Methods and Systems for Treating a Hydrocarbon Feed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016177205-A1
Application number	US-201514945990-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 19, 2015
Priority date	Dec 17, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to methods and systems for treating heavy hydrocarbon by cavitation and hydroprocessing. The invention also relates to systems and methods for such treating, to equipment useful for such treating, and to cavitated, hydroprocessed products.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A heavy hydrocarbon treatment method, comprising:
(a) providing a heavy hydrocarbon having a mass density ≧1.0 kg/m 2 and a kinematic viscosity (measured at 50° C.) ≧30 cSt; (b) providing a utility fluid which (i) comprises 1-ring and/or 2-ring aromatics in an amount ≧25.0 wt. % and (ii) has a final boiling point ≦430° C.; (c) combining the heavy hydrocarbon with a utility fluid to produce a heavy hydrocarbon+utility fluid mixture having a heavy hydrocarbon: utility fluid weight ratio in the range of 0.05 to 4.0; (d) hydroprocessing the heavy hydrocarbon+utility fluid mixture to produce a hydroprocessed product having a kinematic viscosity (measured at 50° C.) of KV a ; and (e) cavitating at least a portion of the hydroprocessed product to produce a treated product having a kinematic viscosity (measured at 50° C.) of KV b , wherein KV b =(x*KV a ) and x is ≦0.95.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating at least a portion of any vapor present in the hydroprocessed product before step (e).

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating from the hydroprocessed product at least a portion of those components of the hydroprocessed product having an atmospheric boiling point ≦430° C., the separating being carried out before step (e).

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the heavy hydrocarbon comprises ≧90.0 wt. % of pyrolysis tar.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the heavy hydrocarbon comprises ≧90.0 wt. % of steam cracker tar, the steam cracker tar having one or more of (i) an I N ≧85, (ii) a mass density ≧1.07 kg/m 2 , (iii) a sulfur content ≧0.5 wt. %, and (iv) a viscosity in the range of from 1000 cSt to 500,000 cSt.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydroprocessing is catalytic hydroprocessing and the hydroprocessing conditions include a temperature in the range of 300° C. to 500° C. and a molecular hydrogen partial pressure in the range of from 34 bar (abs) to 48 bar (abs).

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the utility fluid has a true boiling point distribution in the range of from 150° C. to 430° C.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydroprocessing consumes molecular hydrogen at a rate ≦267 standard m 3 of molecular hydrogen per m 3 of the heavy hydrocarbon.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein KV a is >15 cSt and x is ≦0.7.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the treated product has an I N ≦80 and a sulfur content ≦1.0 wt. %.

11 . A heavy hydrocarbon treatment method, comprising:
(a) providing a heavy hydrocarbon having a mass density ≧1.0 kg/m 2 and a kinematic viscosity (measured at 50° C.) KV i ≧30 cSt; (b) cavitating the heavy hydrocarbon to produce a cavitated heavy hydrocarbon having a kinematic viscosity (measured at 50° C.) of KV c , wherein (i) KV c is =(y*KV i ) and (ii) y is ≦0.95; (c) hydroprocessing at least a portion of the cavitated heavy hydrocarbon to produce a treated product.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
(d) providing a utility fluid which (i) comprises 1-ring and/or 2-ring aromatics in an amount ≧25.0 wt. % and (ii) has a final boiling point ≦430° C.; and (e) combining the utility fluid with the heavy hydrocarbon and/or cavitated heavy hydrocarbon before the hydroprocessing.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising cavitating at least a portion of the hydroprocessed product.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the heavy hydrocarbon comprises ≧90.0 wt. % of steam cracker tar, the steam cracker tar having one or more of (i) an I N ≧85, (ii) a mass density ≧1.07 kg/m 2 , and (iii) a viscosity in the range of from 1000 cSt to 500,000 cSt.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein during the cavitating the heavy hydrocarbon is not exposed to a temperature >200° C.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein y is ≦0.7.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein y is ≦0.5.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the hydroprocessing is catalytic hydroprocessing and the hydroprocessing conditions include a temperature in the range of 300° C. to 500° C., a molecular hydrogen consumption rate ≦267 standard m 3 of molecular hydrogen per m 3 of the heavy hydrocarbon, and a molecular hydrogen partial pressure in the range of from 34 bar (abs) to 48 bar (abs).

19 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: producing a raffinate by separating from the hydroprocessed product one or more of (i) at least a portion of any vapor present in the hydroprocessed product and recycling at least a portion of the separated vapor to the hydroprocessing and (ii) separating from the hydroprocessed product at least a portion of those components having an atmospheric boiling point ≦430° C., wherein the utility fluid comprises at least a portion of the separated components of the hydroprocessed product.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the raffinate comprises ≧90 wt. % of the hydroprocessed product's molecules having an atmospheric boiling point ≧290° C., and wherein the raffinate has one or more of (i) a kinematic viscosity (measured at 50° C.)<30 cSt, (ii) an I N ≦80, (iii) a sulfur content ≦1.0 wt. %, and (iv) a mass density ≦1.1 kg/m 2 .

21 . A system for treating a hydrocarbon feed, comprising:
(a) a hydroprocessor unit, wherein the hydroprocessor unit (i) comprises at least one inlet for receiving a heavy hydrocarbon feed, (ii) comprises at least one outlet for withdrawing a hydroprocessed product, and (iii) is configured to expose the hydrocarbon feed to a temperature in the range of from 300° C. to 500° C. in the presence of molecular hydrogen; and (b) a cavitation unit in fluidic communication with the hydroprocessing unit, wherein the cavitation unit comprises (i) at least one inlet configured for receiving at least a portion of the hydroprocessed product from the hydroprocessing unit, (ii) at least outlet for withdrawing a treated hydrocarbon, (iii) a first region in fluidic communication with the cavitation unit's inlet, the first region being configured for exposing the hydroprocessed product to an increased pressure sufficient to cause cavitation vaporization in the hydroprocessed product, and (iv) a second region in fluidic communication with the outlet and the first region, the second region being configured to receive the cavitated, hydroprocessed product and to expose the cavitated, hydroprocessed product to a decreased pressure sufficient to cause condensation of at least a portion of the cavitation vapor.

22 . A system for treating a hydrocarbon feed, comprising:
(a) a cavitation unit, wherein the cavitation unit comprises (i) at least one inlet for receiving a heavy hydrocarbon feed, (ii) at least one outlet for withdrawing a cavitation unit effluent, (iii) a first region in fluidic communication with the cavitation unit's inlet, the first region being configured for exposing the heavy hydrocarbon feed to an increased pressure sufficient to cause cavitation vaporization in the heavy hydrocarbon feed, and (iv) a second region in fluidic communication with the outlet and the first region, the second region being configured to receive the cavitated heavy hydrocarbon feed and to expose the cavitated heavy hydrocarbon feed to a decreased pressure sufficient to cause condensation of at least a portion of the cavitation vapor; and (b) a hydroprocessor unit, wherein the hydroprocessor unit (i) comprises at least one inlet for receiving at least a portion of the cavitation unit effluent, (ii) comprises at least one outlet for withdrawin

Assignees

• Exxonmobil Chem Patents Inc

Inventors

• Evans Christopher M
• Abichandani Jeevan S

Classifications

• C10G2300/4056

  Retrofitting operations · CPC title

• C10G2300/4012

  Pressure · CPC title

• C10G2300/308

  Gravity, density, e.g. API · CPC title

• C10G2300/302

  Viscosity · CPC title

• C10G2300/301

  Boiling range · CPC title