Abstract: A process for producing liquid hydrocarbons from coal comprises treating comminuted coal at 380.degree. to 600.degree. C. and 260 to 450 bar with water in a high pressure reactor to form a charged supercritical gas phase and a coal residue. Simultaneously with the water treatment, hydrogenation with hydrogen takes place in the presence of a catalyst. The catalyst is selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, Na.sub.4 SiO.sub.4, NaBO.sub.4, or KOB.sub.2. Then, the gas phase is divided into several fractions by lowering its pressure and temperature. Energy and/or gas is generated from the coal residue.

Abstract: A process and related apparatus for separating particulate solids from a stream comprising vapors and particulate solids passed in admixture through an elongated contacting zone. The stream is discharged downwardly at an angle to the vertical along the inside wall of a cylindrical disengagement zone and at an angle to the horizontal of greater than 0.degree. and less than 45.degree.. The solids separate due to centripetal acceleration and fall to the bottom of the disengagement zone.

Abstract: Catalytically active amorphous silicas are prepared by dehydrating a silica hydrogel or precipitate prepared from an acidified aqueous silicate solution containing an amine of pK.sub.a above 10 or a cation containing either a nitrogen or phosphorus silica is catalytically active for, among other chemical reactions, the isomerization of ortho-xylene and the cracking of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A method for reducing the pour point of a hydrocarbon oil which comprises contacting said oil under dewaxing conditions with a zeolite dewaxing catalyst thereby forming a dewaxed oil that contains olefins, and contacting said dewaxed oil and said contained olefins with a solid acidic catalyst under conditions effective to increase the stability of said oil.

Abstract: The hydrotreatment of hydrocarbons in the liquid phase is effected in a column containing a catalyst bed supported by a grid, wherethrough passes an ascending stream of the charge admixed with hydrogen which expands the catalyst bed, the perforations of the grid being small enough to prevent passage of the catalyst particles but large enough to permit passage of the hydrogen-charge mixture, the reaction effluent being withdrawn from the top of the column.

Abstract: A heavy hydrocarbon feed stock is, after being heat-treated in a first cracking zone, introduced into a second thermal cracking zone for obtaining a thermally cracked product and a pitch product. The second cracking zone has a plurality of cracking reactors which are connected in series, through which is successively passed the treated feed stock and to each of which is supplied a gaseous heat transfer medium to maintain the liquid phase therein at a temperature sufficient for effecting the thermal cracking and to strip the resulting distillable, cracked components from the liquid phase. The thermal cracking temperature in one reactor is so controlled as to become higher than that in its adjacent upstream-side reactor. The distillable, cracked components in respective reactors are removed overhead therefrom and separated into a heavy fraction and a light fraction, while the liquid phase in the downstream-end reactor is discharged therefrom for recovery as the pitch product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for retorting particulate solid materials, particularly hydrocarbon-containing materials such as oil shale, oil sands, tar sands, coal shale, coal tailings, and the like, for the recovery of a volatile constituent such as oil or gas. A rotary retorting apparatus is employed which consists of a cylindrical drum, or other similar regularly shaped chamber, with a substantially horizontal axis of rotation and having multiple compartments for retorting and combustion and, optionally, spent solids cooling. The apparatus further includes solids transport chutes for forward and backward circulation of solids, arranged for the intercompartmental transfer of solids with the capability of additions at one or more points in each compartment. Employing the method and apparatus, particulate solids feedstock is heated by recycled spent solids material to remove the volatile constituent of the feedstock in the retort section.

Abstract: A catalyst containing tungsten, lead, and an alkali or alkaline earth component on a support, preferably silica gel, is disclosed which is useful in reverse disproportionation of stilbene and ethylene to produce styrene.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon conversion catalyst is disclosed which catalyst comprises a refractory inorganic oxide, a Group VIB metal component, a Group VIII metal component and a fluoride component wherein the last step in the catalyst preparation is the incorporation of the fluorine component and a subsequent calcination in contact with a flowing gas. Other embodiments of the present invention describe the use of the catalyst for hydrocarbon conversion and preferred methods of catalyst manufacture.

