Patent ID: 7763174

Claim:
A process for the removal of contaminants from a feed process stream in a reverse-flow reactor containing at least one catalyst bed and at least two beds containing selectively adsorbing material wherein the feed flows through a first bed containing selectively adsorbing material into the at least one catalyst bed and then through a second bed containing selectively adsorbing material, said process comprising the steps of (a) removing a contaminant from the process stream prior to its entering the at least one catalyst bed by adsorption in said first bed containing a selectively adsorbing material; (b) causing the feed from which a contaminant has been removed to flow through the at least one catalyst bed and then through said second bed containing a selectively adsorbing material; (c) reversing the process stream flow direction before the contaminant front reaches the at least one catalyst bed; and (d) removing the adsorbed contaminant from the selectively adsorbing material by thermal desorption into the stream that leaves the at least one catalyst bed.