Method and system for regenerating catalyst from a plurality of hydrocarbon conversion apparatuses

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and system for integrating a catalyst regeneration system with a plurality of hydrocarbon conversion apparatuses, preferably, a plurality of multiple riser reactor units. One embodiment of the present invention is a reactor system including a plurality of reactor units, at least one reactor unit preferably comprising a plurality of riser reactors. The system also includes a regenerator for converting an at least partially deactivated catalyst to a regenerated catalyst. A first conduit system transfers the at least partially deactivated catalyst from the reactor units to the regenerator, and a second conduit system transfers regenerating catalysts from the regenerator to the plurality of reactor units. Optionally, catalysts from a plurality of hydrocarbon conversion apparatuses may be directed to a single stripping unit and/or a single regeneration unit.

1 . A reactor system, comprising: 
 a plurality of reactor units;    a regenerator for converting an at least partially deactivated catalyst to a regenerated catalyst;    a first conduit system for transferring the at least partially deactivated catalyst from the reactor units to the regenerator; and    a second conduit system for transferring the regenerated catalyst from the regenerator to the plurality of reactor units.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first conduit system includes a first stripping unit for stripping the at least partially deactivated catalyst with a first stripping medium.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first conduit system includes a second stripping unit for stripping the at least partially deactivated catalyst with a second stripping medium.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second stripping units strip at least partially deactivated catalysts from separate reactor units.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes two riser reactors.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes three riser reactors.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes four riser reactors.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes five riser reactors.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes six riser reactors.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes more than six riser reactors.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes two reactor units.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes three reactor units.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes four reactor units.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes more than four reactor units.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes a plurality of riser reactors and a catalyst retention zone provided to contain catalyst which can be fed to the plurality of riser reactors.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein each riser reactor in the at least one of the reactor units includes a first end into which the catalyst can be fed and a second end through which the catalyst can exit the riser reactor, and wherein the at least one of the reactor units includes a separation zone into which the second ends of the riser reactors discharge the catalyst and products of a reaction conducted in the at least one of the reactor units, the separation zone being provided to separate the catalyst from the products.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one of the reactor units includes a catalyst return in fluid communication with the separation zone thereof and the catalyst retention zone thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one of the reactor units includes a feed distributor including at least one feed head positioned adjacent to each of the first ends of the plurality of riser reactors therein.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of riser reactors in the at least one of the reactor units is contained within a common shell having a wall.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of riser reactors in the at least one of the reactor units, and the respective wall, define the catalyst retention zone.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the shell of the at least one of the reactor units defines the separation zone.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the wall of the shell of the at least one of the reactor units, and the plurality of riser reactors therein, define the catalyst return.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the feed distributor of the at least one of the reactor units provides feed to each of the plurality of riser reactors therein in substantially equal streams through the at least one feed head.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the feed distributor in the at least one of the reactor units includes a flow control device which provides the feed to each of the plurality of riser reactors therein through the feed heads.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one of the reactor units further includes a fluid distributor in fluid communication with the catalyst retention zone thereof, the fluid distributor being provided to feed a fluidizing fluid to the catalyst retention zone to fluidize catalyst contained in the catalyst retention zone.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one of the reactor units further includes a disperser, positioned in the first end of the shell, the disperser being provided to disperse the fluidizing fluid in the catalyst retention zone to fluidize the catalyst.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the disperser is a device selected from the group consisting of a grid, a screen and a perforated plate.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the catalyst return is positioned externally to the plurality of riser reactors in the at least one of the reactor units.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the number of the catalyst returns in the at least one of the reactor units equals the number of the plurality of riser reactors in the at least one of the reactor units.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one of the reactor units includes a plurality of catalyst returns.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one of the reactor units includes three catalyst returns.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one of the reactor units includes four catalyst returns.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one of the reactor units includes a flow control device positioned on at least one of the catalyst returns thereof.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one of the reactor units further includes a flow control device positioned on each of the plurality of catalyst returns thereof.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of riser reactors in the at least one of the reactor units is contained within a common shell.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one of the reactor units further includes an impingement device positioned in the separation zone, the impingement device being provided to move catalyst away from the second ends of the plurality of riser reactors thereof to the catalyst return.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one of the reactor units further includes an impingement device positioned in the separation zone, the impingement device being provided to move catalyst away from the second ends of the plurality of riser reactors thereof to the catalyst return.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the separation zone further includes a quiescent zone in which catalyst can be retained until the catalyst moves from the separation zone.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the wall of the shell of the at least one of the reactor units and the plurality of riser reactors therein define a quiescent zone in which catalyst is contained until the catalyst moves from the separation zone.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one of the reactor units further includes at least one separator positioned in the separation zone.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the separator is selected from the group consisting of a cyclonic separator, a filter, an impingement device and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of riser reactors has a cross sectional area of no greater than 12 m 2 .  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes a plurality of riser reactors, each riser reactor having a cross sectional area of no greater than 7 m 2 .  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein each of the plurality of riser reactors has a cross sectional area or no greater than 3.5 m 2 .  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes a plurality of riser reactors, each riser reactor having a height of from 10 meters to 70 meters.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes a plurality of riser reactors, each riser reactor having a width of from 1 meter to 3 meters.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes a plurality of riser reactors, each riser reactor having a cross sectional area and the cross sectional area of one riser reactor varies by no more than 20% from the cross sectional area of another riser reactor in a single reactor unit.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes a plurality of riser reactors, each riser reactor having a cross sectional area and the cross sectional area of one riser reactor varies by no more than 10% from the cross sectional area of another riser reactor in a single reactor unit.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the reactor units includes a plurality of riser reactors, each riser reactor having a cross sectional area and the cross sectional area of one riser reactor varies by no more than 1% from the cross sectional area of another riser reactor in a single reactor unit.  
     
