Reactivation of partially deactivated catalyst employing ultrasonic energy

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
In a catalyzed alkylation process employing a solid boron-containing catalyst composition which undergoes a loss of activity due to accumulation of solid contaminant on the catalyst, the improvement which comprises subjecting the catalyst after it has undergone a partial but less than complete loss of activity due to solid contaminant accumulation with ultrasonic energy within a chemical conversion zone containing a liquid feedstock, the catalyst being present therein, the magnitude of such ultrasonic energy and its duration being sufficient to restore a substantial percentage of the lost activity of the catalyst, wherein said catalyst includes boron trifluoride.
2.
The alkylation process of claim 1 wherein the solid boron-containing catalyst is a boron trifluoride-graphite intercalate.




Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to catalyzed chemical conversion processes in which solid catalysts become deactivated through the accumulation of reaction product residue or other solid contaminant, e.
g.
, "coke" or other carbonaceous residue, and in particular, to the reactivation of such catalysts using ultrasonic energy applied to the catalysts after they have become partially but less than completely deactivated due to such accumulated residue.
The use of solid catalysts to effect chemical conversion processes such as cracking, reforming, isomerization, disproportionation, alkylation, hydration, etherification, etc.
, is known.
These catalysts include non-crystalline or amorphous types such as silica and alumina, and crystalline types such as the zeolites, both of which types can contain one or more other catalytically active species.
In use, the catalysts gradually accumulate deposits, or residues, which cover the catalysts' surfaces and/or fill their pores eventually rendering them essentially completely inactive.
Thus, at some point during their on-stream life, a period of time which can be just a few minutes in the case of a cracking operation to hours, days or even weeks in the case of some other types of chemical conversions, e