Abstract: Methods for the fluidized catalytic cracking of plural hydrocarbon feedstocks in a riser reactor are disclosed. The processes generally comprises contacting a relatively light hydrocarbon feedstock in a first reaction zone with a first catalyst stream comprising spent catalyst, contacting a relatively heavy hydrocarbon feedstock in a second reaction zone with a second catalyst stream comprising freshly regenerated catalyst, and introducing at least a portion of the effluent from the first reaction zone into the second reaction zone. The first reaction zone and the second reaction zone preferably comprise first and second riser reaction zones, respectively.

Abstract: The invention comprises the discovery has been made that the reactivation of spent medium pore, shape selective metallosilicate catalyst particles can be enhanced by carrying out the removal of deactivating coke and carbonaceous deposits on the surface and within the pores of the catalyst using hydrogen in a two stage process. The first stage consists of reactivation with hydrogen at elevated temperature and relatively high pressure to crack, strip and remove the more volatile deactivating coke and carbonaceous components on the catalyst surface. The second stage of the reactivation process is carried out at low pressure and elevated temperature, leading to the stripping of the deactivating carbonaceous residue of low volatility on the catalyst surface and pores. The effect of the two stage regeneration process is to improve the removal of coke and carbonaceous materials from the catalyst surface, pores and voids providing a more effective reactivated catalyst.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are disclosed for achieving turbulent or fast fluidized bed regeneration of spent FCC catalyst in a bubbling bed regenerator having a stripper mounted over the regenerator and a stripped catalyst standpipe within the regenerator. A closed coke combustor vessel is added alongside an existing regenerator vessel, and spent catalyst is discharged into a transfer pot beneath the existing dense bed, then into the coke combustor. Catalyst is regenerated in a turbulent or fast fluidized bed, and discharged into the dilute phase region above the existing bubbling dense bed. The discharge line preferably encompasses, and is in a heat exchange relationship with, the spent catalyst standpipe. Discharged catalyst is collected in the bubbling dense bed surrounding the coke combustor, and may be given an additional stage of regeneration. Catalyst may be recycled from the dense bed to the transfer pot.

Abstract: A process for synthesizing di-isopropyl ether (DIPE) by etherification of isopropanol. A multi-stage process can employ propene in mixture with other feedstock materials, such as propane from refinery gas, in a primary hydration stage to produce isopropanol. The isopropanol is enriched between stages to remove water. In the second reaction stage the isopropanol is converted catalytically with large pore acidic zeolite to yield DIPE, which can be separated to recover pure propene.

Abstract: Improved process techniques and equipment for reacting crude aqueous ethanol feedstock with iso-olefinic hydrocarbons to produce C.sub.6.sup.+ ethyl t-alkyl ethers, which comprises: distilling the aqueous ethanol feedstock; contacting ethanol rich distillate overhead containing a minor amount of water with a liquid hydrocarbon extractant rich in C.sub.4.sup.+ isoalkene under liquid extraction conditions; recovering an aqueous phase containing water introduced from the overhead; recovering an organic extract phase comprising the hydrocarbon extractant and a major amount of ethanol introduced in the feedstock; and reacting the extracted ethanol and C.sub.4.sup.+ isoalkene in contact with an acid etherification catalyst under catalytic reaction conditions to produce ether product.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for fluidized bed catalyst regeneration. The regenerator contains a base fluidized bed, a bubbling dense bed above the base fluidized bed, and a dilute phase region above the bubbling dense bed. The bubbling dense bed has a larger cross sectional area than the base bed. Most, preferably all, the regeneration gas is added to the base fluidized bed. Higher superficial vapor velocities in the base fluidized bed, with conventional vapor velocities in the bubbling dense bed, allow more efficient regeneration in the base bed, without excessive catalyst entrainment into the dilute phase. Regenerated catalyst may be recycled from the bubbling dense bed or the dilute phase to the base fluidized bed, preferably via a cyclone dipleg.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for achieving turbulent or fast fluidized bed regeneration of spent FCC catalyst in a bubbling bed regenerator having a stripper mounted over the regenerator and a stripped catalyst standpipe within the regenerator. A coke combustor vessel, which may be partially or totally open to the dilute phase above the bubbling bed, is added to the existing regenerator vessel. Spent catalyst is discharged into the coke combustor, regenerated in a turbulent or fast fluidized bed, then discharged into the dilute phase region above the bubbling bed, either via a deflector or by simply overflowing the combustor. Regeneration of catalyst is completed in the bubbling dense bed, and/or an annular fast fluidized bed surrounding the coke combustor. Catalyst may be recycled from the dense bed to the coke combustor either by a flow line, or by adjusting relative heights of bubbling to fast fluidized bed.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the production of tertiary alkyl ethers wherein linear olefins, particularly n-butene, are isomerized in the vapor phase at high temperature in contact with shape selective metallosilicate catalyst to produce iso-olefin vapor, particularly isobutene. The vaporous iso-butene is then etherified with alkanol to provide alkyl tert-alkyl ether such as MTBE. Unreacted iso-olefin and/or linear olefin and product ether are separated by fractionation and unreacted olefin components recycled. Fractionation of the vapor phase etherification product is carried out by using the fresh liquid linear olefin feedstream as a reflux stream to the fractionator.

