Patent ID: 6558532
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: C10G

Abstract:
A reforming process comprising the steps of:charging for a first time period a substantially water-free and substantially perchloroethylene-free hydrocarbon feed comprising a reformable hydrocarbon to a reformer reactor which defines a reaction zone containing a reformer catalyst having an activity, wherein said reformer reactor is operated under reforming conditions, and wherein said first time period is such that said activity of said reformer catalyst decreases from an acceptable activity that is indicated by an acceptable activity temperature to an unacceptable activity that is indicated by an unacceptable activity temperature; wherein said acceptable activity temperature is the lowest activity temperature which yields a reformer product with a desired octane number under desired operating parameters; and wherein said unacceptable activity temperature is the lowest activity temperature which yields a reformer product with a desired octane number but at an activity temperature higher than the desired operating parameters; and after said first time period, introducing perchloroethylene, without simultaneously introducing water, into said substantially water-free hydrocarbon feed in an amount and for a second time period that are effective to restore at least a portion of the decrease in said activity of said reformer catalyst, thereby increasing said activity of said reformer catalyst from said unacceptable activity to a restored activity.