Multistage moving-bed hydroprocessing reactor with separate catalyst addition and withdrawal systems for each stage, and method for hydroprocessing a hydrocarbon feed stream

Abstract

A method, and a reactor, for hydroprocessing a hydrocarbon feed stream through multistage moving catalyst beds contained within a single onstream reactor vessel, with separate catalyst addition and withdrawal systems for each of the multistages of moving catalyst beds. The reactor contains two or more different and distinct moving catalyst beds for any hydroprocessing application. The method includes serially passing, without leaving the reactor vessel, at least a partially treated hydrocarbon stream from one hydroconversion reaction zone containing a moving catalyst bed with a first set of catalytic characteristics to another hydroconversion reaction zone containing a moving catalyst bed with a second set of catalytic characteristics that differ in catalytic abilities from the first set of catalytic characteristics.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A reactor comprising a reactor vessel having an internal cylindrical wall with an internal reactor cylindrical wall diameter; a first catalyst bed support means coupled to and supported by said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel such as to essentially entirely span across said internal reactor cylindrical wall diameter for supporting a first catalyst moving bed in a first hydroconversion reaction zone having a first physical and/or catalytic properties and for allowing a hydrocarbon feed stream to pass therethrough while preventing catalyst particles from a first catalyst moving bed to exit therethrough; a first catalyst outlet means, communicating through said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel with a first catalyst moving bed supported by said first catalyst bed support means, for withdrawing a first generally spent catalyst from a first hydroconversion reaction zone; a first catalyst inlet means, communicating through said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel with a first catalyst moving bed supported by said first catalyst bed support means, for introducing a first generally fresh catalyst into a first hydroconversion reaction zone; a second catalyst bed support means coupled to and supported by said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel such as to essentially entirely span across said internal reactor cylindrical wall diameter for supporting a second catalyst moving bed in a second hydroconversion reaction zone having a second physical and/or catalytic properties and for allowing a hydrocarbon feed stream to pass therethrough while preventing catalyst particles from a second catalyst moving bed to exit therethrough; a second catalyst outlet means, communicating through said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel with a second catalyst moving bed supported by said second catalyst bed support means, for withdrawing a second generally spent catalyst from a second hydroconversion reaction zone; and a second catalyst inlet means, communicating through said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel with a second catalyst moving bed supported by said second catalyst bed support means, for introducing a second generally fresh catalyst into a second hydroconversion reaction zone.  
     
     
         2 . The reactor of  claim 1  additionally comprising a first catalyst moving bed supported by said first catalyst bed support means and having a first physical and/or catalytic properties; and a second catalyst moving bed supported by said second catalyst bed support means and having a second physical and/or catalytic properties.  
     
     
         3 . The reactor of  claim 2  wherein said first physical and/or catalytic properties differ from said second physical and/or catalytic properties.  
     
     
         4 . The reactor of  claim 3  additionally comprising a first conduit means, communicating through said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel, for introducing a hydrocarbon feed stream into the reactor vessel; and a second conduit means, communicating through said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel, for passing a hydrocarbon product out of said reactor vessel.  
     
     
         5 . The reactor of  claim 4  wherein said first catalyst bed support means allows an untreated hydrocarbon feed stream from said first conduit means to pass therethrough while preventing catalyst particles from said first catalyst moving bed to exit therethrough; and said second catalyst bed support means allows an initially treated hydrocarbon feed stream from said first catalyst moving bed to pass therethrough while preventing catalyst particles from said second catalyst moving bed to exit therethrough.  
     
     
         6 . The reactor of  claim 3  wherein said second catalyst bed support means receives an untreated hydrocarbon feed stream and allows an initially treated hydrocarbon feed stream from said second catalyst moving bed to pass therethrough while preventing catalyst particles from said second catalyst moving bed to exit therethrough; and said first catalyst bed support means allows a treated hydrocarbon feed stream from said first catalyst moving bed to pass therethrough while preventing catalyst particles from said first catalyst moving bed to exit therethrough.  
     
