Abstract: The present invention comprises a process for conversion of oxygenates to olefins comprising contacting within a reactor the oxygenates with a catalyst to produce light olefins and wherein the reactor comprises at least two zones, a first zone wherein gas circulates at a faster rate than a second zone wherein a gas circulates at a slower rate; and inserting a quantity of inert gas into the second zone to increase circulation of any materials located in said second zone. The invention prevents accumulation of undesirable by-products within stagnant zones within the reactor and reduces the amount of coke deposited on catalyst or on surfaces within these zones.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a process for conversion of oxygenates to olefins comprising contacting within a reactor the oxygenates with a catalyst to produce light olefins and wherein the reactor comprises at least two zones, a first zone wherein gas circulates at a faster rate than a second zone wherein a gas circulates at a slower rate; and inserting a quantity of inert gas into the second zone to increase circulation of any materials located in said second zone. The invention prevents accumulation of undesirable by-products within stagnant zones within the reactor and reduces the amount of coke deposited on catalyst or on surfaces within these zones.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for injecting a plurality of uniform jets into an extended dispersion of moving catalyst particles within a reactor vessel. The apparatus comprises a plurality of outer conduits each for carrying atomizing fluid. A plurality of tips in the outer conduits each include a plurality of orifices for spraying a mixture of feed and atomizing fluid. Inner conduits with outlets within the outer conduits delivers feed to the tips of the outer conduits.

Abstract: A novel multiple stage separator (MSS) vessel is disclosed wherein the vessel includes at least first and second stages or decks of separation cyclones, the stages arranged for operation in series. Each stage or deck includes an upper and lower tube sheet on which a plurality of cyclones are installed, solid particles in the gas stream being separated from the stream and dispensed between the tube sheets as the stream passes through each stage. The vessel has an inlet to receive a gas stream containing the particulates, and the flow travels typically downwardly, first passing through the first stage, then passing through at least a second stage. When implemented downstream of a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, the MSS has been found to remove a surprisingly increased amount of particulates over a conventional third stage separator (TSS), which contains a single stage separator.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a process for conversion of oxygenates to olefins comprising contacting within a reactor the oxygenates with a catalyst to produce light olefins and wherein the reactor comprises at least two zones, a first zone wherein gas circulates at a faster rate than a second zone wherein a gas circulates at a slower rate; and inserting a quantity of inert gas into the second zone to increase circulation of any materials located in said second zone. The invention prevents accumulation of undesirable by-products within stagnant zones within the reactor and reduces the amount of coke deposited on catalyst or on surfaces within these zones.

Abstract: An distributor arrangement introduces spent FCC catalyst more uniformly across the dense bed of the regenerator to provide more even contact with regeneration gas in order to avoid hot spots and zones of incomplete combustion. The invention forms a fluidized hopper to collect spent catalyst and a horizontally extended header with multiple horizontally extended outlet arms to place catalyst into the regenerator. The invention may use an aeration means to fluidize the header to further assist catalyst flow. Furthermore, the spent catalyst delivered to the top of the regenerator dense reduces NOx emissions in the flue gas.

Abstract: An FCC process and apparatus may include injecting hydrocarbon feedstock at different radial positions inside a riser. Multiple distributors may be used to position the openings for injecting feedstock at multiple radial positions. In addition, the openings may be away from riser peripheral wall and at different elevations along the riser wall or extending up from the riser bottom. The different opening positions introduce the feedstock across a larger area of the cross-section of the riser, which may improve the feedstock dispersion and mixing with catalyst. Improved mixing may increase conversion of the feedstock. Larger FCC units generally have greater riser diameters that may cause problems for feedstock dispersion and decrease the ability for the feedstock to mix with catalyst. Injecting the feedstock at multiple radial positions may improve feedstock dispersion in larger FCC units and increase mixing.

Abstract: A fluid catalytic cracking process includes feeding hydrocarbon into a riser in the presence of a catalyst, cracking the hydrocarbon in the riser in the presence of the catalyst to form a cracked stream, and separating the catalyst from the cracked stream. When in a gasoline mode, the hydrocarbon is fed through a first distributor into the riser, and when in a light olefin mode, the hydrocarbon is fed through a second distributor into the riser. The second distributor is positioned at a higher elevation than the first distributor.

Abstract: A reactor conduit discharges into a disengaging chamber that is directly connected to a separator. A dipleg of the separator is directly connected to the disengaging chamber or to an intermediate chamber which is in direct communication with the disengaging chamber.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a process and apparatus for producing olefins from oxygenates in a reactor. This process comprises these oxygenates with a catalyst to produce a gaseous mixture comprising light olefins and by-products, sending the mixture to a single stage cyclone within said reactor to separate said catalyst from said gaseous mixture and then sending said the to a second stage cyclone. The second stage cyclone is located outside of said reactor and it functions to remove the catalyst from the mixture. Then the catalyst can be returned to the reactor after having been treated in a regeneration zone to remove carbonaceous deposits from the catalyst.

Abstract: The invention is a process and the corresponding apparatus for producing light olefins from oxygenates in an OTO reactor comprising sending an oxygenate feed stream through a feed stream distributor into an OTO reactor, contacting the oxygenates with a catalyst to produce a mixture comprising light olefins, diolefins, unreacted oxygenate and other by-products; separating the unreacted oxygenate and diolefins from said light olefins and said by-products; and returning the unreacted oxygenate and diolefins to the OTO reactor. The unreacted oxygenate and diolefins are sent through at least one feed nozzle into said reactor at a point separate from the oxygenate feed stream.

