Fluid catalytic cracking process and apparatus for maximizing light olefin yield and other applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10696907-B2
Application number	US-201916511425-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2019
Priority date	Sep 16, 2016
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

Apparatus and processes herein provide for converting hydrocarbon feeds to light olefins and other hydrocarbons. The processes and apparatus include, in some embodiments, feeding a hydrocarbon, a first catalyst and a second catalyst to a reactor, wherein the first catalyst has a smaller average particle size and is less dense than the second catalyst. A first portion of the second catalyst may be recovered as a bottoms product from the reactor, and a cracked hydrocarbon effluent, a second portion of the second catalyst, and the first catalyst may be recovered as an overhead product from the reactor. The second portion of the second catalyst may be separated from the overhead product, providing a first stream comprising the first catalyst and the hydrocarbon effluent and a second stream comprising the separated second catalyst, allowing return of the separated second catalyst in the second stream to the reactor.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A particle separator for separating catalysts or other particles based on size and/or density, comprising:
an inlet for providing a mixture comprising a carrier gas, a first particle type, and a second particle type, each particle type having a particle size distribution, an average particle size and an average density, the second particle type having an average particle size and/or average density greater than the first particle type;
a chamber for receiving the mixture, wherein the chamber is configured to separate at least a portion of the second particle type from the carrier gas and the first particle type;
a first outlet to recover the second particle type;
a second outlet to recover the carrier gas and the first particle type; and
a distributor disposed within or proximate the first outlet for introducing a fluidizing gas, facilitating additional separation of the first particle type from the second particle type;
wherein a cross-sectional area of the chamber or a portion thereof is adjustable.

2. The separator of claim 1 , further comprising a movable baffle disposed within one or more sections of the chamber.

3. A system for the conversion of hydrocarbons, comprising:
a catalyst regenerator;
a first catalyst feed line for withdrawing a mixture comprising a first catalyst and a second catalyst from the catalyst regenerator and feeding the mixture to a riser reactor, wherein the first catalyst has a smaller average particle size and/or is less dense than the second catalyst;
a second catalyst feed line for withdrawing the mixture comprising a first catalyst and a second catalyst from the catalyst regenerator and feeding the mixture to a catalyst separation system wherein the catalyst separation system comprises:
an inlet for providing a mixture comprising the fluidization medium, the first catalyst, and the second catalyst;
a chamber for receiving the mixture, wherein the chamber is configured to separate at least a portion of the second catalyst from the fluidization medium and the first catalyst;
a first outlet to recover the second catalyst;
a second outlet to recover the fluidization medium and the first catalyst; and
a distributor disposed within or proximate the first outlet for introducing a fluidizing gas, facilitating additional separation of the first catalyst from the second catalyst;

a fluidization medium feed line for fluidizing the mixture withdrawn via the second catalyst feed line with a fluidization medium and separating the first catalyst from the second catalyst in the catalyst separation system to recover a first stream comprising the first catalyst and the fluidization medium and a second stream comprising the second catalyst;
a reactor for contacting a hydrocarbon feedstock and either the first stream or the second stream to react at least a portion of the hydrocarbon to produce a converted hydrocarbon.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a feed line for feeding the first stream to the reactor.

5. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a feed line for feeding the second stream to the reactor.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the chamber or a portion thereof is adjustable.

7. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a movable baffle disposed within one or more sections of the chamber.

8. A system for the conversion of hydrocarbons, comprising:
a riser reactor for contacting a hydrocarbon feedstock with a catalyst mixture comprising a first catalyst and a second catalyst, wherein the first catalyst has a smaller average particle size and/or is less dense than the second catalyst;
a catalyst separation system for separating an effluent from the riser reactor to recover a first stream comprising the first catalyst and converted hydrocarbon feedstock and a second stream comprising the second catalyst, wherein the catalyst separation system comprises
an inlet for providing the effluent from the riser reactor, the effluent comprising a mixture of the converted hydrocarbon feedstock, the first catalyst, and the second catalyst;
a chamber for receiving the mixture, wherein the chamber is configured to separate at least a portion of the second catalyst from the converted hydrocarbon feedstock and the first catalyst;
a first outlet to recover the second catalyst;
a second outlet to recover the converted hydrocarbon feedstock and the first catalyst; and
a distributor disposed within or proximate the first outlet for introducing a fluidizing gas, facilitating additional separation of the first catalyst from the second catalyst;

a flow line for feeding the second stream to the riser reactor.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the chamber or a portion thereof is adjustable.

10. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a movable baffle disposed within one or more sections of the chamber.

11. A system for the conversion of hydrocarbons, comprising:
a catalyst withdrawal line for withdrawing a mixture comprising a first catalyst and a second catalyst from a catalyst regenerator and feeding the mixture to a catalyst feed/separation system, wherein the first catalyst has a smaller average particle size and/or is less dense than the second catalyst;
the catalyst feed/separation system for separating the first catalyst from the second catalyst in the catalyst feed/separation system to produce a first stream comprising the first catalyst and a second stream comprising the second catalyst, wherein the catalyst feed/separation system comprises:
an inlet for providing a mixture comprising the first catalyst and the second catalyst;
a chamber for receiving the mixture, wherein the chamber is configured to separate at least a portion of the second catalyst from the first catalyst;
a first outlet to recover the second catalyst;
a second outlet to recover the fluidization medium and the first catalyst; and
a distributor disposed within or proximate the first outlet for introducing a fluidizing gas, facilitating separation of the first catalyst from the second catalyst;

a riser reactor for contacting a hydrocarbon feedstock and either the first stream or the second stream to react at least a portion of the hydrocarbon to produce a converted hydrocarbon.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the chamber or a portion thereof is adjustable.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a movable baffle disposed within one or more sections of the chamber.

Assignees

• Lummus Technology Inc

Inventors

• Chen Liang
• Loezos Peter
• Marri Rama Rao
• Tomsula Bryan
• Hood Jon A
• Singh Hardik
• Dorsey Michael
• Breckenridge Justin

Classifications

• C10G51/06

  plural parallel stages only · CPC title

• C10G51/02

  plural serial stages only · CPC title

• C10G11/18 Primary

  according to the "fluidised-bed" technique · CPC title

• C10G11/02

  characterised by the catalyst used · CPC title

• C10G2400/20

  C2-C4 olefins · CPC title