Methods for distributing catalyst in counter-current reactors and methods for processing hydrocarbons

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

• passing a hydrocarbon feed stream into a feed inlet of a counter-current reactor, wherein the counter-current reactor comprises:
• a catalyst hopper;
• an upper reactor portion comprising an upper reaction zone, the upper reactor portion comprising a perforated plate distributor and a hydrocarbon product outlet, wherein the perforated plate distributor and the hydrocarbon product outlet are positioned at or near the top of the upper reactor portion, and wherein the perforated plate distributor comprises a plate extending along a substantially horizontal cross-section of the upper reactor portion, the plate comprising a plurality of perforations;
• 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;
• wherein:
• the catalyst comprises particulate solids and the catalyst moves in a generally downward direction through the upper reactor portion and the lower reactor portion and the hydrocarbon feed stream moves in a generally upward direction through the upper reactor portion and lower reactor portion such that the hydrocarbon feed stream and the catalyst move with a counter-current orientation;
• and
• contacting the catalyst 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 one or more of ethylene, propylene, or butene;
• and
• distributing the catalyst into the upper 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 upper 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
• passing the hydrocarbon product stream out of the upper reaction zone through the hydrocarbon product outlet.