A method for removing contaminants from an process stream that includes the use of reticulated material to filter the process stream. The reticulated material also facilitate process stream flow distribution in process units. The reticulated material can be packed with a void space between a substantial number of the reticulated material that can be varied to enhance filtration and flow distribution. The method of filtering also provides a method of removing contaminants leaving process equipment. The methods can be used on a variety of process streams and process equipment. The reticulated material can include ceramics, metallic materials, and chemical vapor deposition elements. The reticulated material can be of various shapes and sizes, and can also be catalytically active.

A process for dehydrogenating a paraffinic feedstock, producing olefins and/or dienes. The process includes feeding a paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstock comprising one or more C2+ paraffinic hydrocarbons and a fuel gas stream to a dehydrogenation reactor preheater, combusting the fuel gas stream in the dehydrogenation reactor preheater and heating the paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstock to a temperature in the range of 500-650? C., producing a heated paraffinic feedstock, feeding the heated paraffinic feedstock to a first dehydrogenation reactor operating in a reaction mode and containing an active dehydrogenation catalyst and at least one first electrical heating element, heating the heated paraffinic feedstock in the first dehydrogenation reactor using the at least one first electrical heating element, and contacting the heated paraffinic feedstock with the active dehydrogenation catalyst and the at least one electrical heating element thereby producing an olefinic product stream comprising one or more olefins.

Device for mixing and distributing fluids for a downflow catalytic reactor, comprising: a collecting zone (A) comprising a collecting means (5); a substantially vertical collecting pipe and at least one injection means (8) opening into said collecting pipe; a mixing zone (B) comprising a fluid mixing chamber (15) of length L1, said mixing zone (15) comprising a first end in communication with said collecting pipe and a second end in communication with a fluid exchange chamber (16) of length L2, situated beneath said mixing chamber (15), the length L2 of said exchange chamber (16) being strictly greater than the length L1 of said mixing chamber (15); a distribution zone (C), situated beneath the mixing zone (B), comprising a distribution plate (12) that carries a plurality of chimneys (13), and a plurality of horizontal panels (33), situated above or on the chimneys (13).

Methods of transforming a hydrocarbon feedstream into an aromatization product in a multi-stage reverse flow reactor (RFR) apparatus are disclosed. The methods include at least two reaction stages in series, at least one being a pyrolysis stage and at least another being a catalytic aromatization stage. Using a highly saturated hydrocarbon feedstream the pyrolysis stage focuses on desaturation, while the catalytic aromatization stage focuses on aromatization. The catalytic aromatization stage contains a aromatization catalyst that can include substantially no magnesium, scandium, yttrium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, cobalt, rhodium, nickel, palladium, platinum, copper, silver, gold, gallium, indium, tin, lanthanides, or actinides, or, in some cases, substantially no added active metals at all. The aromatization product can contain at least 35 mol % aromatic hydrocarbons, based on a total amount of hydrogen and hydrocarbons in the aromatized hydrocarbon product.

A method for removing contaminants from an process stream that includes the use of reticulated material to filter the process stream. The reticulated material also facilitate process stream flow distribution in process units. The reticulated material can be packed with a void space between a substantial number of the reticulated material that can be varied to enhance filtration and flow distribution. The method of filtering also provides a method of removing contaminants leaving process equipment. The methods can be used on a variety of process streams and process equipment. The reticulated material can include ceramics, metallic materials, and chemical vapor deposition elements. The reticulated material can be of various shapes and sizes, and can also be catalytically active.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for gas-liquid distribution. More specifically, the present invention relates to a gas-liquid distribution device that may be used in an ionic liquid co-current gas and liquid up-flow reactor designed to distribute gas uniformly across the reactor cross section through restriction orifices on distributors located across the distribution tray.

A stacked zone vertical tubular reactor for conducting an exothermic reaction. The reactor may comprise two or more stacked catalyst zones in each reactor tube. Each reactor tube may contain internal feed and discharge tubes, transition zones comprising a catalyst support plate and a zone separator plate, and a heat transfer element located in each catalyst zone.

A method for facilitating the distribution of the flow of one or more streams within a bed vessel is provided. Disposed within the bed vessel are internal materials and structures including multiple operating zones. One type of operating zone can be a processing zone composed of one or more beds of solid processing material. Another type of operating zone can be a treating zone. Treating zones can facilitate the distribution of the one or more streams fed to processing zones. The distribution can facilitate contact between the feed streams and the processing materials contained in the processing zones.

A method for facilitating the distribution of the flow of one or more streams within a bed vessel is provided. Disposed within the bed vessel are internal materials and structures including multiple operating zones. One type of operating zone can be a processing zone composed of one or more beds of solid processing material. Another type of operating zone can be a treating zone. Treating zones can facilitate the distribution of the one or more streams fed to processing zones. The distribution can facilitate contact between the feed streams and the processing materials contained in the processing zones.

A hydrotreating reactor including a vessel comprising an upper zone, and intermediate zone and a lower zone. The upper zone comprises at least one upper catalyst bed. The intermediate zone comprises a vapor/liquid separation zone, wherein gas separated within the vapor/liquid separation zone is directed to a high pressure knockout drum and the liquid separated within the vapor/liquid separation zone is directed to a stripping section and then the lower zone. The lower zone comprises at least one lower catalyst bed. Preferably, the stripping section is configured and arranged for removing hydrogen sulfide and ammonia from the gas.