Hydrocarbon cracking process for converting renewable/circular feeds to lower olefins

Abstract

In an embodiment, a hydrocarbon cracking process for converting a mixed hydrocarbon feedstock to olefins is disclosed. The hydrocarbon cracking process includes: a) catalytically cracking the mixed hydrocarbon feedstock comprising renewable/circular feedstock within a fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) by contacting the mixed hydrocarbon feedstock under suitable catalytic cracking conditions with a fluidized cracking catalyst to produce at least a catalytically cracked gas product; b) separating the catalytically cracked gas product in a separator to produce an ethane product and ethylene; c) steam cracking the ethane product to produce a light steam cracked product; and d) recycling the light steam cracked product to the separator in step b) to produce a portion of the ethylene.

1 . A hydrocarbon cracking process for converting a mixed hydrocarbon feedstock to olefins, the hydrocarbon cracking process comprises:
 a) catalytically cracking the mixed hydrocarbon feedstock comprising one or more renewable/circular feedstock within a fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) by contacting the mixed hydrocarbon feedstock under suitable catalytic cracking conditions with a fluidized cracking catalyst to produce at least a catalytically cracked gas product,
 i) wherein the ratio of pounds of cracking catalyst to pounds of each of the one or more renewable/circular feedstock ranges from about 120 to about 2000, and 
 ii) wherein each of the one or more renewable/circular feedstock ranges from 0.1 to 5.5 wt. % of the mixed hydrocarbon feedstock; 
   b) separating the catalytically cracked gas product in a separator to produce an ethane product and ethylene;   c) steam cracking the ethane product to produce a light steam cracked product;   d) recycling the light steam cracked product to the separator in step b) to produce a portion of the ethylene.   
     
     
         2 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 1 , wherein the mixed hydrocarbon feedstock further comprises fossil hydrocarbons having boiling points in the range of from 150° C. to 760° C. 
     
     
         3 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 2 , wherein the renewable/circular feed is fed to the fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) either together or separately from the fossil hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         4 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 3 , wherein the renewable/circular feed of the mixed hydrocarbon feedstock comprises ethanol which is fed to the fluid catalytic cracker separately from the fossil hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         5 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 1 , wherein the ethylene leaving the separator in step b) comprises at least 90 wt. % ethylene. 
     
     
         6 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 1 , wherein catalytically cracking the mixed hydrocarbon feedstock occurs at the following conditions: contact time of from 0.1-5.0 seconds, temperature in the range of from 475-750° C., and pressure in the range of from 40 to 400 kPa. 
     
     
         7 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 1 , wherein catalytically cracking the mixed hydrocarbon feedstock further comprises producing a catalytically cracked naphtha product, hydroprocessing the catalytically cracked naphtha product to produce at least a first product and supplying at least a portion of the first product to step c) to be steam cracked. 
     
     
         8 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 1 , wherein catalytically cracking the mixed hydrocarbon feedstock further comprises producing a catalytically cracked gasoil product, hydroprocessing the catalytically cracked gasoil product to produce at least a second product and supplying at least a portion of the second product to step c) to be steam cracked. 
     
     
         9 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 1 , wherein catalytically cracking the mixed hydrocarbon feedstock further comprises producing a catalytically cracked slurry product, thermally cracking the catalytically cracked slurry product to produce at least a third product and supplying at least a portion of the third product to step c) to be steam cracked. 
     
     
         10 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 1 , wherein separating the catalytically cracked gas product further comprises producing a propylene product stream. 
     
     
         11 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 1 , wherein separating the catalytically cracked gas product further comprises producing a crude C4 product stream. 
     
     
         12 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 1 , wherein the ethylene produced in step b) is considered renewable/sustainable via a mass balance chain of custody and may be ISCC Plus certified. 
     
     
         13 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 10 , wherein the propylene product stream is considered renewable/sustainable via a mass balance chain of custody and may be ISCC Plus certified. 
     
     
         14 . The hydrocarbon cracking process of  claim 11 , wherein the crude C4 product stream is considered renewable/sustainable via a mass balance chain of custody and may be ISCC Plus certified.