Enhanced light olefin yield via steam catalytic downer pyrolysis of hydrocarbon feedstock

1. A system for steam and catalytic cracking of a hydrocarbon inlet stream comprising hydrocarbons, the system comprising:

a catalyst feed stream, where the catalyst feed stream comprises a fluid and a heterogeneous catalyst, the heterogeneous catalyst operable to catalyze cracking of the hydrocarbons on surfaces of the heterogeneous catalyst, and the hydrocarbons comprising a crude oil feed;

a steam feed stream, where the steam feed stream is operable to effect steam cracking of the hydrocarbons, where the steam feed stream decreases coking of the heterogeneous catalyst, and where the steam feed stream comprises a recycle steam stream;

a mixing zone for atomization of the hydrocarbon inlet stream with the steam feed stream, where a catalyst feed stream inlet to the mixing zone precedes a steam feed stream inlet to the mixing zone, and where the steam feed stream inlet to the mixing zone precedes a hydrocarbon inlet stream to the mixing zone, and where the steam feed stream can be injected directly and separately to the mixing zone before, simultaneous with, or before and simultaneous with the hydrocarbon inlet stream and the catalyst feed stream; and

a downflow reactor, where the downflow reactor is operable to accept and mix the hydrocarbon inlet stream, the catalyst feed stream, and the steam feed stream, where the downflow reactor is operable to produce light olefins by steam cracking and catalytic cracking, where the total amount of steam supplied to the downflow reactor enhances light olefin yield from the hydrocarbon inlet stream effecting steam catalytic cracking resulting in a product stream comprising ethylene and propylene with a total yield of ethylene and propylene together at about at least 20% from the crude oil feed, and where the downflow reactor is operable to allow the heterogeneous catalyst to flow downwardly by gravity.

2. The system according to claim 1 , where the downflow reactor operates in a temperature range between about 500° C. to about 700° C.

3. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a catalyst hydrocarbon stripper with structured packing, where the catalyst hydrocarbon stripper is operable to remove hydrocarbons adsorbed to the heterogeneous catalyst by applying steam.

4. The system according to claim 3 , where the recycle steam stream comprises steam used in the catalyst hydrocarbon stripper with structured packing to remove hydrocarbons adsorbed to the heterogeneous catalyst.

5. The system according to claim 4 , further comprising a catalyst regenerator operable to regenerate spent heterogeneous catalyst through combustion of coke disposed on the heterogeneous catalyst.

6. The system according to claim 5 , where the catalyst feed stream comprises new, unused heterogeneous catalyst and regenerated catalyst from the catalyst regenerator.

7. The system according to claim 1 , where a yield of light olefins from the hydrocarbon inlet stream is at least about 30%.

8. The system according to claim 1 , where the system is operable to accept the steam feed stream when the steam feed stream is greater than about 3% by weight of the hydrocarbon inlet stream.

9. The system according to claim 1 , where the system is operable to accept the steam feed stream when the steam feed stream is between about 5% by weight and about 15% by weight of the hydrocarbon inlet stream.

10. The system according to claim 1 , where the system is operable to accept the steam feed stream when the steam feed stream is about 10% by weight of the hydrocarbon inlet stream.

11. The system according to claim 1 , where the residence time of the downflow reactor prevents secondary reactions responsible for the consumption of the light olefins.