US Patent 7718140 FCC separator without a reactor

This invention is directed to a process for fluid catalytic cracking, including, fluidizing a hydrocarbon stream in a riser, cracking the hydrocarbon stream with catalyst in the riser to produce a cracked stream and spent catalyst, separating the cracked stream and the spent catalyst in a primary separator to obtain a cracked stream with a first concentration of spent catalyst, and transporting the cracked stream with the first concentration of spent catalyst through a conduit to a multi-cyclone separator comprising multiple cyclones extending through a tube sheet to obtain a cracked stream with a second concentration of spent catalyst. The invention is also directed to an apparatus for catalytic cracking including a riser, a primary separator, a disengagement vessel surrounding the primary separator to collect the catalyst, a gas conduit having a first end in fluid connection with the disengagement vessel, and a multi-cyclone separator comprising a plurality of cyclones.