Process and apparatus for upgrading FCC product with additional reactor with thorough mixing

• US 20030196932A1
• Filed: 04/18/2002
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Lomas, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,869,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 208/67
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00548 Flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00584 Controlling the density
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/0084 inside the bed, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00038 Processes in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0055 using cyclones
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0065 by impingement against stationary members
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/06 in tube reactors; the solid particles being arranged in tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/065 Feeding reactive fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/1818 Feeding of the fluidising gas B01J8/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/1827 the fluidising gas being a reactant
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/1854 followed by a downward movement inside the reactor to form a loop
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/1863 followed by a downward movement outside the reactor and subsequently re-entering it
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/26 with two or more fluidised beds, e.g. reactor and regeneration installations
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/28 the one above the other
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/34 with stationary packing material in the fluidised bed, e.g. bricks, wire rings, baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/386 internally, i.e. the particles rotate within the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/388 externally, i.e. the particles leaving the vessel and subsequently re-entering it
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 11/18 according to the "fluidised-bed" technique

Abstract

A process and apparatus are disclosed contacting hydrocarbon feed with catalyst in a reactor vessel under conditions more vigorous than bubbling bed conditions and preferably fast fluidized flow conditions. The vigorous conditions assure thorough mixing of catalyst and feed to suppress formation of dry gas and the promotion of hydrogen transfer reactions.

Claims

1. A process for cracking and further treating hydrocarbons, said process comprising:

contacting a first hydrocarbon feed stream with catalyst to yield cracked hydrocarbons and spent catalyst;

separating said spent catalyst from said cracked hydrocarbons in a separator section;

regenerating at least a portion of said spent catalyst to provide regenerated catalyst; and

contacting a second hydrocarbon feed stream with regenerated catalyst in a reaction zone under flow conditions including a superficial vapor velocity of greater than or equal to 0.6 m/s (1.8 ft/s) and a slip ratio of greater than or equal to 2.5 to yield upgraded hydrocarbons and spent catalyst.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the density in the reaction zone is 48 to 320 kg/m³ (3.0 to 20 lb/ft³).

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the superficial vapor velocity in the reaction zone is 1.3 to 3.7 m/s (4 to 12 ft/s).

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the mixture of catalyst and vapor in the reaction zone is homogeneous.

5. The process of claim 1 further comprising separating said upgraded hydrocarbons from said spent catalyst in a second separator that is distinct from the first separator;

and regenerating a portion of said spent catalyst in said regenerator.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein said spent catalyst is stripped before it is regenerated.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein naphtha has the greatest concentration in said second hydrocarbon feed stream.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein said second hydrocarbon feed stream is derived from said cracked hydrocarbons.

9. A process for treating a hydrocarbon stream including at least a portion of effluent from an FCC reactor, said process comprising:

contacting said hydrocarbon stream with catalyst in a reaction zone under conditions that promote homogeneous mixing of catalyst and hydrocarbons and a slip ratio of greater than or equal to 3.0 to yield an upgraded hydrocarbon stream and spent catalyst.

10. The process of claim 9 further comprising:

separating said spent catalyst from said cracked hydrocarbons in a separator section and regenerating at least a portion of said spent catalyst to provide regenerated catalyst.

11. The process of claim 9 wherein conditions in said reaction zone further include a superficial vapor velocity of greater than or equal to 0.6 m/s (1.8 ft/s).

12. The process of claim 9 wherein the density in the reaction zone is 48 to 320 kg/m³ (3.0 to 20 lb/ft³).

13. The process of claim 9 wherein the superficial vapor velocity in the reaction zone is 1.3 to 3.7 m/s (4 to 12 ft/s).

14. An apparatus for the contacting of hydrocarbons with catalyst, said apparatus comprising:

a reactor vessel including at least one reactor communicating with said reactor vessel, a diluent nozzle communicating with said reactor vessel and a feed nozzle communicating with said reactor at a first end of said reactor and a second end of said reactor having a reduced cross-sectional area relative to said reactor, and

a separator vessel including a transport conduit communicating with said second end of said reactor, said transport conduit having a discharge opening communicating with said separator vessel.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said reactor vessel includes a plurality of reactors and each reactor communicates with said transport conduit through an outlet conduit.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the transport conduit has cross-sectional area that is smaller than the aggregate cross-sectional area of said plurality of reactors.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said separator vessel includes a stripping section surrounding said transport conduit.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said discharge opening is on the end of a swirl tube.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said separator vessel communicates with an external cyclone.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said apparatus is incorporated into an FCC reactor.