There is provided a catalyst composition having improved hydrothermal stability for the catalytic cracking of a hydrocarbon feedstock to selectively produce propylene. The catalyst composition comprises a first crystalline molecular sieve selected from the group consisting of IM-5, MWW, ITH, FER, MFS, AEL, and AFO and an effective amount of a stabilization metal (copper, zirconium, or mixtures thereof) exchanged into the molecular sieve. The catalyst finds application in the cracking of naphtha and heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks. When used in the catalytic cracking of heavier hydrocarbon feedstocks, the catalyst composition preferably comprises a second molecular sieve having a pore size that is greater than the pore size of the first molecular sieve. The process is carried out by contacting a feedstock containing hydrocarbons having at least 4 carbon atoms is contacted, under catalytic cracking conditions, with the catalyst composition.
In a process for converting methane to aromatic hydrocarbons, a feed containing methane and a particulate catalytic material are supplied to a reaction zone operating under reaction conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the methane to aromatic hydrocarbons and to deposit carbonaceous material on the particulate catalytic material causing catalyst deactivation. At least a portion of the deactivated particulate catalytic material is removed from the reaction zone and is heated to a temperature of about 700.degree. C. to about 1200.degree. C. by direct and/or indirect contact with combustion gases produced by combustion of a supplemental fuel. The heated particulate catalytic material is then regenerated with a hydrogen-containing gas under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the carbonaceous material thereon to methane and the regenerated catalytic particulate material is recycled back to the reaction zone.
A hydrocarbon conversion process for producing an aromatics product containing of benzene, toluene, xylenes, or mixtures thereof. The process is carried out by converting precursors of benzene, toluene, and xylenes that are contained in a hydrocarbon feed (C.sub.6+ non-aromatic cyclic hydrocarbons, A.sub.8+ single-ring aromatic hydrocarbons having at least one alkyl group containing two or more carbon atoms; and A.sub.9+ single-ring aromatic hydrocarbons having at least three methyl groups) to produce a product that contains an increased amount of benzene, toluene, xylenes, or combinations thereof compared to said hydrocarbon feed.
In a process for converting a low carbon number aliphatic hydrocarbon to higher hydrocarbons including aromatic hydrocarbons, a feed containing the aliphatic hydrocarbon is contacted with a dehydrocyclization catalyst under conditions effective to convert the aliphatic hydrocarbon to aromatic hydrocarbons and produce an effluent stream comprising aromatic hydrocarbons and hydrogen. The dehydrocyclization catalyst comprises a metal or metal compound and a molecular sieve wherein the ratio of the amount of any Bronsted acid sites in the catalyst to the amount of said metal in the catalyst is less than 0.4 mol/mol of said metal.
The present invention relates to a method of testing catalysts and catalyst systems via a plurality of stations in which each station can accommodate a common reactor module in order to accomplish unattended, automated, rapid serial experimentation. The method includes the steps of: providing within a purged chamber a storage station of pre-loaded catalyst reactors, a hydrocarbon reaction station, one or more additional pre-treatment and/or post-treatment stations in series with said hydrocarbon reaction station, and a robotic means for moving catalyst reactors within the purged chamber between stations, pre-treating the pre-loaded catalyst reactor with a treatment gas in the post-treatment station, reacting the pre-loaded catalyst reactor with a hydrocarbon reactant in the hydrocarbon reaction station, post-treating the pre-loaded catalyst reactor with a treatment gas in the post-treatment station, and repeating the foregoing steps such that the pre-treating, reacting and post-treating steps occur simultaneously for two different pre-loaded catalyst reactors. The advantages of the present invention include improved accuracy, reproducibility and quality of test data generated, increased testing throughput rate, providing for automated unattended operation of the device, providing for the ability the ability to program a variety of sequences and settings, providing for the combination of a variety of processes (pre-treatment, HC reaction testing, post-treatment, aging, and characterization), and providing for higher temperature operation. The method finds application in laboratory test environments, and in particular in high throughput testing environments.