US 12,404,171 B2
Alternating fixed and fluidized bed reactor systems and processes
Huping Luo, San Ramon, CA (US); Lin Li, San Ramon, CA (US); Alexander Kuperman, San Ramon, CA (US); and Xiaoying Ouyang, San Ramon, CA (US)
Assigned to CHEVRON U.S.A. INC., San Ramon, CA (US)
Filed by CHEVRON U.S.A. INC., San Ramon, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/683,964.
Prior Publication US 2023/0278859 A1, Sep. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. C01B 3/30 (2006.01); B01J 19/24 (2006.01); B01J 38/72 (2006.01)
CPC C01B 3/30 (2013.01) [B01J 19/2445 (2013.01); B01J 38/72 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1011 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1241 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for producing hydrogen and solid carbon comprising:
cracking a light hydrocarbon stream in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst under conditions suitable to produce at least (1) hydrogen and (2) a carbon byproduct deposited on a surface of the catalyst, wherein the light hydrocarbon stream is flowing downward and wherein the reactor is in a fixed bed reactor mode;
flowing a light hydrocarbon gas, a superheated steam, an inert gas, or a mixture thereof upward through the reactor wherein the reactor is in a fluidized reactor mode and wherein the conditions are suitable to detach at least a portion up to all of the deposited carbon byproduct from the surface of the catalyst; and
regenerating the catalyst by reacting an oxidant with the carbon byproduct;
wherein the process further comprises employing at least a portion of the heat from regenerating to the cracking.