Patent ID: 6887813

Claim:
A method for reactivating a solid alkylation catalyst, comprising: providing a solid alkylation catalyst that is at least partially deactivated by alkylation fouling agents; contacting the solid alkylation catalyst with a fluid reactivating agent to remove at least one alkylation fouling agent, wherein the fluid reactivating agent is maintained at or above a critical point of the fluid reactivating agent and is dense enough to dissolve impurities, and wherein the fluid reactivating agent comprises an alkane having at least one tertiary carbon atom or a compound that is isomerized in the presence of the solid alkylation catalyst to form at least one tertiary carbon atom; reacting the fluid reactivating agent with the at least one alkylation fouling agent; and desorbing the at least one alkylation fouling agent from the solid alkylation catalyst.