Processes for regenerating ionic liquid catalyst by contacting the ionic liquid catalyst with hydrogen gas in a regeneration reactor. The amount of hydrogen is less than 550 SCF/BBL (97.96 m.sup.3/m.sup.3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst, or less than 500 SCF/BBL (89.05 m.sup.3/m.sup.3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst, or between 550 and 45 SCF/BBL (97.96 and 8.015 m.sup.3/m.sup.3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst, or between 500 and 50 SCF/BBL (89.05 and 8.905 m.sup.3/m.sup.3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst. Alkylation processes are also disclosed.

Processes for regenerating ionic liquid catalyst by contacting the ionic liquid catalyst with hydrogen gas in a regeneration reactor. The amount of hydrogen is less than 550 SCF/BBL (97.96 m.sup.3/m.sup.3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst, or less than 500 SCF/BBL (89.05 m.sup.3/m.sup.3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst, or between 550 and 45 SCF/BBL (97.96 and 8.015 m.sup.3/m.sup.3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst, or between 500 and 50 SCF/BBL (89.05 and 8.905 m.sup.3/m.sup.3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst. Alkylation processes are also disclosed.

A catalyst is regenerated by an inventive process using a heat exchange fluid such as superheated steam to remove heat during the process relying on efficient heat transfer (e.g., enabled by the microchannel reactor construction) in comparison with prior art heat exchange relying on a phase change, e.g. between water and (partial or complete vaporization) steam, allows simplification of the protocols to enable transition at higher temperatures between steps which translates in reduced duration of the regeneration process and avoids potential water hammering risks.

A process is presented for the management of sulfur on a catalyst. The catalyst is a dehydrogenation catalyst, and sulfur accumulates during the dehydrogenation process. Sulfur compounds are stripped from the spent catalyst and the catalyst is cooled before the regeneration process. The process includes controlling the amount of sulfur that needs to be removed from the catalyst before regeneration.

A process is presented for the management of sulfur on a catalyst. The catalyst is a dehydrogenation catalyst, and sulfur accumulates during the dehydrogenation process. Sulfur compounds are stripped from the spent catalyst and the catalyst is cooled before the regeneration process. The process includes controlling the amount of sulfur that needs to be removed from the catalyst before regeneration.

A process for the production of benzene and ethylene from an alkane-containing gas stream. The alkane-containing gas stream may be contacted, in a reaction zone of a reactor under alkane aromatization conditions, with an aromatization catalyst including any combination of fresh, spent, and regenerated catalyst to produce an outlet stream including (i) spent catalyst and (ii) a product mixture including benzene and ethylene. The spent catalyst may be regenerated in a regeneration zone under regeneration conditions to produce the regenerated catalyst. A selected amount of fresh catalyst may be added to the regeneration zone to produce the mixture of fresh catalyst and regenerated catalyst, which may be recycled to the reaction zone. A ratio of benzene to ethylene in the product mixture may be controlled by modifying the alkane aromatization conditions, the regeneration conditions, and/or the selected amount of fresh catalyst added to the regeneration zone.

A process for the production of benzene and ethylene from an alkane-containing gas stream. The alkane-containing gas stream may be contacted, in a reaction zone of a reactor under alkane aromatization conditions, with an aromatization catalyst including any combination of fresh, spent, and regenerated catalyst to produce an outlet stream including (i) spent catalyst and (ii) a product mixture including benzene and ethylene. The spent catalyst may be regenerated in a regeneration zone under regeneration conditions to produce the regenerated catalyst. A selected amount of fresh catalyst may be added to the regeneration zone to produce the mixture of fresh catalyst and regenerated catalyst, which may be recycled to the reaction zone. A ratio of benzene to ethylene in the product mixture may be controlled by modifying the alkane aromatization conditions, the regeneration conditions, and/or the selected amount of fresh catalyst added to the regeneration zone.

A process is presented for the management of sulfur on a catalyst. The catalyst is a dehydrogenation catalyst, and sulfur accumulates during the dehydrogenation process. Sulfur compounds are stripped from the spent catalyst and the catalyst is cooled before the regeneration process. The process includes controlling the amount of sulfur that needs to be removed from the catalyst before regeneration.

A process is presented for the management of sulfur on a catalyst. The catalyst is a dehydrogenation catalyst, and sulfur accumulates during the dehydrogenation process. Sulfur compounds are stripped from the spent catalyst and the catalyst is cooled before the regeneration process. The process includes controlling the amount of sulfur that needs to be removed from the catalyst before regeneration.

A process is presented for the treatment of spent catalyst to manage sulfur-containing compounds on the catalyst. The catalyst may be a dehydrogenation catalyst, where sulfur accumulates during a dehydrogenation process. Sulfur compounds are stripped from the spent catalyst and the catalyst may be cooled before a regeneration step. The process includes controlling removal of sulfur compounds from the spent catalyst before regeneration.