Method of regenerating used contaminant-removing material

A method of regenerating for reuse a particulate contaminant-removing material that has been used to remove a contaminant selected from a group of selenium and arsenic from a synthetic hydrocarbonaceous liquid by effecting deposition of said contaminant within said contaminant-removing material such that said contaminant-removing material becomes spent;

• said particulate contaminant-removing material being selected from the class consisting of the oxides and sulfides of iron, cobalt and nickel, alone and on a supporting matrix;
• comprising the steps of:
• a. providing a non-oxidizing atmosphere about said spent contaminant-removing material;
• said non-oxidizing atmosphere containing less than 1 percent volume of oxygen;
• b. adding and admixing a sulfur-containing material in Intimate contact with said spent contaminant-removing material;
• c. heating said sulfur-containing material and said spent contaminant-removing material in a substantial absence of oxygen as provided by the non-oxidizing atmosphere to a temperature in the range of 700.degree.-1500.degree. F. and sufficient to react the sulfur in said sulfur-containing material with said contaminant to form the sulfides of the contaminant;
• and moving at least one of said sulfur-containing material and said contaminant-removing material with respect to and in intimate contact with the other at said temperature to react the sulfur in said sulfur-containing material with said contaminant to form the sulfides of said contaminant;
• d. converting said sulfides of said contaminant to gaseous form by heat and separating said gaseous sulfides of said contaminant from said contaminant-removing material such that said contaminant-removing material is ready for a reuse to again remove said contaminant from said synthetic hydrocarbonaceous liquid;
• and
• e. oxidizing said sulfides of said contaminant with an oxygen-containing material to form the oxides of said contaminant.