Abstract: A process and apparatus for spraying a liquid into a flowing vapor stream is disclosed. Multiple nozzles for injection of a liquid are radially distributed about a pipe containing a flowing vapor stream. The nozzles are arranged so that the cone shaped spray pattern from the nozzles is at least in part parallel to and near the pipe wall. The number of nozzles, and the spray pattern of each, provides 100% overlapping spray of liquid droplets within the pipe. The invention can be used to neutralize acidic vapor streams, absorb noxious fumes, or quench thermal reactions. The invention is especially useful in quenching hot vapor streams. Quenching hot cracked products from an FCC reactor in the transfer line improves yields, and permits higher catalytic cracking reactor temperatures.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for fluidized catalytic cracking of heavy oils is disclosed. The long transfer line connecting the catalytic cracking reactor to the main fractionator is modified by incorporation of a quench zone, of enlarged cross sectional area, where liquid products are recycled from the main fractionator and injected into the transfer line, without wetting the walls of the transfer line near the reactor outlet. Quenching hot cracked products from the FCC reactor in the transfer line, improves yields, and permits higher catalytic cracking reactor temperatures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding catalyst, oil and steam into a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) riser. Oil passes through respective oil lines into a multiplicity of upwardly extending nozzles located at a lower portion of the riser, while steam passes through respective steam lines into the nozzles where it blends with the oil, with the combined oil and steam mixture being fed through the nozzles into the riser. Each oil line and steam line is provided with a valve to separately control oil and steam flow rates, respectively, in each of the nozzles to obtain a substantially constant catalyst to oil ratio across a horizontal cross-section of the riser. The substantially constant catalyst to oil ratio is represented by a substantially isothermal temperature profile across the horizontal riser cross-section, which is detected by measuring the temperature at various points along the horizontal cross-section.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for improving the efficiency of a cyclone by the addition of a rough-cut device to a gas outlet tube of the cyclone. The rough-cut device includes a tangentially located dust collector that gradually reduces in size and is connected to a dipleg that can be buried in a dense bed or provided with a trickle valve. Gases containing entrained solid particles exit the gas outlet tube of the cyclone in an upward flowing spiral with the solid particles held against the wall of the tube by the centrifugal force of the spiraling gas. When the solid particles reach the tangential exit port, the centrifugal force causes the particles to follow the direction of the wall leaving the gas stream and falling toward the dipleg due to the loss of the upward driving force of the gases. The gases continue in an upward direction and exit the top of the rough-cut device with fewer entrained solid particles.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for feeding catalyst, oil and steam into a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) riser. Oil passes through respective oil lines into a multiplicity of upwardly extending nozzles located at a lower portion of the riser, while steam passes through respective steam lines into the nozzles where it blends with the oil, with the combined oil and steam mixture being fed through the nozzles into the riser. Each oil line and steam line is provided with a valve to separately control oil and steam flow rates, respectively, in each of the nozzles to obtain a substantially constant catalyst to oil ratio across a horizontal cross-section of the riser. The substantially constant catalyst to oil ratio is represented by a substantially isothermal temperature profile across the horizontal riser cross-section, which is detected by measuring the temperature at various points along the horizontal cross-section.

Abstract: A fluid catalytic cracking vessel having cyclone separators which have cyclone diplegs. The diplegs have valve plates which are inclined, in the closed position, at an angle of about 30.degree. to about 60.degree. with respect to the vertical axis of the respective diplegs.