Abstract: An apparatus and process is disclosed for the separation of solids from gases in a mixture which is most particularly applicable to an FCC apparatus. The mixture of solids and gases are passed through a conduit and exit through a swirl arm that imparts a swirl motion having a first annular direction to centripetally separate the heavier solids from the lighter gases. The mixture then enters a cyclone which has a curved outer wall and imparts a second swirling angular direction to the mixture. The second angular direction is counter to the first angular direction. The apparatus and method assures that a greater proportion of the mixture entering the cyclone is incorporated into the vortex to further enhance separation between the solids and gases.

Abstract: An distributor arrangement introduces spent FCC catalyst more uniformly across the dense bed of the regenerator to provide more even contact with regeneration gas in order to avoid hot spots and zones of incomplete combustion. The invention forms a fluidized hopper to collect spent catalyst and a horizontally extended header with multiple horizontally extended outlet arms to place catalyst into the regenerator. The invention may use an aeration means to fluidize the header to further assist catalyst flow. Furthermore, the spent catalyst delivered to the top of the regenerator dense reduces NOx emissions in the flue gas.

Abstract: An apparatus and process is disclosed for the separation of solids from gases in a mixture which is most particularly applicable to an FCC apparatus. The mixture of solids and gases are passed through a conduit and exit through a swirl arm that imparts a swirl motion having a first annular direction to centripetally separate the heavier solids from the lighter gases. The mixture then enters a cyclone which has a curved outer wall and imparts a second swirling angular direction to the mixture. The second angular direction is counter to the first angular direction. The apparatus and method assures that a greater proportion of the mixture entering the cyclone is incorporated into the vortex to further enhance separation between the solids and gases.

Abstract: An arrangement for the controlled production of an essentially linear array of hydrocarbon feed injection jets maintains stable and reliable jets by passing individual piping for each jet through a support shroud that is located in a contacting vessel. Controlled atomization is provided by independently injecting a uniform quantity of gas medium into each of the plurality of uniformly created feed injection streams upstream of a discharge nozzle that separately discharges each mixed stream of hydrocarbons and gas medium into a stream of catalyst particles at or about the inner end of the support shroud. The feed injection jets are suitable for positioning in an inner location of a large contacting vessel. Uniformity of distribution is obtained by dividing the hydrocarbons streams from an oil chamber into an individual oil conduit for each spray injection nozzle. The individual oil conduits receive separate streams of a gas phase fluid that mixes with feed to pass the mixture to a spray nozzle.

Abstract: An arrangement for the controlled production of an essentially linear array of hydrocarbon feed injection jets maintains stable and reliable jets by passing individual piping for each jet through a support shroud that is located in a contacting vessel. Controlled atomization is provided by independently injecting a uniform quantity of gas medium into each of the plurality of uniformly created feed injection streams upstream of a discharge nozzle that separately discharges each mixed stream of hydrocarbons and gas medium into a stream of catalyst particles at or about the inner end of the support shroud. The feed injection jets are suitable for positioning in an inner location of a large contacting vessel. Uniformity of distribution is obtained by dividing the hydrocarbons streams from an oil header into an individual oil conduit for each spray injection nozzle.

Abstract: An arrangement for the controlled production of an essentially linear array of hydrocarbon feed injection jets maintains stable and reliable jets by passing individual piping for each jet through a support shroud that is located in a contacting vessel. Controlled atomization is provided by independently injecting a uniform quantity of gas medium into each of the plurality of uniformly created feed injection streams upstream of a discharge nozzle that separately discharges each mixed stream of hydrocarbons and gas medium into a stream of catalyst particles at or about the inner end of the support shroud. The feed injection jets are suitable for positioning in an inner location of large contacting vessel. Uniformity of distribution is obtained by dividing the hydrocarbons streams from an oil header into an individual oil conduit for each spray injection nozzle.

Abstract: The use of lift gas for FCC risers is improved by the direct use of reactor vapors as the source of the lift gas. Reactor vapors recovered primarily from the stripping section of an FCC reactor/regenerator section provide an excellent source for lift gas material. These reactor vapors contain high concentrations of light paraffinic materials often with an equal weight percent amount of steam. The recovery of the stripping vapors independent from the product stream allows such gaseous mixtures to be readily processed for use as lift gas. The only processing requirements are the removal of particulate material and the compression of the gas to pressure conditions at the bottom of the riser. Compression of the gas requires a reduction in its temperature to suitable compressor inlet conditions. This invention is readily practiced in the most recent FCC reactor designs that separate the majority of product vapors from the catalyst in a closed riser cyclone arrangement.

Abstract: FCC catalyst is regenerated in a process providing increased coke-burning capacity without additional heat evolution or air consumption. The process uses a two-stage regeneration arrangement providing initial coke combustion in a low catalyst density-high efficiency contact zone followed by substantial separation of catalyst and regeneration gas and complete regeneration of catalyst particles in a dense bed regeneration zone. Catalyst and gas flow cocurrent prior to this separation but flow countercurrent after the separation. An effective control scheme for regulating oxygen addition to the final zone is also disclosed. This process is applicable to FCC operations for conventional and residual feedstocks.

Abstract: An apparatus for the cooling of hot fluidized solid particles such as catalyst of an FCC petroleum refining process includes a conduit in which particles flow downward from a first dense phase fluidized bed into a cooling chamber and contact the shell side of a vertically oriented shell and tube heat exchanger where cooling occurs via indirect heat exchange with a cooling medium circulating in the tubes. The extent of cooling is controlled by the varying of the heat transfer coefficient between the tubes and particles in the heat exchanger. The coefficient is varied by changing the quantity of fluidizing gas fed to the fluidized bed in the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is located within a lower portion of the cooling chamber totally below the particle inlet and outlet conduits. The heat exchanger can therefore be removed from service and protected by being buried under unfluidized relatively cool catalyst. The fluidizing gas supports combustion within a lower combustion zone.