Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for the defluorination of a liquid hydrocarbon mixture, containing organic fluorides, produced during the conversion of hydrocarbons using a fluorine-containing catalyst. In one embodiment, both a thermal means and a contacting material are used to effectuate a more complete defluorination. The liquid hydrocarbon mixture is extracted from a distillation column and heated sufficiently in the thermal means to decompose at least some of the organic fluorides. The effluent from the thermal means is separated into a vaporous and a liquid effluent. The liquid effluent is passed to the bottom of the distillation column where it undergoes further defluorination through contact with the contacting material.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for the defluorination of a liquid hydrocarbon mixture, containing organic fluorides, produced during the conversion of hydrocarbons using a fluorine-containing catalyst. In one embodiment, both thermal means and a contacting material are used to effectuate a more complete defluorination.The liquid hydrocarbon mixture is extracted from a distillation column and heated sufficiently in the thermal means to decompose at least some of the organic fluorides. The effluent from the thermal means is separated into a vaporous and a liquid effluent. The liquid effluent is passed to the bottom of the distillation column where it undergoes further defluorination through contact with the contacting material.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for the safe handling of alkylation catalyst. The method and apparatus comprises a process vessel which serves a dual function of storing alkylation catalyst and of recontacting alkylation hydrocarbon product with alkylation catalyst. Alkylate product is passed through an eductor-mixer device which intimately mixes alkylate with catalyst. This mixture flows into the dual function recontacting vessel where a phase separation of the catalyst and alkylation hydrocarbon product takes place. Conduits are provided to connect the process reactor, cooling heat exchanger, settler, and interconnecting piping so as to allow the quick release of pressure from the combination storage-recontacting vessel and subsequent draining of catalyst into the vessel by use of gravitational force.

Abstract: A fractional distillation column and method for its use are provided which employ n sets of trays, where n is an integer and n.gtoreq.2. An equivalent number n of separate liquid streams are passed generally downwardly through the column so that each liquid stream flows onto and between individual trays of its corresponding set of trays.

Abstract: A baffle in a heat exchanger having two sections hingedly connected so as to facilitate removal of the tube bundle. A top section of the baffle defines a plurality of apertures through which tubes of a removable bundle extend and has edges one of which is connected to an edge of the bottom section of the baffle in a manner which permits the bottom section to rotate relative to the top section when the heat exchanger tube bundle is being removed. When the novel features of this invention are incorporated in a heat exchanger, removal of the tube bundle is facilitated.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon conversion process wherein metal-coated or metal-contaminated cracking catalyst is regenerated, reduced and then used to hydrogenate an olefin.

Abstract: A method for mixing hydrocarbons in a underground storage cavern using immiscible fluids is disclosed.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon liquid, such as propylene, is charged (dry) from manufacture by way of a bed of desiccant into a salt (brine-containing) cavern for wet storage, thusly regenerating the wet desiccant having been used to dry wet hydrocarbon yielded from the cavern as product.

Abstract: In an HF alkylation process the HF phase leaving the reaction zone is introduced into a separate resaturation zone wherein this HF phase is contacted with isobutane to resaturate the HF with isobutane. In the main hydrocarbon fractionator only a very small quantity of isobutane has to be evaporated and this isobutane can be withdrawn as a side stream and recycled.

Abstract: A combination process for production of HF alkylate motor fuel and HF alkylate solvent wherein the alkyl fluoride impurities present in the produced motor fuel are removed therefrom by treatment with a relatively clean HF stream (emulsion) containing the produced HF alkylate solvent. Makeup, relatively clean, HF catalyst for the motor fuel alkylation is secured from the solvent HF alkylate alkylation system.The invention produces motor fuel alkylate substantially free of organic fluoride contaminates as well as substantially organic fluoride-free isoparaffin solvent alkylate, using only one HF rerun column.

Abstract: In a cracking process wherein used catalyst is regenerated, contacted with reducing gas to counter effects of contaminating metals, and recycled to the cracking zone, the improvement comprising using a gas seal to assure that a major portion of the unconsumed reducing gas is also passed into the cracking zone.

Abstract: Cracking catalyst fines that are separated from the cracked fluid leaving the cracking or separation zone of a catalytic cracker are not dropped back into the separation zone or cracker and thus are not left in the cracker-regenerator loop but rather are removed from this loop, e.g., by connecting the dip-leg of one or more of the cyclones in the cracker with a conduit guiding these fines to a location of disposal outside of the catalyst loop. In one embodiment, these fines are introduced into another catalytic cracker or the separation vessel associated with a further catalytic cracker so that these fines ultimately occur in the bottoms product from a fractionator associated with this further cracker. By this process, the bottoms product of the main fractionator associated with the main cracker can be more efficiently utilized for the production of a carbon black feedstock because this bottoms product contains a very significantly reduced quantity of catalyst fines.

Abstract: Ethane is removed from a feedstream comprising methane, ethane and higher components by dividing the feedstream and passing one stream directly to the de-ethanizer with the other stream being passed to a stabilizer in order to remove the heavier components of the natural gas stream. The overhead vapor from the stabilizer is then passed to the de-ethanizer. The overhead vapor stream passed to the de-ethanizer from the stabilizer can also be cooled in order to reduce the refrigeration load of the de-ethanizer.