Processes and systems for conversion of alkyl bromides to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons in circulating catalyst reactor-regenerator systems

1. A process comprising:

reacting at least alkyl bromides over a catalyst in at least one conversion reactor to produce at least an effluent stream comprising higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and hydrogen bromide;

removing a portion of the catalyst from the conversion reactor;

contacting the portion of the catalyst with a stripping gas to displace hydrocarbons from the portion of the catalyst;

contacting the portion of the catalyst with a first inert gas;

contacting the portion the catalyst with oxygen to form a regenerated catalyst by removal of coke;

contacting the regenerated catalyst with a second inert gas which is nitrogen; and

introducing at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst into the conversion reactor.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the catalyst comprises a crystalline alumino-silicate framework, and wherein the higher molecular weight hydrocarbons comprise hydrocarbons having six or more carbon atoms and the alkyl bromides comprise bromomethane.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkyl bromides have a ratio of mono-brominated alkanes to mono-brominated alkanes plus di-brominated alkanes of equal to or greater than about 0.9.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the portion of the catalyst removed from the conversion reactor comprises coke in an amount of equal to or greater than about 10 weight %.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the stripping gas comprises at least one alkane selected from the group consisting of methane, ethane, propane, and any combination thereof.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the stripping gas comprises hydrogen.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the regenerated catalyst comprises coke in an amount of about 2 weight % to about 10 weight %.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the regenerated catalyst comprise coke in an amount of less than about 0.1 weight %.

9. The process of claim 1 further comprising combining the stripping gas comprising the displaced hydrocarbons with the effluent stream from the conversion reactor, wherein the displaced hydrocarbons comprise hydrocarbons comprising six or more carbon atoms.

10. The process of claim 1 :

wherein the stripping gas contacts the portion of the catalyst in an upper stripping stage;

wherein the first inert gas contacts the portion of the catalyst in a lower stripping stage; and

wherein a residence time of the catalyst in the upper stripping stage is greater than a residence time of the portion of the catalyst in the lower stripping stage.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein the contacting the portion the catalyst with oxygen is at a temperature of about 450° C. to about 650° C.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein the conversion reactor comprises a moving bed of the catalyst, the catalyst having a particle size of about 1 millimeter to about 10 millimeters, and wherein the regenerated catalyst is introduced at or near a top of the conversion reactor.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein the catalyst is arranged in the conversion reactor in an annular bed.

14. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

cooling a slipstream of the effluent stream;

separating a gas stream from the cooled effluent stream;

combining the gas stream with the alkyl bromides; and

introducing the gas stream and the alkyl bromides to the conversion reactor.

15. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

removing hydrogen bromide from effluent stream;

oxidizing the hydrogen bromide to produce elemental bromine and water; and

reacting the elemental bromine with lower molecular alkanes to produce additional alkyl bromides that are introduced into the conversion reactor.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein the removing the hydrogen bromide comprises separating the effluent stream into at least a methane stream, an ethane stream, a hydrogen bromide stream, a butane stream, and a liquid product stream, the liquid product stream comprising hydrocarbons having four or more hydrocarbons.

17. A process comprising:

reacting at least bromomethane over a crystalline alumino-silicate catalyst in at least one conversion reactor to produce at least an effluent stream comprising higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and hydrogen bromide;

introducing a portion of the catalyst from the conversion reactor into a two-stage stripping unit;

introducing a stripping gas into an upper stage of the two-stage stripping unit to displace hydrocarbons from the portion of the catalyst, the hydrocarbons comprising hydrocarbons having six or more carbon atoms;

introducing a first inert gas into a lower stage of the two-stage stripping unit to remove a quantity of the stripping gas from the portion of the catalyst;

introducing the portion of the catalyst from the two-stage stripping unit into a regeneration reactor to form a regenerated catalyst, wherein the portion of the catalyst is contacted with an oxygen-containing stream for coke removal; and

introducing at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst into the conversion reactor.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein the portion of the catalyst removed from the conversion reactor comprises coke in an amount of equal to or greater than about 10 weight %, and wherein the regenerated catalyst comprise coke in an amount of about 2 weight % to about 10 weight %.

19. The process of claim 17 further comprising:

removing hydrogen bromide from the effluent stream in a hydrogen bromide removal unit;

oxidizing the hydrogen bromide to produce elemental bromine and water; and

reacting the elemental bromine with lower molecular alkanes to produce additional bromomethane that are introduced into the conversion reactor, the lower molecular alkanes comprising recycled methane and feed methane that was fed to the hydrogen bromide removal unit.