Integrated system for bitumen partial upgrading

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10125324-B2
Application number	US-201514974933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 18, 2015
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates to decreasing the amount of diluent needed to convert a heavy oil to a bitumen product that can be transported by pipeline. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for partially upgrading heavy oil into a lower viscosity bitumen product.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An integrated system for partially upgrading a hydrocarbon containing heavy oil into a hydrocarbon product, comprises:
(a) an oxyfuel combustion process carried out in a thermal nozzle, wherein a fuel and an oxygen are mixed at a ratio close to the stoichiometric to complete the combustion and further introducing steam into the thermal nozzle producing a hot gas that atomizes a hydrocarbon containing heavy oil and induces upgrading reactions to produce a reactor effluent containing a partially upgraded oil;
(b) means for cooling the reactor effluent; and
(c) means for separating the reactor effluent into a substantially water free partially upgraded hydrocarbon oil product, a water liquid fraction and a gas fraction, wherein the thermal nozzle for atomizing a hydrocarbon containing heavy oil or dilbit in an oxycombustion process, comprises:
(i) a central conduit for introducing the hydrocarbon heavy oil or dilbit, wherein the outlet of the central conduit extends to the perimeter of a combustion chamber;
(ii) at least one fuel line annularly disposed around the central conduit and leading into an inner section of the combustion chamber;
(iii) at least one oxygen line annularly disposed around the at least one fuel line and coextensive therewith into the combustion chamber where an oxycombustion process takes place;
(iv) at least two hot gas lines, where a first hot gas line is disposed annularly between an inner most oxygen line and the central conduit and a second hot oxygen line disposed between the outer most oxygen line and the combustion chamber thereby forming a buffer protecting the inner central conduit and the combustion chamber; and
(v) a converging/diverging nozzle at the distal end of the combustion chamber where the hydrocarbon containing heavy oil or dilbit exiting the central conduit is contacted by a hot gas mixture and atomizes the hydrocarbon heavy oil or dilbit.

2. An integrated system for partially upgrading a hydrocarbon containing heavy oil into a hydrocarbon product, comprising:
(a) an oxyfuel combustion process carried out in a thermal nozzle, wherein a fuel and an oxygen are mixed at a ratio close to the stoichiometric to complete the combustion and further introducing steam into the thermal nozzle producing a hot gas that atomizes a hydrocarbon containing heavy oil and induces upgrading reactions to produce a reactor effluent containing a partially upgraded oil;
(b) means for cooling the reactor effluent; and
(c) means for separating the reactor effluent into a substantially water free partially upgraded hydrocarbon oil product, a water liquid fraction and a gas fraction, wherein the thermal nozzle for atomizing a hydrocarbon containing heavy oil or dilbit in an oxycombustion process, comprising:
(i) a combustion chamber wherein an oxycombustion process takes place forming a hot gas mixture;
(ii) a central conduit for introducing a fuel in the combustion chamber;
(iii) an oxygen line annularly disposed around the fuel line coextensively with the central conduit into the combustion chamber;
(iv) a hot gas line annularly disposed around the oxygen line coextensively with the oxygen line into the combustion chamber;
(v) a conduit or sleeve disposed on the periphery of the combustion chamber for introducing the hydrocarbon containing heavy oil or dilbit; and
(vi) a convergent/divergent nozzle at a distal end of the combustion chamber where a hydrocarbon emulsion or dilbit is contacted by the hot gas mixture and atomizes the hydrocarbon containing heavy oil or dilbit.

3. An integrated system for partially upgrading a hydrocarbon containing heavy oil into a hydrocarbon product, comprising:
(a) an oxyfuel combustion process carried out in a thermal nozzle, wherein a fuel and an oxygen are mixed at a ratio close to the stoichiometric to complete the combustion and further introducing steam into the thermal nozzle producing a hot gas that atomizes a hydrocarbon containing heavy oil and induces upgrading reactions to produce a reactor effluent containing a partially upgraded oil;
(b) means for cooling the reactor effluent; and
(c) means for separating the reactor effluent into a substantially water free partially upgraded hydrocarbon oil product, a water liquid fraction and a gas fraction, wherein the thermal nozzle for atomizing a hydrocarbon containing heavy oil or dilbit in an oxycombustion process, includes:
(i) a combustion chamber wherein an oxycombustion process takes place forming a hot gas mixture;
(ii) a central conduit for introducing a fuel in the combustion chamber;
(iii) an oxygen line annularly disposed around the fuel line coextensively with the central conduit into the combustion chamber;
(iv) a hot gas line annularly disposed around the oxygen line coextensively with the oxygen line into the combustion chamber;
(v) a convergent/divergent nozzle at a distal end of the combustion chamber where the expanding hot gas mixture exits the combustion chamber at a predetermined velocity; and
(vi) one or more conduits introducing hydrocarbon containing heavy oil or dilbit from a side of the convergent/divergent nozzle so as to atomize the hydrocarbon containing heavy oil or dilbit.

Assignees

• Papavassiliou Vasilis
• Panuccio Gregory J
• Praxair Technology Inc

Inventors

• Papavassiliou Vasilis
• Panuccio Gregory J

Classifications

• C10G9/38

  produced by partial combustion of the material to be cracked or by combustion of another hydrocarbon · CPC title

• C10G9/42 Primary

  by passing the material to be cracked in thin streams or as spray on or near continuously heated surfaces · CPC title

• C10G9/002

  Cooling of cracked gases · CPC title

• Y02E20/34

  Indirect CO2mitigation, i.e. by acting on non CO2directly related matters of the process, e.g. pre-heating or heat recovery · CPC title