Apparatus for the fluidized catalytic cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks

Claim 1

An apparatus for the fluidized catalytic cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks, the apparatus comprising: (a) one disengaging vessel having a dense phase and a dilute phase of cracking catalyst, the vessel further having means for the introduction of a stripping gas in its lower portion; (b) one spent catalyst regenerator having means for the introduction of air in its lower portion; (c) a primary riser reactor having means as its upstream end for the introduction of the catalyst and a fluid stream, the riser reactor further having a downstream end communicating with the interior of the vessel; (d) a primary cyclone separation system for separating the fluid stream from the catalyst, the system located within the vessel and having; (i) an inlet; (ii) an outlet communicating with the dense phase for discharging the catalyst; and (iii) a product outlet line connected to vent the fluid stream outside the vessel; (e) a secondary riser reactor having means at its upstream end for the introduction of the catalyst and a fluid stream, the riser reactor further having a downstream end communicating with the interior of the vessel; (f) a secondary cyclone separation system for separating the fluid stream from the catalyst, the system located within the vessel and having: (i) an inlet; (ii) an outlet communicating with the dense phase for discharging the catalyst; and (iii) a product outlet line connected to vent the fluid stream outside the vessel; (g) a partition extending downwardly from the top of the disengaging vessel occupying from about 60 to 98 percent of the vertical cross-sectional area of the dilute phase and from about 0 to 95 percent of the vertical cross-sectional area of the dense phase, the partition being so positioned as to separate the dilute phase into two regions, the first region containing the downstream end of the primary riser reactor and the primary cyclone separation system, the second region containing the downstream end of the secondary riser reactor and the secondary cyclone separation system; (h) a control system for controlling the relative volume of flow from each of the two dilute phase regions; and (i) means for transmitting pressure signals from said two regions to said control system.

Claim 2

An apparatus for the fluidized catalytic cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks, the apparatus comprising: (a) one disengaging vessel having a dense phase and a dilute phase of cracking catalyst, the vessel further having means for the introduction of a stripping gas in its lower portion; (b) one spent catalyst regenerator having means for the introduction of air in its lower portion; (c) a primary riser reactor having means as its upstream end for the introduction of the catalyst and a fluid stream, the riser reactor further having a downstream end communicating with the interior of the vessel; (d) a primary cyclone separation system for separating the fluid stream from the catalyst, the system located within the vessel and having; (i) an inlet; (ii) an outlet communicating with the dense phase for discharging the catalyst; and (iii) a product outlet line connected to vent the fluid stream outside the vessel; (e) a secondary riser reactor having means at its upstream end for the introduction of the catalyst and a fluid stream, the riser reactor further having a downstream end communicating with the interior of the vessel; (f) a secondary cyclone separation system for separating the fluid stream from the catalyst, the system located within the vessel and having: (i) an inlet; (ii) an outlet communicating with the dense phase for discharging the catalyst; and (iii) a product outlet line connected to vent the fluid stream outside the vessel; (g) a partition extending downwardly from the top of the disengaging vessel occupying from about 60 to 98 percent of the vertical cross-sectional area of the dilute phase and from about 0 to 95 percent of the vertical cross-sectional area of the dense phase, the partition being so positioned as to separate the dilute phase into two regions, the first region containing the downstream end of the primary riser reactor and the primary cyclone separation system, the second region containing the downstream end of the secondary riser reactor and the secondary cyclone separation system; (h) a control system for controlling the relative volume of flow from each of the two dilute phase regions; and (i) means for transmitting pressure signals from said two regions to said control system.