Hydrotreating hydrocarbon feeds in at least two reactors - with countercurrent recycle of catalyst

摘要

Hydrotreatment of hydrocarbon feeds is carried out in >=2 reactors operating on the "bunker flow" principle. Each reactor is supplied from the top with hydrocarbon feed and catalyst, and hydrotreated effluent and spent catalyst are withdrawn from the bottom. At least part (pref. all) of the effluent from the 1st reactor is passed to the 2nd reactor, and at least part (pref. all) of the spent catalyst from the 2nd reactor is passed directly to the 1st reactor. Used partic. for demetalating atmospheric residue contg. >=150 ppm of metals. The semi-countercurrent system allows higher throughputs (and thus smaller reactor vols.) to be used than does conventional single-reactor operation.