Abstract: Methanol or other alcohol is converted to high octane gasoline components in an integrated apparatus wherein crude aqueous alcohol feedstock is extracted with a liquid extractant stream containing C.sub.4 + iso-olefin and reacted to form tertiary-alkyl ethers, such as MTBE. The aqueous raffinate is converted to olefinic hydrocarbons in a MTO catalytic reactor. Propene from the MTO reaction is reacted with water to produce di-isopropyl ether, which may be blended with MTBE and C.sub.6 +MTO hydrocarbons to produce high octane gasoline. Isobutylene and isoamylenes from the MTO reaction can be recovered and recycled as a liquid extractant stream.

Abstract: A fluidized catalytic cracking process and apparatus operates with a two stage hot stripper between the reactor and catalyst regenerator. Addition of hot, regenerated catalyst to spent catalyst from the reactor heats the spent catalyst in the first stripping stage, which preferably uses steam stripping gas. The second stage of stripping occurs about a heat removal stab-in heat exchanger tube bundle, which removes heat from the catalyst during the second stage of stripping. Steam or flue gas may be used in the second stripping stage to fluidize catalyst, improve heat transfer and simultaneously strip the catalyst.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for regeneration of coked catalyst used in the fluidized cracking of heavy oils is disclosed. A high efficiency catalyst regenerator, with a fast fluidized bed coke combustor, dilute phase transport riser, and second fluidized bed is used but modified so that at least some coked catalyst is added directly to the second fluidized bed. The coked catalyst can be heated by direct contact heat exchange in the second fluidized bed and then charged to the coke combustor, or the coked catalyst can be regenerated in the second fluidized bed, or some combination of both. Adding catalyst to the second fluidized bed increases the coke burning capacity of these regenerators, and/or permits a drier regeneration.

Abstract: In the instant invention the effluent from the DIPE reactor is separated in a novel separation process that includes, in one embodiment, two extraction steps serially combined to initially separate IPA from the reaction products by extraction with water. The aqueous IPA extract is separated in a second extraction step carried out using the C.sub.3 hydrocarbon feedstream to the process as extractor. To effectuate the separation of aqueous IPA, the second extraction is carried out at a temperature higher than that of the first extraction step. The organic phase from the first extraction containing DIPE, C.sub.3 hydrocarbons and water is separated in a splitter to provide dry DIPE as product. In another embodiment dry DIPE is produced by an initial aqueous extraction of the reaction effluent followed by distillation to separate C.sub.3 hydrocarbons and water overhead and DIPE as a bottom stream.

