Patent ID: 8545706

Claim:
A process for regenerating at least one drier of an apparatus for isomerizing a hydrocarbon stream rich in at least one hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of at least one C4 hydrocarbon, at least one C5 hydrocarbon, at least one C6 hydrocarbon, and mixtures thereof comprising: a) passing liquid phase regenerant in a down-flow mode through the at least one drier to desorb water from the at least one drier, resulting in at least one regenerated drier containing used liquid phase regenerant; b) forcing the used liquid phase regenerant from the at least one regenerated drier in an up-flow mode using a liquid phase fluid stream; c) passing the used liquid phase regenerant though a fluid tapering device comprising a restriction orifice, a flow indicator, a pressure differential indicating controller and a control valve and regulating the flow of used liquid phase regenerant using the fluid tapering device to a calculated rate; and d) diluting the used liquid phase regenerant forced from the at least one regenerated drier and passed through the fluid tapering device at a location downstream of the at least one drier over a period of time with a dried fluid to minimize upsets in downstream operations.