GB570745A - Improvements in or relating to the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons - Google Patents

Abstract

570,745. Cracking hydrocarbons; catalytic processes. STANDARD OIL DEVELOPMENT CO. Nov. 11, 1942, No. 15926. Convention date, Oct. 21, 1941. [Classes 1 (i) and 32] [Also in Group XXIX] Control of the rate of flow of a solid in suspension in a fluid, e.g., catalyst in suspension in vapors of a hydrocarbon oil which is to be cracked or otherwise catalytically treated, is obtained by passing the suspension through the tubes 36 of a heat exchanger 66 around which a cooling liquid is circulated, measuring the temperature of the incoming and outgoing suspension and similarly the temperature of the incoming and outgoing heat exchange liquid, and from these data and the known specific heats of the catalyst, hydrocarbon vapors, and heat exchange liquid calculating the flow rate of the solids, i.e., catalyst, and from these values controlling the residence time of the catalyst in the reaction zone. The exit and inlet temperatures of the suspension and heat exchange liquid are measured by thermocouples 110, 111, 120, 121 connected to a recorder 115. An automatically operated flow control valve 130 and orifice meter 135 control the flow of cooling fluid. The apparatus may be used in conjunction with a plant for the catalytic conversion of gas oil to gasoline, comprising a supply conduit for gas oil 1 leading to a heating coil 3, the vaporised oil being mixed with catalyst from a separator 12 in an injector 10, and the suspension obtained passed through a reactor 25. The cracked products are separated from catalyst in a separator 42 and subjected to fractionation in a column 90 to recover gaseous hydrocarbons overhead through line 92, gasoline through line 100, light gas oil through line 94, and recycle oil through line 46 to an injector 50 from which in admixture with oxidising gases it is passed through a regenerator 60 and thence through a heat exchanger 66 to the separator 12. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 131,375, [Class 69 (i)].