     
         50 . A reactor system, comprising: 
 a first reaction unit comprising a first plurality of riser reactors;    a second reaction unit comprising a second plurality of riser reactors, wherein each of the first and second reaction units has a first end into which a catalyst can be fed and a second end through which the catalyst can exit the reaction unit;    a regeneration unit having a regeneration inlet and a regeneration outlet;    a regeneration line having a plurality of first line ends in fluid communication with the second ends of the first and second reaction units and a second line end extending to the regeneration inlet; and    a return line having a first return end in fluid communication with the regeneration outlet, a second return end directing a first portion of the catalyst to the first reaction unit, and a third return end directing a second portion of the catalyst to the second reaction unit.    
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 50 , further comprising: 
 a first stripping unit having a first stripping inlet in fluid communication with the second end of the first reaction unit and a first stripping outlet in fluid communication with the regenerator inlet.    
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the first stripping inlet is in fluid communication with the second end of the second reaction unit.  
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 52 , further comprising: 
 a first stripping return line having a first stripping return end in fluid communication with the first stripping outlet, and a second stripping return end in fluid communication with the regeneration inlet.    
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 51 , further comprising: 
 a second stripping unit having a second stripping inlet in fluid communication with the second end of the second reaction unit and a second stripping outlet in fluid communication with the regenerator inlet.    
     
     
         55 . A method for forming olefins in a methanol to olefin reactor system, comprising: 
 contacting in a first reaction unit a first oxygenate with a first catalyst under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the first oxygenate to a first olefin and at least partially deactivating the first catalyst to form a deactivated first catalyst;    contacting in a second reaction unit a second oxygenate with a second catalyst under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the second oxygenate to a second olefin and at least partially deactivating the second catalyst to form a deactivated second catalyst;    directing the deactivated first catalyst and deactivated second catalyst to a regeneration unit;    regenerating the deactivated first catalyst and the deactivated second catalyst to form regenerated catalysts;    directing a first portion of the regenerated catalysts to the first reaction unit; and    directing a second portion of the regenerated catalysts to the second reaction unit.    
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising: 
 contacting the deactivated first catalyst with a first stripping medium in a first stripping unit under conditions effective to remove interstitial hydrocarbons from the deactivated first catalyst.    
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , further comprising: 
 contacting the deactivated second catalyst with a second stripping medium in a second stripping unit under conditions effective to remove interstitial hydrocarbons from the deactivated second catalyst.    
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 56 , further comprising: 
 contacting the deactivated second catalyst with the first stripping medium in the first stripping unit under conditions effective to remove interstitial hydrocarbons from the deactivated second catalyst.    
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the first stripping medium is selected from the group consisting of steam, nitrogen, helium, argon, methane, CO 2 , CO, hydrogen, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the first stripping medium is selected from the group consisting of steam, nitrogen, helium, argon, methane, CO 2 , CO, hydrogen, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the first stripping medium is selected from the group consisting of steam, nitrogen, helium, argon, methane, CO 2 , CO, hydrogen, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the contacting in the first reaction unit occurs in a plurality of riser reactors.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the contacting in the second reaction unit occurs in a plurality of riser reactors.  
     
