A fluidized catalytic conversion method for producing light olefins from hydrocarbons, includes the steps of conducting catalytic conversion of an olefin-rich feedstock in a first reaction zone of a fluidized catalytic conversion reactor, contacting a heavy feedstock with the reaction stream from the first reaction zone in a second reaction zone of the reactor for reaction, separating the effluent from the reactor, and recycling the resulting olefin-rich stream to the first reaction zone for further reaction. The method can improve the utilization rate of petrochemical resources and shows high yield and selectivity of ethylene, propylene and butylene.

System and method for producing olefins are disclosed. The method includes using a radial flow moving bed reactor system to catalytically crack paraffins, in multiple stages with continuous catalyst regeneration, to form olefins. The system includes inter-stage heaters to facilitate increase in yield of olefins.

A process for catalytic cracking of hydrocarbon oils includes the step of contacting a hydrocarbon oil feedstock with a catalytic cracking catalyst in a reactor comprising a dilute-phase transport fluidized bed and a fast fluidized bed connected in series for reaction. In the fast fluidized bed, the axial solid fraction of the catalyst is controlled within the range of about 0.1 to about 0.2. When used for catalytic cracking of hydrocarbon oil feedstocks, particularly heavy feedstock oils, the process and system show lower yields of dry gas and coke, and good product distribution.

Processes to produce olefins from a hydrocarbons stream obtained from a catalytic cracking unit are described. The process includes the integration of metathesis of C.sub.4 olefin process and a hydrocarbon catalytically cracking process to produce commercially valuable products (for example, C.sub.2-3 olefins and a C.sub.5+ gasoline hydrocarbons).

Apparatus and processes herein provide for converting hydrocarbon feeds to light olefins and other hydrocarbons. The processes and apparatus include, in some embodiments, feeding a hydrocarbon, a first catalyst and a second catalyst to a reactor, wherein the first catalyst has a smaller average particle size and is less dense than the second catalyst. A first portion of the second catalyst may be recovered as a bottoms product from the reactor, and a cracked hydrocarbon effluent, a second portion of the second catalyst, and the first catalyst may be recovered as an overhead product from the reactor. The second portion of the second catalyst may be separated from the overhead product, providing a first stream comprising the first catalyst and the hydrocarbon effluent and a second stream comprising the separated second catalyst, allowing return of the separated second catalyst in the second stream to the reactor.

Apparatus and processes herein provide for converting hydrocarbon feeds to light olefins and other hydrocarbons. The processes and apparatus include, in some embodiments, feeding a hydrocarbon, a first catalyst and a second catalyst to a reactor, wherein the first catalyst has a smaller average particle size and is less dense than the second catalyst. A first portion of the second catalyst may be recovered as a bottoms product from the reactor, and a cracked hydrocarbon effluent, a second portion of the second catalyst, and the first catalyst may be recovered as an overhead product from the reactor. The second portion of the second catalyst may be separated from the overhead product, providing a first stream comprising the first catalyst and the hydrocarbon effluent and a second stream comprising the separated second catalyst, allowing return of the separated second catalyst in the second stream to the reactor.

A method and system for increasing olefin production and quality from a hydrocarbon feed comprising a fully integrated multi-stage catalyst regeneration zones with multi-stage reaction zones in series and/or parallel. The multi-stage regeneration with at least one partial and one full burn zone provides an independent control to achieve the lowest possible regenerated catalyst temperature, resulting in highest possible catalyst to oil ratio required to maximize olefins yields through increased catalytic cracking in a multi stage FCC riser/risers.

A system for catalytic cracking of hydrocarbon oils has a catalytic cracking reactor, a catalyst separation device, an optional reaction product separator, and a regenerator. A catalytic cracking reactor has a dilute-phase transport fluidized bed and a fast fluidized bed connected in series for reaction. In the fast fluidized bed, the axial solid fraction ? of the catalyst is controlled within the range of about 0.1 to about 0.2. When used for catalytic cracking of hydrocarbon oil feedstocks, particularly heavy feedstock oils, the process and system show lower yields of dry gas and coke, and good product distribution.

Supercritical upgrading reactors and reactor systems are provided for upgrading a petroleum-based composition using one or more purging fluid inlets to prevent plugging of the catalyst layer in the reactor. Processes for upgrading petroleum-based compositions by utilizing a reactor having at least one purging fluid inlet are also provided.

Supercritical upgrading reactors and reactor systems are provided for upgrading a petroleum-based composition using one or more purging fluid inlets to prevent plugging of the catalyst layer in the reactor. Processes for upgrading petroleum-based compositions by utilizing a reactor having at least one purging fluid inlet are also provided.