PROCESS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CRACKING HEAVY HYDROCARBONS INTO LIGHT OILS AND PRODUCING HYDROGEN, AND LIGHT OILS AND HYDROGEN WHEN SO PRODUCED

摘要

A process for simultaneously cracking a heavy hydrocarbons to form light oils and producing hydrogen is described, which comprises (a) a first step 1 wherein steam 3 and heavy hydrocarbons 4 are simultaneously contacted with a bed 2 of a catalyst in a reduced state and containing iron in the form of iron oxide to produce hydrogen, cracked gases, and cracked light oils, to convert the reduced-state catalyst into an oxidized-state catalyst, and to deposit coke on the catalyst, (b) a second step 8 wherein a bed 9 of the oxidized-state catalyst with coke deposited thereon is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas 10 to partially combust the coke on the catalyst, to convert the oxidized-state catalyst into a reduced-state catalyst, and to fix a sulfur compound contained in the coke as iron suifide with a part of the reduced-state catalyst; and (c) a third step 13 wherein a bed 14 of a catalyst obtained from the first step 1 or second step 8, the major portion of the catalyst being recycled between the first step 1 and second step 8, is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas 15 at a temperature of from 600 to 1,000 DEG C to effect roasting and gasification of iron sulfide in the catalyst.