A bi-modal radial flow reactor comprising a cylindrical outer housing surrounding at least five cylindrical, concentric zones, including at least three annulus vapor zones and at least two catalyst zones. The at least two catalyst zones comprise an outer catalyst zone and an inner catalyst zone. The at least three annulus vapor zones comprise an outer annulus vapor zone, a middle annulus vapor zone, and a central annulus vapor zone, wherein the central annulus vapor zone extends along a centerline of the bi-modal radial flow reactor. The outer catalyst zone is intercalated with the outer annulus vapor zone and the middle annulus vapor zone, and the inner catalyst zone is intercalated with the middle annulus vapor zone and the central annulus vapor zone. A removable head cover can be fixably coupled to a top of the cylindrical outer housing to seal a top of the bi-modal radial flow reactor.

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, and the promoter is selected from one or more compounds of Formula I: (I) wherein each of X and any or all of the Y'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.

##STR00001##

Olefins may be produced from C.sub.4-C.sub.6 saturated hydrocarbons by systems and methods comprising passing a feed comprising C.sub.4-C.sub.6 saturated hydrocarbons and hydrogen into a dehydrogenation unit to produce a dehydrogenation effluent, passing at least a portion of the dehydrogenation effluent into a hydrogenation unit to produce a hydrogenation effluent, and passing at least a portion of the hydrogenation effluent into a cracking unit to produce a cracking effluent comprising olefins. The dehydrogenation unit includes a dehydrogenation catalyst, the hydrogenation unit includes a hydrogenation catalyst, and the cracking unit includes a cracking catalyst.

A catalyst for dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons includes a support including zirconium oxide and Linde type L zeolite (L-zeolite). A concentration of the zirconium oxide in the catalyst is in a range of from 0.1 weight percent (wt. %) to 20 wt. %. The catalyst includes from 5 wt. % to 15 wt. % of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal. The catalyst includes from 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. % of tin. The catalyst includes from 0.1 wt. % to 8 wt. % of a platinum group metal. The alkali metal or alkaline earth metal, tin, and platinum group metal are disposed on the support.

A process of making an aromatization catalyst comprising: (a) mixing a zeolite, a binder, and water to form a mixture; (b) extruding the mixture to form a green extrudate; (c) drying the green extrudate to form a dried green extrudate; (d) calcining the dried green extrudate to form a support, wherein calcining the dried green extrudate is the only calcination step in the process; (e) washing the support to form a washed support; (f) drying the washed support to form a dried washed support; (g) impregnating the dried washed support with a Group 8-10 transition metal compound and at least one halide-containing compound to form a metalized-halided material; and (h) vacuum drying the metalized-halided material to form a dried metalized-halided material which is the aromatization catalyst.

A process of making an aromatization catalyst comprising: (a) mixing a zeolite, a binder, and water to form a mixture; (b) extruding the mixture to form a green extrudate; (c) drying the green extrudate to form a dried green extrudate; (d) calcining the dried green extrudate to form a support, wherein calcining the dried green extrudate is the only calcination step in the process; (e) washing the support to form a washed support; (f) drying the washed support to form a dried washed support; (g) impregnating the dried washed support with a Group 8-10 transition metal compound and at least one halide-containing compound to form a metalized-halided material; and (h) vacuum drying the metalized-halided material to form a dried metalized-halided material which is the aromatization catalyst.

A catalyst for dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons includes a support including zirconium oxide and Linde type L zeolite (L-zeolite). A concentration of the zirconium oxide in the catalyst is in a range of from 0.1 weight percent (wt. %) to 20 wt. %. The catalyst includes from 5 wt. % to 15 wt. % of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal. The catalyst includes from 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. % of tin. The catalyst includes from 0.1 wt. % to 8 wt. % of a platinum group metal. The alkali metal or alkaline earth metal, tin, and platinum group metal are disposed on the support.

An improved cluster-supporting catalyst has heteroatom-removed zeolite particles, and catalyst metal clusters supported within the pores of the heteroatom-removed zeolite particles. A method for producing a cluster-supporting catalyst includes the following steps: providing a dispersion liquid containing a dispersion medium and the heteroatom-removed zeolite particles dispersed in the dispersion medium; and in the dispersion liquid, forming catalyst metal clusters having a positive charge, and supporting the catalyst metal clusters within the pores of the heteroatom-removed zeolite particles through an electrostatic interaction.

An improved cluster-supporting catalyst has heteroatom-removed zeolite particles, and catalyst metal clusters supported within the pores of the heteroatom-removed zeolite particles. A method for producing a cluster-supporting catalyst includes the following steps: providing a dispersion liquid containing a dispersion medium and the heteroatom-removed zeolite particles dispersed in the dispersion medium; and in the dispersion liquid, forming catalyst metal clusters having a positive charge, and supporting the catalyst metal clusters within the pores of the heteroatom-removed zeolite particles through an electrostatic interaction.

The present invention pertains to improved processes and catalysts for aromatization. The processes generally contacting a feed stream comprising a naphtha fraction having a C.sub.6 to C.sub.8 content with a catalyst pellet composition to form aromatic hydrocarbons. The catalyst pellet composition generally comprises a plurality of cylindrical pellets each pellet comprising a Group VIII metal on a zeolite. The pellets may have (a) a plurality of holes passing through the length of the cylindrical pellets, (b) a dome-shaped top and bottom, and (c) a plurality of semi-circular grooves along the length of the exterior of the cylinder.