A fixed bed, radial flow reforming reactor having an inner catalyst zone between an inlet fluid zone and an outlet fluid zone. The catalyst zone is separated into two concentric, annular zones, a first annular zone having a first solid particle material having a first catalytic activity for reforming hydrocarbons into the catalyst zone, and, a second annular zone having a second solid particle material having a second catalytic activity for reforming hydrocarbons into the catalyst zone, wherein the second catalytic activity is different. One of the materials may be inert. A divider may be used to separate the two annular zones.

Systems relating to thermal activation (or cracking) of ethane to an intermediate, low purity raw ethylene stream in a first stage. The system then mixes this stream with a stream of raw biomass-derived ethanol that may contain more than four volume percent of water. The resulting mixture is reacted over a suitable catalyst at temperatures and pressures suitable to produce gasoline-range and diesel-range blend stock.

Systems relating to thermal activation (or cracking) of ethane to an intermediate, low purity raw ethylene stream in a first stage. The system then mixes this stream with a stream of raw biomass-derived ethanol that may contain more than four volume percent of water. The resulting mixture is reacted over a suitable catalyst at temperatures and pressures suitable to produce gasoline-range and diesel-range blend stock.

A method of producing hydrocarbon mixtures rich in aromatics from naphtha feedstock (100 or 100a) comprising the steps of feeding naphtha feedstock (100 or 100a) and liquified petroleum gases (101a and 101b) into reactor effluent/feed heat exchanger (200 or 300) to yield mixture (102 or 102a), channeling the mixture (102 or 102a) into at least one and at most three reactors via integrated heaters to produce hydrocarbon mixtures rich in aromatics, channeling effluent into reactor effluent/feed heat exchanger (200 or 300) before it is transferred to cooling tank (203), cooling the effluent in cooling tank (203), introducing cooled effluent (107) into first stage separator (204) to obtain light gases, transferring remaining liquid into second stage separator (206) and separating remaining liquid to yield LPG (101b) and directing effluent into stabilizer (207) to separate off gas, LPG (101c) and reformate, wherein the reformate is the hydrocarbon mixtures rich in aromatics.

A method of producing hydrocarbon mixtures rich in aromatics from naphtha feedstock (100 or 100a) comprising the steps of feeding naphtha feedstock (100 or 100a) and liquified petroleum gases (101a and 101b) into reactor effluent/feed heat exchanger (200 or 300) to yield mixture (102 or 102a), channeling the mixture (102 or 102a) into at least one and at most three reactors via integrated heaters to produce hydrocarbon mixtures rich in aromatics, channeling effluent into reactor effluent/feed heat exchanger (200 or 300) before it is transferred to cooling tank (203), cooling the effluent in cooling tank (203), introducing cooled effluent (107) into first stage separator (204) to obtain light gases, transferring remaining liquid into second stage separator (206) and separating remaining liquid to yield LPG (101b) and directing effluent into stabilizer (207) to separate off gas, LPG (101c) and reformate, wherein the reformate is the hydrocarbon mixtures rich in aromatics.

A process to catalytically transform natural gas liquid (NGL) into higher molecular weight hydrocarbons includes providing an NGL stream, catalytically dehydrogenating at least a portion of the NGL stream components to their corresponding alkene derivatives, catalytically oligomerizing at least a portion of the alkenes to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and recovering the higher molecular weight hydrocarbons. The NGL stream can be extracted from a gas stream such as a gas stream coming from shale formations. The higher molecular weight hydrocarbons can be hydrocarbons that are liquid at ambient temperature and ambient pressure.

A process to catalytically transform natural gas liquid (NGL) into higher molecular weight hydrocarbons includes providing an NGL stream, catalytically dehydrogenating at least a portion of the NGL stream components to their corresponding alkene derivatives, catalytically oligomerizing at least a portion of the alkenes to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and recovering the higher molecular weight hydrocarbons. The NGL stream can be extracted from a gas stream such as a gas stream coming from shale formations. The higher molecular weight hydrocarbons can be hydrocarbons that are liquid at ambient temperature and ambient pressure.

A method of increasing aromatic yield, or hydrogen yield, or reformate octane, or combinations thereof for a selected set of operating conditions in a reforming process is described. The process uses a centerpipe having a top connection section, a bottom connection section, and an intermediate connection section in which the diameter of the intermediate section is less than a diameter of the top connection section, or the bottom connection section, or both. This arrangement can be present in one or more of the reforming reactors in the reforming reaction zone. A method of optimizing the diameter of the intermediate section is also described.

A method of increasing aromatic yield, or hydrogen yield, or reformate octane, or combinations thereof for a selected set of operating conditions in a reforming process is described. The process uses a centerpipe having a top connection section, a bottom connection section, and an intermediate connection section in which the diameter of the intermediate section is less than a diameter of the top connection section, or the bottom connection section, or both. This arrangement can be present in one or more of the reforming reactors in the reforming reaction zone. A method of optimizing the diameter of the intermediate section is also described.

A method for producing light aromatic hydrocarbons from C.sub.9.sup.+ aromatic hydrocarbons includes a step of contacting a C.sub.9.sup.+ aromatic hydrocarbon with a dealkylation catalyst comprising a KL zeolite, and platinum and a modifying metal supported thereon in the presence of hydrogen, to obtain a light aromatic hydrocarbon. The modifying metal is selected from the group consisting of Group IIA metals and rare earth metals. By using a Pt/KL catalyst comprising a specific modifying metal in the dealkylation reaction of C.sub.9.sup.+ aromatic hydrocarbons for producing light aromatic hydrocarbons, the method shows the advantages of high conversion rate of feedstock, high yield of light aromatic hydrocarbons, good reaction selectivity.