Catalytic reactor system treatment processes

1. A method of treating a catalyst-containing reactor system with a non-aqueous liquid solvent to remove contaminants comprising at least one of H 2 S, VOCs, and gums from the catalyst-containing reactor system, the method including the steps of:

bringing off-line the catalyst-containing reactor system, wherein the catalyst-containing reactor system comprises a catalyst-containing reactor;

isolating the catalyst-containing reactor system to be treated from upstream and downstream equipment;

flushing the catalyst-containing reactor system internally with a carrier gas, wherein the carrier gas is free of alkanes selected from methane, ethane, propane, butane, and pentane;

injecting the non-aqueous liquid solvent into the catalyst-containing reactor system and into the catalyst-containing reactor;

maintaining the non-aqueous liquid solvent in a liquid state while it flows through the catalyst-containing reactor system, from the injection point to an exit point, thereby removing said contaminants comprising said at least one of H 2 S, VOCs, and gums from the catalyst-containing reactor system; and

cooling and depressurizing the catalyst-containing reactor system at a temperature in a range of about 90 to about 120° F. and at a pressure in a range of about 5 to about 50 psig.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-aqueous liquid solvent comprises an aromatic solvent.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of flowing the non-aqueous liquid solvent through the catalyst-containing reactor system includes flushing the catalyst-containing reactor system to substantially cover internal surfaces to remove said contaminants from the internal surfaces.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising before the step of injecting the non-aqueous liquid solvent, flushing the catalyst-containing reactor system with a cutter stock.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier gas is a hydrogen-rich purge gas and further comprising, during the step of maintaining the non-aqueous liquid solvent in the liquid state, continuously flushing the catalyst-containing reactor system internally with the hydrogen-rich purge gas.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising terminating the step of injecting the non-aqueous liquid solvent, terminating continuous flushing with the hydrogen-rich purge gas, and sweeping the catalyst-containing reactor system internally with a nitrogen gas to remove residual hydrogen.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of flushing with the hydrogen-rich purge gas is stopped when the non-aqueous liquid solvent is detected below a predetermined rate.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising dumping catalyst from the catalyst-containing reactor system after sweeping with the nitrogen gas to remove residual hydrogen.

9. A method of treating a catalyst-containing reactor system with a non-aqueous liquid solvent to remove contaminants comprising at least one of H 2 S, VOCs, and gums from the catalyst-containing reactor system, the method including the steps of:

bringing the reactor system off-line;

isolating the catalyst-containing reactor system to be treated from upstream and downstream equipment;

reducing a temperature and pressure of the reactor system by flushing with a hydrogen-rich gas, wherein the hydrogen-rich gas is free of alkanes selected from methane, ethane, propane, butane, and pentane;

optionally flushing the catalyst-containing reactor system with a liquid non-aqueous cutter stock;

injecting the non-aqueous liquid solvent into the catalyst-containing reactor system at an injection point while continuing to flow the hydrogen-rich gas through the catalyst-containing reactor system;

maintaining the non-aqueous liquid solvent in a liquid state while flowing the non-aqueous liquid solvent continuously through the catalyst-containing reactor system, from the injection point to an exit point, thereby removing said contaminants comprising said at least one of H 2 S, VOCs and gums from the catalyst-containing reactor system; and

cooling and depressurizing the catalyst-containing reactor system at a temperature in a range of about 90 to about 120° F. and at a pressure in a range of about 5 to about 50 psig.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of flowing the non-aqueous liquid solvent through the catalyst-containing reactor system includes flushing the catalyst-containing reactor system to substantially cover internal surfaces and permeate spaces between the catalyst to remove said contaminants from the internal surfaces of the catalyst-containing reactor system and catalyst.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the non-aqueous liquid solvent further comprises an aromatic solvent.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising terminating the step of injecting non-aqueous liquid solvent, terminating the flow of the hydrogen-rich gas, and sweeping the catalyst-containing reactor system internally with a nitrogen gas to remove residual hydrogen.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the non-aqueous liquid solvent comprises xylene.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising dumping catalyst from the catalyst-containing reactor system.

15. A method of treating a catalyst-containing reactor system with a non-aqueous liquid solvent to remove contaminants comprising at least one of H 2 S, VOCs, and gums from the catalyst-containing reactor system, the method including the steps of:

isolating the catalyst-containing reactor system to be treated from upstream and downstream equipment;

reducing a temperature and a pressure of the isolated catalyst-containing reactor system by flushing with a hydrogen-rich gas, wherein the hydrogen-rich gas is free of alkanes selected from methane, ethane, propane, butane, and pentane;

injecting the non-aqueous liquid solvent into the catalyst-containing reactor system at an injection point while continuously flowing the hydrogen-rich gas through the reactor system;

maintaining the non-aqueous liquid solvent in a liquid state while flowing the non-aqueous liquid solvent continuously through the catalyst-containing reactor system, thereby removing said contaminants comprising said at least one of H 2 S, VOCs and gums from the reactor system;

terminating the step of injecting the non-aqueous liquid solvent and terminating the continuous flowing of the hydrogen-rich gas; and

cooling and depressurizing the catalyst-containing reactor system at a temperature in a range of about 90 to about 120° F. and a pressure in a range of about 5 to about 50 psig.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising, after the step of terminating the step of injecting the non-aqueous liquid solvent and terminating the continuous flowing of the hydrogen-rich gas, sweeping the reactor system internally with nitrogen gas to remove residual hydrogen.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the non-aqueous liquid solvent comprises an aromatic solvent.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the non-aqueous liquid solvent comprises xylene.