst with an oxygen-containing gas to burn off deactivating substances and oxidize sulfur in the catalyst bed; passing a hydrogen-containing gas through the catalyst bed to remove sulfur from the bed and form gaseous sulfur compounds; and removing the resulting sulfur-containing gas from the reactor and the conversion system by a path that excludes the sulfur-containing gas from contact with the associated vessel.

Abstract: Hydroconversion of hydrocarbons, particularly reforming of naphthas, is conducted in the presence of hydrogen with a catalyst comprising technetium in association with a porous solid carrier. Preferably the catalyst contains a platinum group component in addition to technetium.

Abstract: An improved reforming process is obtained using a catalyst containing platinum, rhenium and chloride disposed on a particulate support formed using alumina obtained by removing water from an aluminum hydroxide produced as a by-product of a Ziegler higher-alcohol synthesis, when the catalyst is prepared by calcining the alumina support at a temperature between 1000.degree. -1500.degree. F to provide a support having a surface area between 140-240 m.sup.2 /g, then impregnating a platinum compound and a rhenium compound into the calcined alumina in the presence of a sufficiently high concentration of chloride to obtain an impregnated composition, which, upon drying, contains at least 1.4 weight percent total chloride, and finally calcining the impregnated preparation to reduce the total chloride content of the final catalyst to less than 1.2 weight percent.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with a hydrocarbon hydrocracking process using a catalyst prepared by:A. forming an intimate mixture of a gelatinous silica-alumina precipitate and an organic-metal compound obtained by interaction of a transition series metal compound with an organic gravimetric reagent therefore; andB. converting said mixture to said catalyst by at least a step of heating the mixture at a temperature in the range of 500.degree. to 1800.degree. F for a period in the range 1 to 48 hours, said catalyst being porous and having a surface area in the range 50 to 700 m.sup.2 /g.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing a lubricating oil base stock by: (1) fractionating a hydrocarbon feedstock boiling above 650.degree.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for regenerating a solid reactant comprising a copper component and a chromium component disposed on a porous carbon support when the reactant has been expended by reaction with hydrogen sulfide contained in hydrogen recycle gas in a hydrocarbon reforming system, regeneration being accomplished by: (a) contacting the expended solid reactant with dilute oxygen in an inert diluent gas at a temperature in the range from 200.degree. to 425.degree. F; (b) contacting the solid material from step (a) with hydrogen at a temperature in the range from 300.degree. to 500.degree. F; and (c) contacting the solid material resulting from step (b) with an inert gas at a temperature in the range from 400.degree. to 600.degree. F.