Patent ID: 8262773

Claim:
A method for removing contaminants from a hydrocarbon stream comprising: passing a contaminated hydrocarbon stream through a first adsorbent bed containing molecular sieves to adsorb contaminants on said molecular sieves; passing said contaminated hydrocarbon stream through a second adsorbent bed containing a desiccant material; contacting said desiccant material with a regeneration fluid stream comprising water to adsorb at least a portion of said water onto said desiccant material to form an at least partially dried regeneration fluid stream in contact with an at least partially hydrated desiccant material; heating said at least partially hydrated desiccant material to a temperature above about 100° C. to release water adsorbed thereon into said at least partially dried regeneration fluid stream; and passing said at least partially dried regeneration fluid stream through said molecular sieves to desorb and remove at least a portion of said contaminants adsorbed thereon.