Process for suppression of catalyst deactivation and c.sub.5 + liquid

Abstract

A process for reforming with hydrogen, or hydroforming, a naphtha in a cyclic reforming unit which contains a plurality of catalyst-containing on stream reactors in series, and a catalyst-containing swing reactor manifolded therewith which can be periodically placed in series and substituted for an on stream reactor while the latter is removed from series for regeneration and reactivation of the catalyst contained therein. In the process, a reactor which is next scheduled for regeneration and reactivation of its near deactivated catalyst is located immediately downstream next in series with a reactor which contains freshly regenerated, reactivated catalyst at the time the latter is initially put on stream so that sulfur released by the freshly regenerated, reactivated catalyst which occurs a short time after the upstream reactor has been returned to service, is adsorbed by the near deactivated catalyst of the reactor next requiring removal from the series for catalyst regeneration and reactivation. Subsequent to this time, and prior to any desorption and release of major concentrations of sulfur from the deactivated catalyst, the reactor used for scavenging the sulfur is then swung out of series for regeneration and reactivation of the sulfided catalyst, and replaced in the series by the swing reactor.