Conversion of plastics to olefin and aromatic products using temperature control

A method of producing olefins and aromatic compounds from a feedstock, the method comprising:

• introducing a plastic feedstock and a catalyst composition comprising a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst and a ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst that is suitable for converting the feedstock to at least one of olefins and aromatic compounds within a reactor through pyrolysis, the amount of ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst of the catalyst composition making up from 10 wt. % to 50 wt. % of the total weight of the FCC catalyst and the ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst, the reactor having at least one inlet for introducing the feedstock and the catalyst composition and having at least one outlet for removing reaction products from the reactor that is spaced from the at least one inlet along a reactor flow path having a length L between the at least one inlet and at least one outlet;
• monitoring the temperature in the reactor at at least one location that is at or adjacent to said at least one inlet at a temperature-monitoring distance that is from 0.3 L or less from the at least one inlet, the monitored temperature being correlated to a desired product yield when the monitored temperature is maintained within a temperature range of from 450° C. to 730° C.;
• and
• in response to a change in one or more monitored temperatures from said at least one location, modifying one or more of the following parameters (a) through (d) to maintain the monitored temperature within the range of from 450° C. to 730° C. that is correlated to the desired product yield to simultaneously increase production of both light gas olefins and aromatics:
• a) the relative amount of the fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst and the ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst of the catalyst composition introduced into the at least one inlet;
• b) the flow rate of the catalyst composition into the at least one inlet;
• c) the flow rate of plastic feedstock into the at least one inlet;
• and
• d) heat input to the reactor;
• allowing at least a portion of the feedstock to be converted through pyrolysis to olefins and aromatic compounds within the reactor;
• and
• removing a product stream containing at least one of olefins and aromatic compounds from the at least one outlet of the reactor.