Hydrocarbon conversion process utilizing a magnetic field in a fluidized bed of catalytic particles

[2. The process of claim 1 wherein said fluidizing gaseous medium includes hydrogen.]

[3. The process of claim 1 wherein said fluidized bed is at a temperature of 500.degree.-800.degree. F., said fluidizing gaseous medium comprises a vaporized petroleum feedstock and hydrogen and said magnetizable, fluidizable composite particles are catalytically active for the catalytic desulfurization of said feedstock.]

[4. The process of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of said bed is subjected to a substantially uniform applied magnetic field of at least 100 oersteds oriented axially to the flow of gas in the fluidized bed zone and wherein said magnetizable, fluidizable composite particles have a magnetization of at least 150 gauss.]

[5. The process of claim 1 wherein said fluidized bed is at a temperature of 800.degree.-1100.degree. F. and said magnetizable, fluidizable composite particles are catalytically active for the catalytic reforming of said feedstock.]

[6. The process of claim 1 wherein the uppermost 20-40% region or zone of the bed is stabilized by the applied magnetic field.]

A process for carrying out a hydrocarbon conversion of a fluid stream of a hydrocarbon feedstock in a fluidized bed, which process comprises:

• (a) carrying out said hydrocarbon conversion process under hydrocarbon conversion conditions, passing said stream through at least one controllably transported hydrocarbon conversion fluidized bed containing magnetizable composite particles which contain 2 to 40 volume % ferro- or ferrimagnetic material, said bed of particles being expanded and levitated by said stream, and
• (b) controllably transporting said bed in response to a pressure differential in said bed, wherein at least a portion of said bed is subjected to an applied magnetic field having a substantial component along the direction of the external force field within said bed at a strength such that gross solids backmixing and fluid by-passing in said bed are suppressed but less than that which impairs the fluid-like properties of the bed.

The process of claims, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 wherein said applied magnetic field is nontime-varying and substantially uniform.

A process for carrying out a hydrocarbon conversion of a fluid stream of a hydrocarbon feedstock in a fluidized bed, which process comprises:

• (a) carrying out said hydrocarbon conversion process under hydrocarbon conversion conditions, passing said stream through at least one controllably transported hydrocarbon conversion fluidized bed containing an admixture of magnetizable and catalytic particles, said bed of particles being expanded and levitated by said stream, and
• (b) controllably transporting said bed in response to a pressure differential in said bed, wherein at least a portion of said bed is subjected to an applied magnetic field having a substantial component along the direction of the external force field within said bed at a strength such that gross solids backmixing and fluid by-passing in said bed are suppressed but less than that which impairs the fluid-like properties of the bed.