Method for contacting solids-containing feeds in a layered bed reactor

A process of contacting a hydrocarbon fluid feed containing suspended solids comprising passing said feed in a downflow direction through a packed bed reactor comprising:

• (a) a first packed bed of hydrothermally stable particles in fluid communication with a feed inlet to said reactor, said first packed bed extending more than 3 to 18 inches in the direction of flow and comprising predominantly particles within the range of 3/8 to 11/2 inches in diameter;
• (b) a second packed bed of hydrothermally stable particles in fluid communication with said first packed bed and downstream of said first packed bed, said second packed bed extending at least 12 to 48 inches in the direction of flow and comprising predominantly particles having diameters within the range of 3/16 to 5/16 inch and smaller than the average diameter of particles in said first bed;
• (c) a third packed bed of hydrothermally stable particles in fluid communication with said second packed bed and downstream of said packed bed, said third bed extending 3 to 48 inches in the direction of flow, said third packed bed comprising predominantly particles having diameters within the range of 1/16 to 3/16 inch and smaller than the average diameter of particles in said second bed;
• and
• (d) a fourth packed bed of hydrothermally stable particles in fluid communication with said third packed bed and downstream of said third packed bed, said fourth packed bed comprising predominantly particles having diameters below 1/8 inch and smaller than the average diameter of particles in said third packed bed and wherein the packed bed reactor is maintained at elevated pressures of up to about 3,500 psig and elevated temperatures of up to 1500.degree. F.