Abstract: A two-stage process and apparatus for the regeneration of fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst is disclosed. A primary regenerator, a single dense bed with a spent catalyst inlet, a source of oxygen-containing gas, a flue gas outlet and a regenerated catalyst outlet, is supplemented with a secondary regenerator. The secondary regenerator has its own source of air for combustion and takes particles from a lower portion of the dense bed in the primary regenerator. Combustion gases, and some solids, are discharged from the secondary regenerator into the primary regenerator. Hot, decoked material is withdrawn from the base of the secondary regenerator for use in the catalytic cracking reaction. Preferably, a dense, fast settling additive is used with a conventionally sized FCC catalyst. These two materials can be added together to the primary regenerator and separated by elutriation therein into two catalyst phases.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for decreasing the energy consumption of a catalytic cracking process product recovery section while improving gasoline yield by integrating multistage vapor compression and product recovery with deacidification and conversion of C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 aliphatics to C.sub.5 + normally liquid hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Isopentene, or isoamylene, conversion to methyl tert-amyl ether can be substantially improved while high conversion of isobutylene to methyl tert-butyl ether can be maintained by carrying out the overall etherification process with alkanol in a staged manner, wherein the first stage is methanol etherification of a C.sub.5 +, or C.sub.5, hydrocarbon feedstream rich in isoamylene and the second stage is etherification to produce MTBE and additional TAME from a C.sub.4 +, or C.sub.4, feedstream. Unreacted methanol and hydrocarbons from the first etherification are uniquely separated by fractionation from the TAME product by using the second stage C.sub.4 + feedstream as a reflux stream to the fractionator and passed to the second etherification zone. Products from the second etherification zone are separated by distillation to produce MTBE, TAME and C.sub.5 +, or C.sub.5, hydrocarbons as a bottom stream.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the production of high octane alkyl tertiary alkyl ether rich gasoline and gasoline rich in alkylated aromatics. It is disclosed that unreacted C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 hydrocarbon fraction of etherification feedstock plus unreacted alkanol can be separated and employed as alkylating agents in combination with a feedstream containing light aromatics when the alkylation reaction is carried out under conditions of high severity in contact with a high activity shape selective metallosilicate catalyst such as ZSM-5. Under high severity conditions olefin-assisted paraffin conversion also occurs as well as cracking, redistribution and alkylation. Aromatic rich gasoline is a suitable feedstream to the high severity conversion zone to produce a gasoline rich in alkylated aromatics.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of and apparatus for reducing the level of extremely small catalyst particles ("fines") in an FCC system by temporarily retaining particles separated from the secondary cyclone separator in either a reactor vessel or catalyst regenerator. These particles can be withdrawn from the temporary retaining area, which takes them out of the active catalyst inventory within the reactor/regenerator system. The withdrawing of catalyst "fines" reduces the particulate contamination both in flue gas exhausted to the atmosphere from the catalyst regenerator and in the main column bottom (MCB) products from the fractionation stage. Preferred embodiments includes withdrawal of "fines" from either the regenerator or the reactor vessels and the secondary cyclones contained in each of these vessels.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for integrating etherification to produce diisopropyl ether (DIPE) with processes to convert oxygenates and hydrocarbons to gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons in a manner which eliminates the requirement to recycle unreacted C.sub.3 hydrocarbons to the DIPE etherification zone. In the novel integrated process the unreacted C.sub.3 hydrocarbons are separated as vapor and passed to a conversion zone in contact with acidic metallosilicate catalyst. Depending on the conversion conditions the unreacted C.sub.3 hydrocarbons are converted to gasoline, distillate and/or aromatics, preferably in conjunction with additional feedstock containing lower oxygenates, olefins or paraffins. Also, isopropanol (IPA) and minor by-product dimers and trimers of propene from the DIPE reaction are separated and passed as a feedstream to the oxygenates and hydrocarbon conversion zone.

Abstract: An improved process for upgrading paraffinic naphtha to high octane fuel by contacting a naphtha feedstock, such as virgin naphtha feedstock stream containing predominantly C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 alkanes and naphthenes, with solid medium pore acid zeolite cracking catalyst under low pressure selective cracking conditions effective to produce at least 10 wt % selectivity C.sub.4 -C.sub.5 isoalkene. Cracking effluent is separated to obtain a light olefinic fraction rich in C.sub.4 -C.sub.5 isoalkene and a C.sub.6 + liquid fraction of enhanced octane value containing less than 50 wt % aromatic hydrocarbons. In a multistage operation enhanced octane products are obtained by etherifying the isoalkene fraction and by contacting the C.sub.6 + normally liquid fraction with reforming catalyst under moderate reforming conditions at elevated temperature to obtain a reformate product of enhanced octane value.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for upgrading paraffinic naphtha to high octane fuel by contacting a fresh virgin naphtha feedstock stream medium pore acid cracking catalyst comprising MCM-22 zeolite under low pressure selective cracking conditions effective to produce increased yield of total C4-C5 branched aliphatic hydrocarbhons. The preferred feedstock is straight run naptha containing C7+ alkanes, at least 15 wt % C7+ cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons and less than 20% aromatics, which can be converted with a fluidized bed catalyst in a vertical riser reactor during a short contact period.The isoalkene products of cracking are etherified to provide high octane fuel components.