Abstract: A process for controlling the composition of a subgrade gasoline so that the subgrade will yield an alcohol-containing gasoline which precisely meets desired specifications when mixed with the desired amount of alcohol. The process involves blending a plurality of blendstocks to produce a subgrade, withdrawing a sample of the subgrade, mixing it with a known amount of alcohol, analyzing the properties of the resulting mixture, and using the analysis results to control and optimize the blending process.

Abstract: A method is provided for putting a fresh bed of solid phosphoric acid catalyst into service to catalyze a hydrocarbon conversion process. The method involves establishing hydrocarbon conversion conditions of temperature and pressure in the catalyst bed while it is immersed in a hydrocarbon liquid which is substantially free of water and compounds which can yield water upon contact with the catalyst. Thereafter, the catalyst bed is used to catalyze the conversion of a hydrocarbon feedstock which contains a minor amount of a hydrating agent which is effective to provide a desired level of catalyst hydration. The method permits the catalyst to be rapidly brought to an optimum level of activity for the specific hydrocarbon conversion process.

Abstract: A strongly basic, hydrophobic amine which prevents the deposition of fuel-insoluble carboxylate deposits in fuel tanks and fuel transfer equipment is contained in a fuel additive package which minimizes the degradation of a hydrocarbon fuel during storage.

Abstract: A product of reduced sulfur content is produced in a multiple stage process from a feedstock which is comprised of a mixture of hydrocarbons and includes sulfur-containing aromatic compounds as unwanted impurities. The first stage involves: (1) subjecting the feedstock to alkylation conditions which are effective to convert a portion of the impurities to higher boiling sulfur-containing products, and (2) separating the resulting products by fractional distillation into a lower boiling fraction and a higher boiling fraction. The lower boiling fraction is comprised of hydrocarbons and is of reduced sulfur content relative to the feedstock. The higher boiling fraction is comprised of hydrocarbons and contains unconverted sulfur-containing aromatic impurities and also the higher boiling sulfur-containing products.

Abstract: A product of reduced sulfur content is produced from a feedstock which is comprised of a mixture of hydrocarbons and contains organic sulfur compounds as unwanted impurities. The process comprises converting at least a portion of the sulfur-containing impurities to sulfur-containing products of higher boiling point by treatment with an alkylating agent in the presence of an acid catalyst and removing at least a portion of these higher boiling products by fractional distillation. Suitable alkylating agents include alcohols and olefins. In a preferred embodiment, catalytic cracking products which contain aromatic sulfur compounds as impurities are used as a feedstock for the process.

Abstract: A product of reduced sulfur content is produced from a feedstock which is comprised of a mixture of hydrocarbons and includes sulfur-containing aromatic compounds as unwanted impurities. The process involves separating the feedstock by fractional distillation into a lower boiling fraction which contains the more volatile sulfur-containing aromatic impurities and at least one higher boiling fraction which contains the less volatile sulfur-containing aromatic impurities. Each fraction is then separately subjected to reaction conditions which are effective to convert at least a portion of its content of sulfur-containing aromatic impurities to higher boiling sulfur-containing products by alkylation with an alkylating agent in the presence of an acidic catalyst. The higher boiling sulfur-containing products are removed by fractional distillation.

Abstract: A method is provided for regenerating a fixed bed of olefin polymerization catalyst which can be performed without taking the catalyst bed out of service. The method involves the use of two different olefin-containing feedstocks, wherein the first feedstock is a conventional olefin-containing feedstock which contains little if any content of aromatic compounds. The second feedstock contains a significant concentration of aromatic compounds. In the practice of the invention, the second feedstock is substituted for the first feedstock whenever catalyst regeneration is deemed appropriate, and the flow of the second feedstock to the catalyst bed is continued for a period of time which is effective to at least partially regenerate the catalyst.

Abstract: A method for converting ?MoCp(CO).sub.3 !.sub.2, in which at least one of the Cp groups has a substitutent having a carbonyl or carboxyl group and the compound has a Mo--Mo single bond, into a resinous supported material having repeating units of the formula (MoCp).sub.2 S.sub.4. The repeating units have four bridging sulfido ligands between the two molybdenum atoms, and the repeating units are joined to each other by bridging-sulfide ligands. The method comprises reacting the molybdenum carbonyl dimer with elemental sulfur in a solvent for the starting material at a temperature between 110-120.degree. C. in the presence of a solid adsorbent support. The resinous material may be further hydrogenated, the hydrogenated material may be further reacted to form a material having a carboxyl-containing methanedithiolate ligand, and this latter material may be further hydrolyzed. The molybdenum sulfide dimers are useful for separation, purification, and recovery of unsaturated hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A method for converting a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to a lower boiling product is described which comprises suspending metal-impregnated carbonaceous particles in a reaction zone including hydrogen and the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock at hydrocracking conditions. The metal impregnated on the particles may be sulfided in the reaction zone. The impregnated particles are shown to be surprisingly selective catalysts, and anomalous ranges of particle size and concentration are identified. Methods for preparing the particles are additionally presented.

