Patent ID: 8088338

Claim:
An apparatus for regenerating an ionic liquid catalyst which has been deactivated by conjunct polymers comprising a reactive extraction column, the reactive extraction column comprising: (a) an upper feed port in the upper end of the reactive extraction column for entry of a slurry of ionic liquid catalyst and aluminum metal into the reactive extraction column; (b) a lower feed port in the lower end of the reactive extraction column for entry of a solvent and optionally hydrogen gas into the reactive extraction column; (c) a lower extraction packing, an upper extraction packing, and a moveable bed comprised of reactive aluminum metal sandwiched between the lower and upper extraction packings, wherein the extraction packings and moveable bed are between the upper and lower feed ports, the aluminum metal being reactive with the ionic liquid catalyst to free conjunct polymers from the ionic liquid catalyst and provide regenerated ionic liquid catalyst; (d) a lower exit port in the lower end of the reactive extraction column for exit of the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst from the reactive extraction column; and (e) an upper exit port in the upper end of the reactive extraction column for exit of the solvent and freed conjunct polymers from the reactive extraction column.