     
         64 . A hydrocarbon conversion system, comprising: 
 first and second pluralities of riser reactors, each of the riser reactors having a first end into which a catalyst can be fed and a second end through which the catalyst can exit the riser reactor;    first and second catalyst retention zones provided to contain catalyst which can be fed to the first and second plurality of riser reactors, respectively;    first and second separation zones into which the second ends of the first and second pluralities of riser reactors extend, respectively, the separation zones being provided to separate the catalyst from products of a reaction conducted in the first and second pluralities of riser reactors;    first and second catalyst returns in fluid communication with the first and second separation zones, respectively, and the first and second catalyst retention zones, respectively;    a regenerator for regenerating the catalyst;    first and second catalyst outlet lines, each of the outlet lines having a first end into which a catalyst can be fed from the first and second pluralities of riser reactors, respectively, and a second end through which the catalyst can enter the regenerator; and    first and second catalyst return lines, each of the return lines having a first end into which a catalyst can be fed from the regenerator and a second end through which the catalyst can enter the first and second pluralities of riser reactors, respectively.    
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the first catalyst outlet line includes a first stripping unit for stripping the catalyst with a first stripping medium.  
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 65 , wherein the second catalyst outlet line includes a second stripping unit for stripping the catalyst with a second stripping medium.  
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 65 , wherein the second catalyst outlet line includes the first stripping unit for stripping the catalyst with the first stripping medium.  
     
     
         68 . A catalyst regenerator system, comprising: 
 a regeneration zone for contacting an at least partially deactivated catalyst with a regeneration medium under conditions effective to form a regenerated catalyst;    a plurality of catalyst inlets for receiving the at least partially deactivated catalyst from a plurality of reactor units; and    a plurality of catalyst outlets for delivering the regenerated catalyst to the plurality of reactor units.    
     
     
         69 . The catalyst regenerator system of  claim 68 , wherein at least one of the reactor units comprises a plurality of riser reactors.  
     
     
         70 . The catalyst regenerator system of  claim 69 , wherein two or more of the reactor units comprise a plurality of riser reactors.  
     
     
         71 . The catalyst regenerator system of  claim 70 , wherein three or more of the reactor units comprise a plurality of riser reactors.  
     
     
         72 . The catalyst regenerator system of  claim 71 , wherein four or more of the reactor units comprise a plurality of riser reactors.  
     
     
         73 . The catalyst regenerator system of  claim 68 , further comprising: 
 a stripping zone for contacting the at least partially deactivated catalyst with a stripping medium under conditions effective to remove interstitial hydrocarbons from the deactivated catalyst.    
     
     
         74 . The catalyst regenerator system of  claim 68 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of stripping zones for contacting the at least partially deactivated catalyst with a stripping medium under conditions effective to remove interstitial hydrocarbons from the deactivated catalyst.    
     
     
         75 . A method for regenerating catalyst, comprising: 
 receiving an at least partially deactivated catalyst from a plurality of multiple riser reaction units;    heating the catalyst under conditions effective to convert the at least partially deactivated catalyst to a regenerated catalyst; and    directing the regenerated catalyst to the plurality of multiple riser reaction units.    
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75 , further comprising: 
 contacting the at least partially deactivated catalyst with a stripping medium under conditions effective to remove interstitial hydrocarbons from the deactivated catalyst.    
     
     
         77 . A hydrocarbon conversion system, comprising: 
 a plurality of reaction units, each unit comprising a plurality of riser reactors; and    at least one regeneration unit coupled to the reaction units;    wherein the number of reaction units is greater than the number of regeneration units.    
     
     
         78 . The hydrocarbon conversion system of  claim 77 , further comprising: 
 at least one stripping unit coupled to the reaction units.    
     
     
         79 . The hydrocarbon conversion system of  claim 78 , wherein the number of reaction units is greater than the number of stripping units.