Abstract: Natural gasoline of low octane value derived from natural gas is upgraded to higher octane value by means of a liquid ternary catalyst comprising trifluoromethanesulfonic acid and hydrogen fluoride in conjunction with a Lewis acid of the formula MX.sub.n wherein M is selected from Group III-A, IV-B or V elements of the Periodic Table, x is a halogen and n is a number varying from 3 to 6. Effective upgrading is achieved when the Lewis acid:HF mole ratio of the catalyst ranges from 1:2 to 2:1 at temperatures less than about 120.degree. C. under liquid phase conditions.

Abstract: A high quality lube base stock oil of low pour point and excellent stability is produced from a waxy crude oil fraction in a single-stage hydrodewaxing process by using an improved ZSM-5 type catalyst having nickel-molybdenum, cobalt-molybdenum or a molybdenum hydrogenation agent incorporated thereon.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the solvent refining of non-anthracitic coal at elevated temperatures and pressure in a hydrogen atmosphere using a hydrocarbon solvent which before being recycled in the solvent refining process is subjected to chemical treatment to extract substantially all nitrogenous and phenolic constituents from the solvent so as to improve the conversion of coal and the production of oil in the solvent refining process. The solvent refining process can be either thermal or catalytic. The extraction of nitrogenous compounds can be performed by acid contact such as hydrogen chloride or fluoride treatment, while phenolic extraction can be performed by caustic contact or contact with a mixture of silica and alumina.

Abstract: A process for isomerization of paraffinic or olefinic hydrocarbons using as catalysts or as supports for catalysts bridged clays which are prepared by an aqueous clay suspension subjected to a dialysis.

Abstract: This invention relates to the use of catalyst systems containing (a) dibenzothiazyl disulphide, (b) carboxylates and/or organic complex compounds of manganese, iron, nickel or cobalt and (c) organic bases selected from the group consisting of guanidines and tertiary amines optionally containing inert substituents, as reaction accelerators for the oxidative hardening of plastics precursors containing mercapto groups.

Abstract: A catalyst for use in the conversion of heavy hydrocarbons to light ones, the catalyst being prepared from a naturally occurring material characterized by an elemental composition comprising aluminum, iron, silicon, magnesium and titanium by the thermal and chemical treatment of the naturally occurring material with steam/H.sub.2 +H.sub.2 S so as to change the physical properties and surface chemical properties of the starting material.

Abstract: A horizontal fluid bed retorting process is provided for preheating, retorting, combusting, and recovering heat from oil shale and other solid hydrocarbon-containing material. In the process, the combustor and heat recovery chambers share a common heat-conductive metal wall with and are positioned in side-by-side relationship to the cellular preheating and retorting chambers. The heat of combustion in the combustor and the heat recovered from the combusted shale or other material in the heat recovery chamber are transferred by conduction into the retorting and preheating chambers, respectively, to provide the process heat requirements for preheating and retorting the oil shale or other feed. The oil shale or other feed is fluidly moved in a generally horizontal S-shaped flow pattern through the preheating and retorting chambers in countercurrent flow to the combusted material in the combustor and heat recovery chambers.

Abstract: A method of recovering a catalytic cobalt and/or manganese from a distillation residue in a process for preparing an aromatic carboxylic acid comprising a liquid-phase oxidation of the aromatic hydrocarbon having aliphatic substituent(s) or its oxidized derivatives in the presence of the catalytic cobalt and/or manganese and the distillation of the reaction product, which comprises successively or simultaneously treating the distillation residue with water and with an organic solvent having a relative dielectric constant D of3.0.ltoreq.D.ltoreq.

Abstract: The heavy oil fraction of pyrolysis oil vapors containing concentrated contaminants is coked on hot heat transfer material. The coke-containing heat transfer material is then mixed with raw feed in a retorting vessel provided with an inert stripping gas of a velocity sufficient to lower the dew point of the pyrolysis oil.

Abstract: A stable, highly active hydrocracking catalyst which contains a rare earth/noble metal exchanged ultrastable type Y zeolite dispersed in an inorganic oxide matrix. The catalyst is hydrated to a moisture level of from about 5 to 30 percent by weight H.sub.2 O prior to activation and use in a hydrocracking process.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon conversion catalyst containing a Group VIB metal on a porous refractory oxide is prepared by impregnating support particles with a solution containing Group VIB metal components and citric acid, followed by drying and calcining. The catalyst is useful for promoting a number of hydrocarbon conversion reactions, particularly those involving hydrogenative desulfurization, demetallization and denitrogenation.