A multi-functional composite catalyst includes a catalyst support material, a preformed catalyst material at least partially secured in the catalyst support, and at least one catalytically active compound supported by the catalyst support, the preformed catalyst material, or both. The catalyst support material may include fumed silica, alumina, fumed alumina, fumed titania, or combinations of these. A catalytic activity of the catalytically active compound may be different than a catalytic activity of the preformed catalyst material. The composite catalyst may be catalyst for producing propene from 2-butene and may include a zeolite as the preformed catalyst material and a metal oxide, such as tungsten oxide, as the catalytically active material. A method of making the composite catalyst may include aerosolizing a catalyst precursor mixture that includes a preformed catalyst material, catalyst support precursor, and catalytically active compound precursor, and drying the aerosolized catalyst precursor mixture.

A process for producing olefins from the hydrocarbon feed includes introducing the hydrocarbon feed into a Solvent Deasphalting Unit (SDA) to remove asphaltene from the hydrocarbon feed producing a deasphalted oil stream, wherein the SDA comprises a solvent that reacts with the hydrocarbon feed, and the deasphalted oil stream comprises from 0.01 weight percent (wt. %) to 18 wt. % asphaltenes; introducing the deasphalted oil stream into a steam catalytic cracking system; steam catalytically cracking the deasphalted oil stream in the steam catalytic cracking system in the presence of steam and a nano zeolite cracking catalyst to produce a steam catalytic cracking effluent; and separating the olefins from the steam catalytic cracking effluent.

A process for producing olefins from the hydrocarbon feed includes introducing the hydrocarbon feed into a Solvent Deasphalting Unit (SDA) to remove asphaltene from the hydrocarbon feed producing a deasphalted oil stream, wherein the SDA comprises a solvent that reacts with the hydrocarbon feed, and the deasphalted oil stream comprises from 0.01 weight percent (wt. %) to 18 wt. % asphaltenes; introducing the deasphalted oil stream into a steam catalytic cracking system; steam catalytically cracking the deasphalted oil stream in the steam catalytic cracking system in the presence of steam and a nano zeolite cracking catalyst to produce a steam catalytic cracking effluent; and separating the olefins from the steam catalytic cracking effluent.

A steam-assisted catalytic cracking process for a hydrocarbon feed is provided. The process includes: introducing the hydrocarbon feed, a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst, and steam to a FCC reactor with a mass ratio of steam to hydrocarbon feed between 0.05 and 1.0; cracking the hydrocarbon feed in the presence of the FCC catalyst and steam to produce a cracked hydrocarbon feed and spent FCC catalyst, the spent FCC catalyst comprising coke deposits and hydrocarbon deposits; stripping the hydrocarbon deposits from the spent FCC catalyst with steam in a stripper to obtain a hydrocarbon-stripped spent FCC catalyst; regenerating the hydrocarbon-stripped spent FCC catalyst in a regenerator by subjecting the stripped spent FCC catalyst to heat in the presence of oxygen to combust the coke deposits on the stripped spent FCC catalyst and produce a regenerated FCC catalyst; recycling the regenerated FCC catalyst.

A plastic catalytic pyrolysis process that can produce high yields of ethylene, propylene and other light olefins from waste plastics is disclosed. The plastic feed is catalytically pyrolyzed at high silica-to-alumina ratios and elevated temperature to produce high ratios of gas to liquid which results in high light olefin monomer selectivity. The catalytic pyrolysis process can be operated in a single stage or a two-stage process.

An integrated process for conversion of a hydrocarbon stream comprising light naphtha to enhanced value products. The process includes passing the hydrocarbon stream through a first reactor, the first reactor being a catalytic bed reactor with a dual-function catalyst to simultaneously reform light naphtha to BTEX and crack light naphtha to ethane, propane, and butanes. Further, the process includes passing an effluent of the first reactor to a gas-liquid separating unit to generate a liquid stream and a gas stream, and passing the gas stream to a gas separator unit to remove hydrogen gas and methane and generate an enhanced gas stream. The process further includes passing the enhanced gas stream through a second reactor, the second reactor being a pyrolysis unit operated at steam cracking conditions to convert ethane, propane, and butanes in the enhanced gas stream to light. An associated system for performing the process is also provided wherein the integrated process does not include passage of a process stream to a separate and independent hydrocracking unit to crack light alkanes in the hydrocarbon stream to smaller alkanes.

A process for dehydrating methanol to dimethyl ether product in the presence of a catalyst and a promoter, wherein the catalyst is at least one aluminosilicate zeolite, wherein:—the aluminosilicate zeolite is selected from: (i) a zeolite having a 2-dimensional framework structure comprising at least one channel having a 10-membered ring, and having a maximum free sphere diameter of at least 4.8 Angstroms; (ii) a zeolite having a 3-dimensional framework structure comprising at least one channel having a 10-membered ring; or (iii) a zeolite comprising at least one channel having a 12-membered ring;—the promoter is selected from one or more compounds of Formula I: (I) wherein Y is selected from a C.sub.1-C.sub.4 hydrocarbyl substituent, and wherein each of X and any or all of the Z's may independently be selected from hydrogen, halide, a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl substituent, or a compound of the formula —CHO, —CO.sub.2R, —COR, or —OR, where R is hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl substituent, and wherein the molar ratio of promoter to methanol is maintained at less than 1.

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The invention comprises methods of robotically separating unwanted heteroatom-containing materials from a plastic mixture and catalytically pyrolyzing the resulting mixed plastics to obtain olefins and aromatics. Systems and compositions useful in the catalytic pyrolysis of plastics are also described.

The present invention is a method for removing sulfur from liquid hydrocarbon feedstocks and for performing hydrogenation reactions in sulfur-contaminated feedstocks, including the hydrogenation of naphthalene in the presence of sulfur compounds, using catalysts or adsorbents comprising metal oxide nanowires decorated with reduced catalytically-active metal particles. In a preferred embodiment, the adsorbent comprises zinc oxide nanowires decorated with catalytically-active metals selected from nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, copper, oxides thereof, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the sulfur is removed through a desulfurization process without an external hydrogen supply. The process is effective for the removal of sulfur from diesel fuels and liquid fuel streams, and for deep desulfurization of natural gas streams. The process is also effective for the selective hydrogenation of naphthalene to tetralin in the presence of sulfur compounds.

A method for preparing biochar, including steps as follows: dosing: putting pre-crushed biomass into a reactor; charring conversion: heating the reactor to a certain temperature and pressure, and putting an active group-containing active agent containing 1% to 5% by mass of biomass and a catalyst containing 1% to 10% by mass of biomass (or putting the catalyst first and then putting the active agent) into the reactor to perform solid solution charring on the biomass; and cooling: after the charring conversion is completed, cooling the reactor to 40° C. or lower to obtain the biochar. Feedstocks are abundant and cheap, farmland biomass waste is reused, and the active group-containing active agent is added in biomass charring, which can effectively inhibit side reactions and coordinate with the catalyst to perform solid solution charring on the biomass, thereby improving a biochar conversion rate and making the charring process clean and environmentally friendly.