A process for the production of alkyl ethers including feeding a hydrocarbon feedstock and a first alcohol feedstock to a fixed bed reactor containing an etherification catalyst. The hydrocarbon feedstock and the first alcohol feedstock are contacted in the first fixed bed reactor to react the isoolefins with the alcohol in the presence of the etherification catalyst to produce a first product stream. The first product stream is fed together with a hydrogen feedstock and a second alcohol feedstock to a catalytic distillation reaction system containing a trifunctional catalyst to concurrently isomerize at least a portion of the alpha-olefins, hydrogenate at least a portion of the diolefins, and etherify at least a portion of the isoolefins and alcohol, producing a bottoms product comprising the one or more ethers and an overhead product comprising n-alkanes, isoalkanes, unreacted alpha-olefins, unreacted internal-olefins, unreacted isoolefins, and unreacted alcohol.

This disclosure provides improved processes for converting aromatic hydrocarbons, such as benzene/toluene, alkylation, transalkylation, or isomerization. In an embodiment, a process comprises utilizing a passivated reactor to reduce deactivation of a molecular sieve catalyst. Additional measures such as the use of an auxiliary catalyst and/or an elevated reactor pressure may be used to further reduce deactivation of the molecular sieve catalyst.

A combined reforming apparatus is provided. The combined reforming apparatus includes a body, a first catalyst tube disposed inside the body and reacting at a first temperature to reform hydrocarbons (C.sub.xH.sub.y) having two or more carbon atoms into methane (CH.sub.4), a second catalyst tube disposed inside the body, connected to the first catalyst tube, and reacting at a second temperature higher than the first temperature to reform methane (CH.sub.4) into synthesis gas comprising hydrogen (H.sub.2) and carbon monoxide (CO), and a combustion unit configured to supply heat to the first and second catalyst tubes.

Methods and systems for heating a reactor feed in a multi reactor hydrocarbon dehydrogenation process. The methods and systems are advantageously employed for the production of styrene by the catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. The catalytic dehydrogenation process employs heating steam operating at a steam to oil ratio of about 1.0 or less and relatively low steam superheater furnace temperature, such that all components exposed to steam in the process (outside of the fired heaters) can be constructed with standard metallurgy.

The present disclosure relates to a process plant and a process for production of a hydrogen rich gas, comprising the steps of (a) directing an amount of a synthesis gas comprising at least 15%, 50% or 80% on dry basis of CO and H.sub.2 in combination, a gas comprising steam, and a recycled intermediate product gas to be combined into a first reactor feed gas, (b) directing said first reactor feed gas to contact a first material catalytically active in water gas shift reaction, producing an intermediate product gas, (c) splitting said intermediate product gas in the recycled intermediate product gas and a remaining intermediate product gas, (d) combining said remaining intermediate product gas with a further amount of synthesis gas forming a second reactor feed gas, (e) directing said second reactor feed gas to contact a second material catalytically active in the water gas shift reaction, producing a product gas, characterized in the H.sub.2O:CO ratio in said first reactor feed gas being from 0.5 to 2.0 and the H.sub.2O:CO ratio in said second reactor feed gas being from 0.5 to 2.0. with the associated benefit of distributing the heat development and thus reducing the maximum temperature in the reactors by limiting the extent of reaction of the reacting mixture, and thereby reducing the amount of steam required for limiting methanation.

A trickle bed reactor, comprising a plurality of catalyst beds connected in series and progressively increasing in catalyst mass in a direction from upstream to downstream; and a plurality of heat exchangers, wherein each of the heat exchangers is located between two of the plurality of catalyst beds, and wherein each of the heat exchangers does not exchange heat with an outer surface of a vessel that contains any of the catalyst beds.

Device for the mixing and distribution of fluids for a catalytic reactor with a downward flow, said device comprising at least one collection zone (A), at least one mixing zone (B) comprising at least one enclosure (15) for the mixing of the fluids, at least one distribution zone (C), characterized in that said mixing zone (B) is situated at the same level as the distribution zone (C) and also comprises at least one enclosure (16) for the exchange of the fluids, connected to, and communicating with, said mixing enclosure (15), said exchange enclosure (16) comprising at least one lateral passage section (17a, 17b) suitable for the passage of the fluids from said exchange enclosure (16) to said distribution zone (C).

An upflow reactor (1), includes a housing (20), a catalyst bed layer (30) and a pressing device (10). The housing (20) is internally provided with a reaction chamber (210), a reaction material inlet (220) and a reaction material outlet (230) which are in communication with the reaction chamber (210) are provided on the housing (20). The catalyst bed layer (30) is provided within the reaction chamber (210), the pressing device (10) is provided within the reaction chamber (210) and located above the catalyst bed layer (30). At least a part of the pressing device (10) is movable up and down so that the at least a part of the pressing device (10) can be pressed against the catalyst bed layer (30).

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing an unsaturated carboxylic ester, wherein the risk of polymerization blockage is reduced and the required equipment cost and workload involved are kept low while maintaining a high conversion rate in an esterification reaction of unsaturated carboxylic acid. This object can be achieved by a method for producing an unsaturated carboxylic ester, which includes performing an esterification reaction using a reactor packed with a solid catalyst, wherein unsaturated carboxylic acid and alcohol are continuously fed to the reactor from an inlet thereof to form a fluid of the reaction solution in the reactor, and the vaporized organic solvent is continuously fed to the reactor from the inlet or a part near the inlet of the reactor.

A fluid mixer for a reactor of a hydrocarbon processing plant includes a substantially cylindrical mixing chamber, at least one first inlet for conducting first fluid to the mixing chamber from above the mixing chamber and along a side wall of the mixing chamber to produce a spiral stream in the mixing chamber, at least one second inlet for conducting second fluid tangentially into the spiral stream, and an outlet channel for conducting the first and second fluids downwards out from the mixing chamber. The outlet channel is concentric to the mixing chamber and includes a mixing structure for enhancing mixing of the first and second fluids. At least a part of the mixing structure is located below an upper edge of the outlet channel and produces turbulence in a stream of the first and second fluids flowing in the outlet channel.