METHOD OF OPERATING A REFORMING PROCESS

1421339 Catalyst discharge in reforming process U O P INC 13 Dec 1972 [14 Dec 1971] 57421/72 Heading B1F [Also in Divisions C4 and C5] A reforming process comprises (a) charging a hydrogen-hydrocarbon mixture to a reforming reactor containing a moving bed of platinum group metal catalyst particles at reforming conditions, (b) withdrawing a hydrocarbon stream from the reactor and separately withdrawing used catalyst particles from the reactor through a plurality of catalyst transfer conduits to a catalyst collector, (c) continuously charging a hydrogen rich gas, e.g. recycle gas, to the collector to preclude the passage of hydrocarbons from the reactor through the transfer conduits, the hydrogen-rich gas passing through the conduits into the reactor to be withdrawn therefrom in admixture with the hydrocarbon stream, (d) periodically increasing the flow of the hydrogen rich gas to the collector to preclude the passage of catalyst through the conduits, and withdrawing used catalyst from the collector and (e) adding a quantity of active platinum group metal catalyst to the reactor substantially equivalent to the quantity withdrawn from it to maintain a substantially constant catalyst inventary therein, the reactor remaining on stream at reforming conditions during the addition of said active catalyst to it and withdrawal of used catalyst from it. The process may be carried out in a series of side by side vertical reactors through which the catalyst and hydrocarbon pass generally downward, but the hydrocarbon passes laterally through an annular catalyst bed, and the catalyst and hydrocarbon may move cocurrently or countercurrently between reactors.