| abstract |
A method is disclosed for regenerating a solid adsorbent which has been used to remove oxygen-containing hydrocarbonaceous compounds, water or sulfur-containing compounds from a hydrocarbon stream. The method is preferably applied to molecular sieves which have been used to remove ethers, alcohols and/or water from a light liquid phase hydrocarbon stream such as a stream which is rich in C 4 hydrocarbons. The regeneration method includes stripping the adsorbent with a low temperature hydrogen-rich gas stream, which preferably has a temperature below about 200° F., and then gradually increasing the temperature of the gas stream to customary regeneration temperatures. |