A reactor system including a riser operatively connected to a bottom portion of a reactor, the riser being configured to receive a first spent catalyst stream comprising catalyst particles and solid carbon flowing downwards from a reaction zone in a top portion of the reactor and to combust the first spent catalyst stream to produce a mixture of a heated catalyst solid stream and a heated gas effluent, and a separator operatively connected to the top portion of the reactor and a top portion of the riser, the separator being configured to separate the heated catalyst solid stream from the heated gas effluent, wherein the heated catalyst solid stream flows downwards to the reaction zone at a temperature sufficient to crack a light hydrocarbon feed stream in the presence of fresh catalyst to produce a product effluent including hydrogen and a second spent catalyst stream.

A reactor system including a riser operatively connected to a bottom portion of a reactor, the riser being configured to receive a first spent catalyst stream comprising catalyst particles and solid carbon flowing downwards from a reaction zone in a top portion of the reactor and to combust the first spent catalyst stream to produce a mixture of a heated catalyst solid stream and a heated gas effluent, and a separator operatively connected to the top portion of the reactor and a top portion of the riser, the separator being configured to separate the heated catalyst solid stream from the heated gas effluent, wherein the heated catalyst solid stream flows downwards to the reaction zone at a temperature sufficient to crack a light hydrocarbon feed stream in the presence of fresh catalyst to produce a product effluent including hydrogen and a second spent catalyst stream.

The present invention provides a catalytic cracking reactor comprising a conduit, configured to allow the passage of a flow of catalyst particles, and an injection zone comprising a ring of feed injectors extending inwardly from the wall of reactor and angled to inject feed into the flow of catalyst particles, characterised in that the reactor also comprises a contacting device protruding into the reactor from the inner wall of said reactor upstream of the injection zone.

Methods for distributing catalyst in a counter-current reactor may include passing the catalyst from a catalyst hopper to a perforated plate distributor; distributing the catalyst into a reaction zone of the counter-current reactor by passing the catalyst from a catalyst discharge zone, through the perforations of the perforated plate distributor, into the reaction zone, wherein the catalyst enters the perforations of the perforated plate distributor at a superficial velocity from 0.01 m/s to 10 m/s, and the superficial velocity is in a substantially downward direction; and passing a hydrocarbon feed stream into the reaction zone, wherein the catalyst moves in a substantially downward direction through the reaction zone, the hydrocarbon feed stream moves in a substantially upward direction through the reaction zone, and wherein contacting the catalyst with the hydrocarbon feed stream cracks one or more components of the hydrocarbon feed stream and forms a hydrocarbon product stream.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus capable of removing the reaction heat and lower the reaction temperature as the reaction progresses in order to increase the conversion ratio to methane. In some embodiments, powders of magnesium hydroxide and magnesium carbonate, which are chemical heat storage agents, are used as part of the fluidizing medium of the multi-stage fluidized bed in the temperature range where the methanation reaction proceeds. In some embodiments, the heat generated during the methanation reaction can be absorbed and stored in the powder. In some embodiments, after discharging the magnesium oxide generated by endotherm, the powder can be regenerated with an external regenerating facility and then the storage heat can be released and recovered. The regenerated powder can be fed to the uppermost stage of the multi-stage fluidized bed at a temperature lower than the internal temperature of the reactor to lower inside temperature.