     
         7 . A method for hydroprocessing a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising the steps of: 
 (a) disposing a first catalyst bed in a first hydroconversion reaction zone of a reactor vessel, wherein said first catalyst bed contains a first set of catalytic properties;    (b) disposing a second catalyst bed in a second hydroconversion reaction zone of said reactor vessel of step (a), wherein said second catalyst bed contains a second set of catalytic properties;    (c) flowing through said first catalyst bed in said first hydroconversion reaction zone a hydrocarbon feed stream to produce an initially-treated hydrocarbon feed stream; and    (d) flowing through said second catalyst bed in said second hydroconversion reaction zone said initially-treated hydrocarbon feed stream to produce a treated hydrocarbon feed stream.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  additionally comprising withdrawing at least partially spent first catalyst from said first catalyst bed simultaneously with said flowing step (c); and adding fresh first catalyst to said first catalyst bed simultaneously with said flowing step (c).  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  additionally comprising withdrawing at least partially spent second catalyst from said second catalyst bed simultaneously with said flowing step (d); and adding fresh second catalyst to said second catalyst bed simultaneously with said flowing step (d).  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  additionally comprising withdrawing at least partially spent second catalyst from said second catalyst bed simultaneously with said flowing step (d); and adding fresh second catalyst to said second catalyst bed simultaneously with said flowing step (d).  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said flowing step (d) comprises flowing said initially-treated hydrocarbon feed stream through said second catalyst bed without said initially-treated hydrocarbon feed stream having left or exited said reactor vessel of said step (a).  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said flowing step (d) comprises flowing said initially-treated hydrocarbon feed stream through said second catalyst bed without said initially-treated hydrocarbon feed stream having left or exited said reactor vessel of said step (a).  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said first set of catalytic properties are different from said second set of catalytic properties.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said first set of catalytic properties are different from said second set of catalytic properties.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  additionally comprising demetallizing said hydrocarbon feed stream of said step (c) in said first catalyst bed; and hydrotreating said initially-treated hydrocarbon feed stream of said step (d) in said second catalyst bed to remove at least one chemical element from said initially-treated hydrocarbon feed stream.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  additionally comprising demetallizing said hydrocarbon feed stream of said step (c) in said first catalyst bed; and hydrotreating said initially-treated hydrocarbon feed stream of said step (d) in said second catalyst bed to remove at least one chemical element from said initially-treated hydrocarbon feed stream.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said at least one chemical element is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, sulfur, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said at least one chemical element is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, sulfur, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         19 . A reactor comprising a reactor vessel having an internal cylindrical wall with an internal reactor cylindrical wall diameter; a first distributor plate assembly coupled to and supported by said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel; a first catalyst bed support assembly coupled to and supported by said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel such as to define a first plenum chamber between said first distributor plate assembly and said first catalyst bed support assembly and for supporting a first catalyst moving bed in a first hydroconversion reaction zone having a first set of physical and/or catalytic properties and for allowing a hydrocarbon feed stream to pass therethrough from said first plenum chamber while preventing catalyst particles from a first catalyst moving bed to exit therethrough; a first catalyst outlet means, communicating through said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel with a first catalyst moving bed supported by said first catalyst bed support assembly, for withdrawing a first generally spent catalyst from a first hydroconversion reaction zone; a first catalyst inlet means, communicating through said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel with a first catalyst moving bed supported by said first catalyst bed support assembly, for introducing a first generally fresh catalyst into a first hydroconversion reaction zone; a second distributor plate assembly coupled to and supported by said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel; a second catalyst bed support assembly coupled to and supported by said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel such as to define a second plenum chamber between said second distributor plate assembly and said second catalyst bed support assembly and for supporting a second catalyst moving bed in a second hydroconversion reaction zone having a second set of physical and/or catalytic properties and for allowing a hydrocarbon feed stream to pass therethrough from said second plenum chamber while preventing catalyst particles from a second catalyst moving bed to exit therethrough; a second catalyst outlet means, communicating through said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel with a second catalyst moving bed supported by said second catalyst bed support assembly, for withdrawing a second generally spent catalyst from a second hydroconversion reaction zone; and a second catalyst inlet means, communicating through said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel with a second catalyst bed supported by said second catalyst bed support assembly, for introducing a second generally fresh catalyst into a second hydroconversion reaction zone.  
     
     
         20 . The reactor of  claim 19  additionally comprising a first catalyst moving bed supported by said first catalyst bed support assembly and having a first set of physical and/or catalytic properties; and a second catalyst moving bed supported by said second catalyst bed support assembly and having a second physical and/or catalytic properties.  
     
     
         21 . The reactor of  claim 20  wherein said first set of physical and/or catalytic properties differ from said second set of physical and/or catalytic properties.  
     
     
         22 . The reactor of  claim 21  additionally comprising a first conduit means, communicating through said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel, for introducing a hydrocarbon feed stream into the reactor vessel; and a second conduit means, communicating through said internal cylindrical wall of said reactor vessel, for passing a hydrocarbon product out of said reactor vessel.  
     
     
         23 . The reactor of  claim 22  wherein said first catalyst bed support assembly allows an untreated hydrocarbon feed stream from said first conduit means to pass therethrough while preventing catalyst particles from said first catalyst moving bed to exit therethrough; and said second catalyst bed support assembly allows an initially-treated hydrocarbon feed stream from said first catalyst moving bed to pass therethrough while preventing catalyst particles from said second catalyst moving bed to exit therethrough.  
     
     
         24 . The reactor of  claim 21  wherein said second catalyst bed support assembly receives an untreated hydrocarbon feed stream and allows an initially-treated hydrocarbon feed stream from said second catalyst moving bed to pass therethrough while preventing catalyst particles from said second catalyst moving bed to exit therethrough; and said first catalyst bed support assembly allows a treated hydrocarbon feed stream from said first catalyst moving bed to pass therethrough while preventing catalyst particles from said first catalyst moving bed to exit therethrough.