Controlling temperature in catalyst regenerators
AssigneeExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
InventorsBrian Cunningham, Todd Steffens, James Beech, Richard Walter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to efficiently regenerating catalyst particles by minimizing the formation of localized “hot spots” and “cold spots” in a regeneration zone. In one embodiment, the invention includes mixing spent catalyst from a reactor and cold catalyst from a catalyst cooler in a mixing zone and directing the mixed catalyst to the regeneration zone in a fluidized manner with a fluidizing medium. In the regeneration zone, the mixed catalyst contacts an oxygen-containing regeneration medium under conditions effective to regenerate the spent catalyst contained therein.
Claims60
A process for regenerating catalyst, wherein the process comprises the steps of:
- (a) mixing spent catalyst from a reactor with cold catalyst from a catalyst cooler in a mixing zone to form a mixed catalyst;
- (b) contacting the mixed catalyst with a fluidizing medium under conditions effective to transport the mixed catalyst in a fluidized manner from the mixing zone to a regeneration zone;
- (c) contacting the mixed catalyst in the regeneration zone with an oxygen-containing regeneration medium under conditions effective to at least partially regenerate the mixed catalyst and form regenerated catalyst;
- (d) directing a first portion of the regenerated catalyst to the catalyst cooler, in which the first portion is cooled to form the cold catalyst mixed in step (a);
- and
- (e) directing a second portion of the regenerated catalyst to the reactor.
A process for regenerating catalyst, wherein the process comprises the steps of:
- (a) mixing spent catalyst from a reactor with cold catalyst from a catalyst cooler in a mixing zone to form a mixed catalyst;
- (b) directing a fluidizing medium into the mixing zone at a first feed rate under conditions effective to transport the mixed catalyst in a fluidized manner from the mixing zone to a regeneration zone;
- (c) directing an oxygen-containing regeneration medium into the regeneration zone at a second feed rate, wherein the second feed rate is greater than the first feed rate;
- (d) contacting the mixed catalyst in the regeneration zone with the oxygen-containing regeneration medium under conditions effective to at least partially regenerate the mixed catalyst and form regenerated catalyst;
- (e) directing a first portion of the regenerated catalyst to the catalyst cooler, in which the first portion is cooled to form the cold catalyst mixed in step (a);
- and
- (f) directing a second portion of the regenerated catalyst to the reactor.
A regeneration system, comprising:
- (a) a regeneration zone;
- (b) a catalyst cooler;
- (c) a mixing zone;
- (d) a spent catalyst conduit for communicating spent catalyst from a reactor to the mixing zone;
- (e) a hot catalyst conduit for communicating hot catalyst from the regeneration zone to the catalyst cooler;
- (f) a cold catalyst conduit for communicating cold catalyst from the catalyst cooler to the mixing zone;
- (g) a mixed catalyst conduit for communicating the mixed catalyst from the mixing zone to the regeneration zone;
- and
- (h) a regenerated catalyst conduit for communicating regenerated catalyst from the regeneration zone to the reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.