Patent ID: 7119241

Claim:
A process for separating and disposing of catalyst fines in an oxygenate to olefins reaction system, the process comprising the steps of (a) converting oxygenates to olefins in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst having carbonaceous deposits maintained at an optimum level by a catalyst regeneration system; (b) withdrawing from the reactor an effluent stream comprising the olefins, the effluent stream being entrained with a portion of the catalyst in the form of catalyst fines having carbonaceous deposits; (c) separating the catalyst fines from the effluent stream by contacting the effluent stream with a liquid quench medium to produce a catalyst containing stream; (d) incinerating in an incinerator the carbonaceous deposits that are on the catalyst fines in the catalyst containing stream, said incinerator comprising a regenerator used in said catalyst regeneration system; and (e) removing said catalyst fines from said regenerator without returning said catalyst fines to said reactor.