Abstract: A method is provided which can be used to quickly and easily take a fixed-bed of solid acid olefin polymerization catalyst out of service without causing any significant catalyst deactivation. The method involves substituting a substantially olefin-free hydrocarbon fluid for at least a portion of the olefin-containing feedstock to the polymerization process, wherein the substantially olefin-free hydrocarbon fluid boils within the range from about 20.degree. to about 250.degree. C. and contains at least about 5 vol. % aromatics.

Abstract: Method for tagging hydrocarbons and for detecting the presence of tagged hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon mixture. The method can be utilized to tag gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, lubricating oil or crude petroleum. The hydrocarbon to be tagged is blended with a relatively small amount of a fluorescent dye. The presence of the tagged hydrocarbon is subsequently determined by exciting the dye to fluoresce at wavelengths in the higher portion of the visible spectral region or the lower portion of the near infrared spectral region.

Abstract: Exhaust gas emissions from an internal combustion engine are controlled through the use of a heat exchanger, a sulfur oxide absorbent, and two catalytic converter zones. The exhaust gas is passed sequentially through: (1) a first catalytic converter zone, (2) the sulfur oxide absorbent, and (3) a second catalytic converter zone. The heat exchanger is used to transfer heat from the first catalytic converter zone to the second catalytic converter zone.

Abstract: A collapsed composition is described which is substantially composed of microcrystallites collectively of the formula:M.sub.2m.sup.2+ Al.sub.2-p M.sub.p.sup.3+ T.sub.r O.sub.7+r.multidot.swhere M.sup.2+ is a divalent metal, M.sup.3+ is a trivalent metal, and T is vanadium, tungsten, or molybdenum.

Abstract: A product of reduced sulfur content is produced from a feedstock which is comprised of a mixture of hydrocarbons and contains organic sulfur compounds as unwanted impurities. The process comprises converting at least a portion of the sulfur-containing impurities to sulfur-containing products of higher boiling point by treatment with an alkylating agent in the presence of an acid catalyst and removing at least a portion of these higher boiling products by fractional distillation. The process can be carried out in a distillation column reactor wherein the acid catalyzed reaction and fractional distillation are carried out simultaneously. Suitable alkylating agents include alcohols and olefins.

Abstract: In a multistage process, a relatively unreactive paraffinic substrate is alkylated in a primary stage while a more reactive aromatic substrate is alkylated in a secondary stage wherein at least a portion of the effluent from the primary stage is used as a diluent in the secondary stage. The alkylation reaction in each stage is catalyzed by an acid catalyst which is adsorbed on a particulate solid support.

Abstract: A staged alkylation process in the presence of an acid catalyst in a fixed bed of particulate contact material in an alkylation reactor is disclosed.

Abstract: Leakage in a heat exchanger between two liquids which are in indirect heat exchange relationship is detected by marking one of the two liquids with a colorless chemical marker and detecting it in the second liquid by extraction and conversion to a colored material. The heat exchanger liquids are preferably organic liquids which are immiscible with water. The marker is detected in a heat exchanger liquid by extraction of the marker followed by chemical conversion of the marker to a colored material that can be detected visually. Aminoalkylnaphthalenes are suitable markers which can be extracted by an acidic aqueous solution and converted to a colored material by reaction with a diazotized aromatic amine. Phenylazoalkylphenol derivatives are also suitable markers which can be extracted and simultaneously converted to a colored material with a detection reagent which is comprised of water and a water-soluble amine.

Abstract: A collapsed composition is described which is substantially composed of microcrystallites collectively of the formula:M.sub.2m.sup.2+ Al.sub.2-p M.sub.p.sup.3+ T.sub.r O.sub.7+r.multidot.swhere M.sup.2+ is a divalent metal, M.sup.3+ is a trivalent metal, and T is vanadium, tungsten, or molybdenum.The microcrystallites are so small as to be undetectable through conventional x-ray diffraction techniques, yet high resolution electron microscopy reveals that a substantial portion of the microcrystallites are composed of a solid solution having aluminum oxide molecularly dispersed in a divalent metal monoxide crystal structure. Another portion of the microcrystallites are constituted by a spinel phase. The collapsed composition is suitable as a sulfur oxide absorbent, having comparatively high capacity and comparatively fast absorption and desorption rates, and is also suitable as a nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst.

Abstract: A method for tagging hydrocarbons and for detecting the presence of tagged hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon mixture. The method can be utilized to tag gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, lubricating oil or crude petroleum. The hydrocarbon to be tagged is blended with a relatively small amount of a fluorescent dye. The presence of the tagged hydrocarbon is subsequently determined by exciting the dye to fluoresce at wavelengths in the higher portion of the visible spectral region or the lower portion of the near infrared spectral region.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for promoting annularly uniform flow in a reaction space of a mixed phase reactor. The apparatus defines ports which face a shared direction relative to the axis. The apparatus is useful in a process, also described, in which fluid emerging from the ports creates a turning moment which rotates fluid in a plenum adjacent the reaction space.