Radial flow moving bed reactor for catalytic cracking of light hydrocarbons

A process, comprising:

• processing a light hydrocarbon feed stream comprising C1 to C3 alkanes in a series of radial flow moving bed reactors, wherein processing in a first radial flow moving bed reactor in the series of radial flow moving bed reactors comprises:
• flowing a first catalyst composition comprising catalyst particles into the first radial flow moving bed reactor, wherein the catalyst particles move by gravity through the first radial flow moving bed reactor to an exit point of the first radial flow moving bed reactor, wherein the catalyst particles form a moving catalyst bed in the first radial flow moving bed reactor;
• flowing the light hydrocarbon feed stream comprising C1 to C3 alkanes into the first radial flow moving bed reactor in a manner so that the light hydrocarbon feed stream flows radially inward or radially outward through the moving catalyst bed and thereby contacts the catalyst particles under reaction conditions to produce a heated first product effluent comprising a C2 to C10 hydrocarbon product, hydrogen and unreacted C1 to C3 alkanes;
• flowing the heated first product effluent comprising the C2 to C10 hydrocarbon product, hydrogen and the unreacted C1 to C3 alkanes to a heat exchanger to produce a cooled first product effluent comprising the C2 to C10 hydrocarbon product, hydrogen and the unreacted C1 to C3 alkanes;
• flowing the cooled first product effluent into a separation unit to separate the C2 to C10 hydrocarbon product and hydrogen from the unreacted C1 to C3 alkanes by condensation to produce a liquid stream comprising the C2 to C10 hydrocarbon product and hydrogen and a gaseous stream comprising the unreacted C1 to C3 alkanes;
• flowing the gaseous stream comprising the unreacted C1 to C3 alkanes into a second radial flow moving bed reactor to produce a second product effluent comprising a C2 to C10 hydrocarbon product and hydrogen;
• flowing spent catalyst from the series of radial flow moving bed reactors to a catalyst regeneration unit;
• regenerating the spent catalyst in the catalyst regeneration unit;
• and
• flowing the regenerated catalyst upwards via a riser from the catalyst regeneration unit to a top of each of the series of radial flow moving bed reactors.