Patent ID: 7955999

Claim:
A process for regenerating an ionic liquid catalyst which has been deactivated by conjunct polymers comprising: feeding a slurry of aluminum metal and an ionic liquid catalyst into the top of a moveable bed sandwiched between a pair of extraction packings, wherein the bed is comprised of aluminum metal within a reactor, and at least a portion of the ionic liquid catalyst is bound to conjunct polymers; feeding a solvent and optionally hydrogen gas into the bottom of the reactor to move upwards through the reactor and into the moveable bed; reacting the aluminum metal with the ionic liquid catalyst in the moveable bed to free the conjunct polymers from the ionic liquid catalyst; trapping at least a portion of the aluminum metal within the extraction packings; and extracting the conjunct polymers from the ionic liquid catalyst with the solvent to provide a regenerated ionic liquid catalyst, wherein the process is conducted within a single unit.