Lifting fluent solids in hydrocarbon conversion systems

Claim 1

IN A HYDROCARBON CONVERSION PROCESS IN WHICH FLUENT PARTICLES OF SOLID HYDROCARBON CONVERSION CATALYST CONTINUOUSLY CIRCULATE THROUGH A SYSTEM WHEREIN FRESHLY REGENERATED CATALYST CONTACTS HYDROCARBONS UNDER CONVERSION CONDITIONS WITHIN A CONVERSION ZONE, THEREBY CONCOMITANTLY ACCUMULATING A DEPOSIT OF COKE; WHEREIN A DOWNWARDLY MOVING NON-TURBULENT BED OF COKED CATALYST WITHDRAWN FROM SAID CONVERSION ZONE CONTACTS OXYGENCONTAINING GAS IN A REGENERATION ZONE UNDER COMBUSTION CONDITIONS SUCH THAT THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID CATALYST IS HIGHER IN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID REGENERATION ZONE THAN IN THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF; AND WHEREIN SAID PARTICLES ARE ELEVATED UPWARDLY THROUGH A LIFTING ZONE BY A LIFTING GAS FOR SUBSEQUENT FLOW THROUGH THE CONVERSION AND REGENERATION ZONES; THE STEPS WHICH COMPRISE PASSING OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS THROUGH AN UPPER PORTION OF THE BED OF CATALYST IN THE REGENERATION ZONE; DISCHARGING A FIRST STREAM OF FLUE GAS FROM SAID UPPER PORTION; PASSING OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS THROUGH A LOWER PORTION OF THE BED