Use of a continuous catalyst regeneration type reformer for the aromax® catalyst process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12533650-B2
Application number	US-202217820665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2022
Priority date	Aug 18, 2022
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the aromatization of hydrocarbons with an aromatization catalyst, including methods of aromatization comprising the use of a continuous catalyst regeneration type reformer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A reforming reactor system comprising:
a continuous catalyst regeneration (CCR) system comprising at least one reactor stack, wherein each reactor stack comprises at least two radial flow reactors that separately comprise a reforming catalyst capable of catalyzing the conversion of hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon feed to provide a reactor effluent comprising aromatic hydrocarbons; a regeneration reactor system connected to the at least one reactor stack via a spent catalyst transfer system, and configured for regenerating the spent reforming catalyst; wherein the reforming reactor system is configured for movement of the reforming catalyst through the at least one reactor stack over a time period of at least 180 days; and
wherein the reforming catalyst comprises a Group VIII metal, a silica-bound L-zeolite support, and at least one halogen, and wherein the reforming catalyst has a crush strength of less than about 15 lb f , and wherein the CCR system is configured for:
initial introduction of reforming catalyst into at least one topmost reactor via a purge vessel and a reduction reactor, wherein the at least one topmost reactor is a topmost reactor of one of the at least one reactor stacks; and
introduction of fresh hydrocarbon feed into a bottommost radial flow reactor of one of the at least one reactor stacks, such that reforming catalyst and hydrocarbon feed flow counter-currently therethrough, wherein the bottommost radial flow reactor of each of the at least one reactor stacks acts as a guard bed to protect downstream reactors in the at least one reactor stack, which contain more active catalyst, from at least one undesirable compound selected from sulfur, heavies, nitrogen, or a combination thereof.

2 . The reforming reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the reforming catalyst comprises an extrudate characterized by a crush strength of less than about 15, 13, or 10 lb f .

3 . The reforming reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one halogen comprises fluorine and chlorine, and wherein regenerating comprises decoking, redispersing one or more metals of the spent reforming catalyst via oxychlorination, and reactivating via fluoridation.

4 . The reforming reactor system of claim 1 , wherein at least one surface or component of the regeneration reactor system is not coated with tin MPT, and wherein at least one internal component of the at least one reactor stack is coated with tin MPT.

5 . The reforming reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the reforming reactor system comprises no sulfur converter adsorber (SCA) upstream of the CCR system.

6 . A method of operating the reforming reactor system of claim 1 , the method comprising:
operating the reactors of the CCR system
to provide movement of the reforming catalyst through the at least one reactor stack over a time period of at least 180 days and to a regeneration system via a catalyst transfer system.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein operating the reactors of the stacked reactor system comprises operating the radial flow reactors as stationary fixed beds, and wherein the reforming catalyst is not moved during operation of a run.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
converting the convertible hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon feed until the reforming catalyst is determined to be a spent reforming catalyst and, after the catalyst is determined to be spent; discontinuing the introduction of the hydrocarbon feed; purging the reactors until the reactor effluent comprises less than about 200 ppm of hydrocarbons; having the reactors reach ambient temperature; removing the spent reforming catalyst within the radial flow reactors of each reactor stack via the bottommost radial flow reactor of each reactor stack or via the bottommost reactor of a final reactor stack with conveying between stacks, with the catalyst flowing downward through the at least one stack of radial flow reactors for removal; and adding fresh reforming catalyst to the top of a topmost radial flow reactor of each reactor stack or to the top of the topmost radial flow reactor of the first reactor stack with conveying between stacks, wherein fresh reforming catalyst flows downward through the at least one stack of radial flow reactors.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the reforming reactor system further comprises at least one purge chamber fluidly attached to a bottommost radial flow reactor of each reactor stack or a bottommost reactor of a final reactor stack with conveying between stacks; and wherein the spent reforming catalyst is removed from the bottommost radial flow reactor through the purge chamber prior to removing the catalyst from the stacked reactor system.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the stacked reactor system further comprises at least one purge chamber fluidly connected to the topmost radial flow reactor of each reactor stack or a topmost reactor of a first reactor stack operable for conveyance between stacks; and wherein the fresh reforming catalyst is added to the topmost radial flow reactor through the purge chamber.

11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the catalyst transfer system fluidly connects at least one purge chamber with a top of the regeneration system for transferring the reforming catalyst through at least one purge chamber attached to the bottommost radial flow reactor of each of the at least one reactor stacks or the bottommost radial flow reactor of a final of the at least one reactor stacks with conveying between stacks, to the regeneration system.

12 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising regenerating the reforming catalyst via a regeneration process comprising decoking, chlorination, oxychlorination, fluorination, reduction, or a combination thereof during passage through the regeneration system, and introducing the regenerated reforming catalyst to a topmost radial flow reactor of each of the at least one reactor stacks or to a topmost radial flow reactor of a first reactor stack with conveying between stacks.

13 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the regeneration system is operable to provide movement of the reforming catalyst through a series of radial flow regeneration reactors, and wherein the reforming catalyst passes through the regeneration system, and back to the stacked reactor system via a regenerated catalyst transfer system over a time period of about 170 hours.

14 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the stacked reactor system further comprises a regenerator, and wherein the regenerator is utilized for storage of spent catalyst and capable of, upon an amount of spent catalyst stored in the regenerator reaching a predetermined threshold amount, regenerating the spent catalyst stored in the regenerator.

15 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising loading the fresh reforming catalyst into a purge chamber and a reduction vessel prior to loading into a topmost reactor of the at least one reactor stack, and reducing the fresh reforming catalyst prior to introducing the same as the replacement catalyst into the topmost reactor of the at least one reactor stack.

16 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the stacked reactor system is configured for initial introduction of reforming catalyst into a purge tank connected to a reduction vessel connected to a topmost radial flow reactor of one of the at least one reactor stacks.

17 . The method of claim 6 , wherein an operating temperature of a bottom reactor of each of the at least one reactor stacks is less than an operating temperature of a top reactor thereof, and the bottom

Assignees

• Chevron Phlillps Chemical Company Lp
• Chevron Phillips Chemical Co Lp

Inventors

• Snell Ryan W
• Morrison Scott
• Bretz Troy

Classifications

• C01B2203/1241

  Natural gas or methane · CPC title

• C01B2203/107

  Platinum catalysts · CPC title

• C01B2203/0227

  containing a catalytic reforming step · CPC title

• B01J2208/06

  Details of tube reactors containing solid particles · CPC title

• B01J2208/00761

  Discharging · CPC title