Process for producing polypropylene from c3 olefins selectively produced in a fluid catalytic cracking process

Abstract

A process for producing polymers from olefins selectively produced from a catalytically cracked or thermally cracked naphtha stream is disclosed herein. The naphtha stream is introduced into a process unit comprised of a reaction zone, a stripping zone, a catalyst regeneration zone, and a fractionation zone. The naphtha feedstream is contacted in the reaction zone with a catalyst containing from about 10 to 50 wt. % of a crystalline zeolite having an average pore diameter less than about 0.7 nanometers at reaction conditions which include temperatures ranging from about 500° to 650° C. and a hydrocarbon partial pressure from about 10 to 40 psia. Vapor products are collected overhead and the catalyst particles are passed through the stripping zone on the way to the catalyst regeneration zone. Volatiles are stripped with steam in the stripping zone and the catalyst particles are sent to the catalyst regeneration zone where coke is burned from the catalyst, which is then recycled to the reaction zone. Overhead products from the reaction zone are passed to a fractionation zone where a stream of C products is recovered and a stream rich in C and/or C olefins is recycled to the stripping zone. The olefins can be further processed and polymerized to form a variety of polymer materials.