Methods of treating hydroconversion catalysts used for cracking of hydrocarbons are described. A method can include mixing an inactive hydroconversion catalyst with a solid hydrocarbon containing material having a melting point of 50° C. or greater. The inactive hydroconversion catalyst/solid hydrocarbon containing material mixture can be contacted with a gaseous stream that includes hydrogen (H.sub.2) and a sulfur-containing compound under conditions sufficient to sulfide the catalyst and carbonize at least a portion of the hydrocarbon containing material on the sulfided catalyst to obtain a treated sulfided hydroconversion catalyst.

Methods of treating hydroconversion catalysts used for cracking of hydrocarbons are described. A method can include mixing an inactive hydroconversion catalyst with a solid hydrocarbon containing material having a melting point of 50° C. or greater. The inactive hydroconversion catalyst/solid hydrocarbon containing material mixture can be contacted with a gaseous stream that includes hydrogen (H.sub.2) and a sulfur-containing compound under conditions sufficient to sulfide the catalyst and carbonize at least a portion of the hydrocarbon containing material on the sulfided catalyst to obtain a treated sulfided hydroconversion catalyst.

An changeable lead-lag configuration of two isomerization reactors can be used to achieve continuous isomerization operations in an aromatics production complex, even if the isomerization catalyst deactivates over time to require catalyst regeneration and/or replacement. The configuration can be particularly advantageous for two liquid phase isomerization reactors, especially those operated under a high WHSV≥5 hour.sup.−1 where the isomerization catalyst can deactivate at a high rate.

Methods are provided for activation of catalysts comprising low amounts of a hydrogenation metal, such as low amounts of a Group 8-10 noble metal. The amount of hydrogenation metal on the catalyst can correspond to 0.5 wt % or less (with respect to the weight of the catalyst), or 0.1 wt % or less, or 0.05 wt % or less. Prior to loading a catalyst into a reactor, the corresponding catalyst precursor can be first activated in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere containing 1.0 vppm of CO or less. The thus first-activated catalyst can be transferred to a reactor with optional exposure to oxygen during the transfer, where it can be further activated using a hydrogen-containing atmosphere containing 3.0 vppm of CO or higher, to yield a twice-activated catalyst with high performance. The catalyst can be advantageously a transalkylation catalyst or an isomerization catalyst useful for converting aromatic hydrocarbons.

Methods are provided for activation of catalysts comprising low amounts of a hydrogenation metal, such as low amounts of a Group 8-10 noble metal. The amount of hydrogenation metal on the catalyst can correspond to 0.5 wt % or less (with respect to the weight of the catalyst), or 0.1 wt % or less, or 0.05 wt % or less. Prior to loading a catalyst into a reactor, the corresponding catalyst precursor can be first activated in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere containing 1.0 vppm of CO or less. The thus first-activated catalyst can be transferred to a reactor with optional exposure to oxygen during the transfer, where it can be further activated using a hydrogen-containing atmosphere containing 3.0 vppm of CO or higher, to yield a twice-activated catalyst with high performance. The catalyst can be advantageously a transalkylation catalyst or an isomerization catalyst useful for converting aromatic hydrocarbons.

Processes for upgrading a hydrocarbon. The process can include (I) contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with a catalyst that can include a Group 8-10 element or a compound thereof disposed on a support to effect conversion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce a coked catalyst and an effluent. The process can also include (II) contacting the coked catalyst with an oxidant to effect combustion the coke to produce a regenerated catalyst. The process can also include (IIa) contacting the regenerated catalyst with a reducing gas to produce a regenerated and reduced catalyst. The process can also include (III) contacting an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with the regenerated and reduced catalyst. A cycle time from the contacting the hydrocarbon-containing feed with the catalyst in step (I) to the contacting the additional hydrocarbon-containing feed with the regenerated and reduced catalyst in step (III) can be ≤1 hours.

Processes for upgrading a hydrocarbon. The process can include contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized catalyst particles that can include a Group 8-10 element or a compound thereof disposed on a support to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce coked catalyst particles and an effluent. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the coked catalyst particles with an oxidant to effect combustion of at least a portion of the coke to produce regenerated catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst particles with a reducing gas to produce regenerated and reduced catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized regenerated and reduced catalyst particles to produce additional effluent and re-coked catalyst particles.

Disclosed is a method for reducing carbon deposits on a catalyst in recycling HFC-23. The recycling is realized by means of a fluorine-chlorine exchange reaction with HFC-23 and a halogenated hydrocarbon. The catalyst for the fluorine-chlorine exchange reaction comprises a main body catalyst and a precious metal. The precious metal is selected from at least one of Pt, Pd, Ru, Au or Rh, and has an addition amount of 0.01-2 wt %. During the fluorine-chlorine exchange reaction, hydrogen gas is introduced. The invention has advantages of good catalyst stability, long life, etc.

The present invention relates to the field of the conversion of hydrocarbons and more particularly to that of catalytic reforming. A subject matter of the invention is a process employing at least two reaction zones, two reduction zones and one regeneration zone, and in which the effluents from the reduction zones are recycled, at least in part, at the top of each reaction zone.

The present invention relates to the field of the conversion of hydrocarbons and more particularly to that of catalytic reforming. A subject matter of the invention is a process employing at least two reaction zones, two reduction zones and one regeneration zone, and in which the effluents from the reduction zones are recycled, at least in part, at the top of each reaction zone.