Methods for processing hydrocarbons to produce light olefins using catalyst formulations or mixtures

A method for processing hydrocarbons to produce light olefins, the method comprising:

• passing a hydrocarbon feed stream into a feed inlet of a reactor for contacting with catalyst particles, wherein the reactor comprises:
• an upper reactor portion defining an upper reaction zone, the upper reactor portion comprising a catalyst inlet and a hydrocarbon product outlet, wherein the catalyst inlet and the hydrocarbon product outlet are positioned at or near the top of the upper reactor portion;
• and
• a lower reactor portion defining a lower reaction zone, the lower reactor portion comprising a feed inlet and a catalyst outlet, wherein feed inlet and the catalyst outlet are positioned at or near the bottom of the lower reactor portion, and wherein the lower reaction zone is in fluid communication with and adjacent to the upper reaction zone;
• and
• wherein the catalyst particles have a downward superficial velocity through the upper reactor portion and the lower reactor portion and the hydrocarbon feed stream has an upward superficial velocity through the upper reactor portion and lower reactor portion such that the hydrocarbon feed stream and the catalyst particles move with a counter-current orientation;
• wherein the upper reaction zone operates with a counter-current plug flow regime;
• wherein the lower reaction zone operates with a dense bed fluidization regime;
• wherein contacting the catalyst particles with the hydrocarbon feed stream cracks one or more components of the hydrocarbon feed stream and forms a hydrocarbon product stream;
• wherein the hydrocarbon product stream comprises light olefins and other reaction products;
• and
• passing the hydrocarbon product stream out of the upper reaction zone through the hydrocarbon product outlet;
• wherein the catalyst particles comprise:
• (a) a mixture that is a physically mixed combination of separate particles of at least first composite particles and second composite particles,
• the first composite particles comprising about 5-70 wt. % of a 10-member ring zeolite component optionally modified with phosphorous, about 5-70 wt. % of a first binder component, about 10-60 wt. % of a first tiller component;
• and 0-40 wt. % of an optional first additive component, and
• the second composite particles comprising about 5-wt. % of a 12-member ring zeolite component, about 5-70 wt. % of a second binder component, about 10-60 wt. % of a second filler component;
• and about 0-40 wt. % of an optional second additive component;
• wherein
• the first and second binder component are the same or different amorphous components selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, alumina-silicate, silica-aluminate, alumina phosphate and combinations comprising two or more of said amorphous binder components,
• the first and second filler component are the same or different components selected from the group consisting of kaolin, sepiolite, talc, attapulgite, montmorillonite and two or more of said filler components;
• and
• the first and second additive component are the same or different components selected from the group consisting of metal carbides, rare earth metals, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and metal oxides;
• or
• (b) multi-zeolite composite particles comprising about 5-75 wt. % of a 10-member ring zeolite component modified with phosphorous, about 5-75 wt. % of a 12-member ring zeolite component, about 5-70 wt. % of a binder component, about 10-60 wt. % of a filler component;
• and about 0-40 wt. % of an optional additive component;
• wherein
• the binder component is an amorphous component selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, alumina-silicate, silica-aluminate, alumina phosphate and combinations comprising two or more of said amorphous binder components;
• the filler component is selected from the group consisting of kaolin, sepiolite, talc, attapulgite, montmorillonite and two or more of said filler components;
• and
• the additive component is selected from the group consisting of metal carbides, rare earth metals, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and metal oxides.