Apparatus for mixing in catalytic cracker reactor
The present invention provides a catalytic cracking reactor comprising a conduit, configured to allow the passage of a flow of catalyst particles, and an injection zone comprising a ring of feed injectors extending inwardly from the wall of reactor and angled to inject feed into the flow of catalyst particles, characterised in that the reactor also comprises a contacting device protruding into the reactor from the inner wall of said reactor upstream of the injection zone.
1 . A fluid catalytic cracking riser reactor comprising a conduit, configured to allow the passage of a flow of catalyst particles, and an injection zone comprising a ring of feed injectors extending inwardly from the wall of reactor and angled to inject feed into the flow of catalyst particles, characterised in that the reactor also comprises a contacting device protruding into the reactor from the inner wall of said reactor upstream of the injection zone, wherein the contacting device comprises an annular element with an outer diameter equal to that of the inner diameter of the reactor.
2 . A fluid catalytic cracking riser reactor according to claim 1 , wherein the contacting device comprises a composite of refractory material and a metal structure.
3 . A fluid catalytic cracking riser reactor according to claim 1 , wherein the distance between the downstream edge of the contacting device and the upstream edge or underside of the feed injectors is not more than 25 inches (63.5 cm).
4 . A fluid catalytic cracking riser reactor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the flow of catalyst particles is reduced by at least 10% and not more than 35%, based on the cross-sectional area of the reactor upstream of the contacting device.
5 . A fluid catalytic cracking riser reactor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reactor is a riser reactor configured to allow the upwards passage of a flow of catalyst particles.
6 . A method of mixing a fluidised stream of catalyst particles with a hydrocarbon feed, said method comprising the steps of:
a) creating a stream of fluidised catalyst particles in a fluid catalytic cracking riser reactor;
b) passing said stream of fluidised catalyst particles past a contacting device protruding into the reactor from the inner wall of said reactor, wherein the contacting device comprises an annular element with an outer diameter equal to that of the inner diameter of the reactor;
c) subsequently passing the stream of fluidised catalyst particles through an injection zone comprising a ring of feed injectors extending inwardly from the wall of reactor and contacting said stream of fluidised catalyst particles with hydrocarbon feed provided through said feed injectors;
d) passing the stream of fluidised catalyst particles contacted with hydrocarbon feed to a downstream section of the reactor to convert the hydrocarbon feed to a converted product in the presence of the catalyst particles.
7 . A method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the hydrocarbon stream comprises high boiling hydrocarbons and the converted product comprises lighter hydrocarbons boiling in the heating oil, gasoline or lighter range.