Apparatus and processes herein provide for converting hydrocarbon feeds to light olefins and other hydrocarbons. The processes and apparatus include, in some embodiments, feeding a hydrocarbon, a first catalyst and a second catalyst to a reactor, wherein the first catalyst has a smaller average particle size and is less dense than the second catalyst. A first portion of the second catalyst may be recovered as a bottoms product from the reactor, and a cracked hydrocarbon effluent, a second portion of the second catalyst, and the first catalyst may be recovered as an overhead product from the reactor. The second portion of the second catalyst may be separated from the overhead product, providing a first stream comprising the first catalyst and the hydrocarbon effluent and a second stream comprising the separated second catalyst, allowing return of the separated second catalyst in the second stream to the reactor.

Apparatus and processes herein provide for converting hydrocarbon feeds to light olefins and other hydrocarbons. The processes and apparatus include, in some embodiments, feeding a hydrocarbon, a first catalyst and a second catalyst to a reactor, wherein the first catalyst has a smaller average particle size and is less dense than the second catalyst. A first portion of the second catalyst may be recovered as a bottoms product from the reactor, and a cracked hydrocarbon effluent, a second portion of the second catalyst, and the first catalyst may be recovered as an overhead product from the reactor. The second portion of the second catalyst may be separated from the overhead product, providing a first stream comprising the first catalyst and the hydrocarbon effluent and a second stream comprising the separated second catalyst, allowing return of the separated second catalyst in the second stream to the reactor.

Systems for separating a contaminant trapping additive from a cracking catalyst may include a contaminant removal vessel having one or more fluid connections for receiving contaminated cracking catalyst, contaminated contaminant trapping additive, fresh contaminant trapping additive, and a fluidizing gas. In the contaminant removal vessel, the spent catalyst may be contacted with contaminant trapping additive, which may have an average particle size and/or density greater than the cracking catalyst. A separator may be provided for separating an overhead stream from the contaminant removal vessel into a first stream comprising cracking catalyst and lifting gas and a second stream comprising contaminant trapping additive. A recycle line may be used for transferring contaminant trapping additive recovered in the second separator to the contaminant removal vessel, allowing contaminant trapping additive to accumulate in the contaminant removal vessel. A bottoms product line may provide for recovering contaminant trapping additive from the contaminant removal vessel.

The specification discloses a highly macroporous catalyst for hydroprocessing and hydroconversion of heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks. The high macroporosity catalyst incudes an inorganic oxide, molybdenum, and nickel components. It has a pore structure such that at least 18% of its total pore volume is in pores of a diameter greater than 5,000 angstroms and at least 25% of its total pore volume is in pores of a diameter greater than 1,000 angstroms. Preferably, the pore structure is bimodal. The catalyst is made by co-mulling the catalytic components with a high molecular weight polyacrylamide followed by forming the co-mulled mixture into a particle or an extrudate. The particle or extrudate is dried and calcined under controlled calcination temperature conditions to yield a calcined particle or extrudate of the high macroporosity catalyst composition.

Apparatus and processes herein provide for converting hydrocarbon feeds to light olefins and other hydrocarbons. The processes and apparatus include, in some embodiments, feeding a hydrocarbon, a first catalyst and a second catalyst to a reactor, wherein the first catalyst has a smaller average particle size and is less dense than the second catalyst. A first portion of the second catalyst may be recovered as a bottoms product from the reactor, and a cracked hydrocarbon effluent, a second portion of the second catalyst, and the first catalyst may be recovered as an overhead product from the reactor. The second portion of the second catalyst may be separated from the overhead product, providing a first stream comprising the first catalyst and the hydrocarbon effluent and a second stream comprising the separated second catalyst, allowing return of the separated second catalyst in the second stream to the reactor.

A lift engager for providing a stream of fluidized catalyst particles with an adjustable conduit and process using the lift engager. The lift engager includes a vessel with an inlet configured to receive catalyst from a reaction zone. A first conduit, within the vessel, is configured to supply lift gas into the lift engager. The first conduit includes a fixed member and a movable member secured to the fixed member and is configured to adjust a length of the first conduit within the vessel. A second conduit inside the first conduit and configured to provide fluidized catalyst to a regeneration zone.

A catalytic cracking system having a spray nozzle assembly adapted for more economical manufacture and efficient performance. The spray nozzle assembly includes an elongated pipe formed nozzle body formed of one or more lengths of cylindrical pipes which define a mixing zone and an elongated barrel extension zone that extends through a wall of the riser of the catalytic cracking system. The spray nozzle assembly includes an elongated liquid deflection member supported by the pipe formed nozzle body within the mixing zone which defines an impingement surface against which pressurized liquid hydrocarbon directed through a liquid hydrocarbon inlet impinges and is transversely directed from the impingement surface into the mixing zone for atomization and direction through the barrel extension zone by a stream of pressurized steam.

A process and apparatus for catalytically cracking fresh heavy hydrocarbon feed to produce cracked products is disclosed. A fraction of the cracked products can be obtained to re-crack it in a downer reactor. The downer reactor may produce high selectivity to light olefins. Spent catalyst from both reactors can be regenerated in the same regenerator.

A plastic catalytic pyrolysis process that can produce high yields of ethylene, propylene and other light olefins from waste plastics is disclosed. The catalytic product stream is quenched to below catalytic pyrolysis temperature quickly after exiting the reactor or bulk separation from the catalyst. Quench preserves selectivity of light olefinic monomers. The catalytic pyrolysis process can be operated in a single stage or a two-stage process.

Systems and methods for producing light olefins wherein a feed stream comprising naphtha is flowed into a reaction unit comprising a fast fluidized bed reactor coupled to and in fluid communication with a riser reactor. The fast fluidized bed reactor comprises baffles therein to minimize backmixing therein to maximize the production of light olefins. The effluent from the fast fluidized bed reactor is further flowed to the riser reactor. The lift gas, which can comprise nitrogen, methane, flue gas, or combinations thereof, is injected in the reaction united via a sparger. Effluent of the riser reactor is separated in a product separation unit to produce a product stream comprising light olefins and spent catalyst. Spent catalyst is further stripped by a stripping gas comprising methane, nitrogen, flue gas, or combinations thereof. Stripped spent catalyst is regenerated to produce regenerated catalyst, which is subsequently flowed to the fast fluidized bed reactor.