Process to remove asphaltene from heavy oil by solvent

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021198582-A1
Application number	US-201916729158-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 27, 2019
Priority date	Dec 27, 2019
Publication date	Jul 1, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure produce a method and system for deasphalting a hydrocarbon feed. The hydrocarbon feed and a first solvent is combined using a Taylor-Couette mixer to form a mixed stream. The mixed stream and a second solvent are introduced to an extractor to produce a first deasphalted oil stream and a pitch stream. The first deasphalted oil stream is introduced to a solvent recovery unit to recover the first solvent and the second solvent via a recovered solvent stream and to produce a second deasphalted oil stream.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for deasphalting a hydrocarbon feed, the method comprising the steps of:
combining the hydrocarbon feed and a first solvent using a Taylor-Couette (TC) mixer to form a mixed stream, wherein the hydrocarbon feed comprises asphaltenes; introducing the mixed stream and a second solvent to an extractor to produce a first deasphalted oil stream and a pitch stream, wherein the first deasphalted oil stream is substantially in the absence of the asphaltenes, wherein the pitch stream comprises the asphaltenes; and introducing the first deasphalted oil stream to a solvent recovery unit to recover the first solvent and the second solvent via a recovered solvent stream and to produce a second deasphalted oil stream, wherein the second deasphalted oil stream is substantially in the absence of the first solvent and the second solvent.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon feed is selected from the group consisting of: an atmospheric residue fraction, a vacuum residue fraction, and combinations thereof.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
pressurizing the hydrocarbon feed to a pressure ranging between 2 MPa and 4 MPa; and heating the hydrocarbon feed to a temperature ranging between 150 deg. C. and about 350 deg. C.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
pressurizing the first solvent to a pressure ranging between 2 MPa and 4 MPa.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first solvent is selected from the group consisting of: propane, n-butane, n-pentane, and combinations of the same.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixed stream has a solvent-to-oil volume ratio ranging between 0.2 and 2.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
pressurizing the second solvent to a pressure ranging between 2 MPa and 4 MPa.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second solvent is selected from the group consisting of: propane, n-butane, n-pentane, and combinations of the same.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the extractor is operated at a temperature ranging between 50 deg. C. and 150 deg. C. and a pressure ranging between 2 MPa and 4 MPa.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second solvent is introduced to the extractor at a position vertically lower than that of the mixed stream.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the extractor is operated to have a total solvent-to-oil volume ratio ranging between 0.5 and 5.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
depressurizing the first deasphalted oil stream to a pressure ranging between 0.05 MPa and 0.1 MPa.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent recovery unit is operated at a temperature ranging between 50 deg. C. and 100 deg. C. and a pressure ranging between 0.05 MPa and 0.1 MPa such that the recovered solvent stream includes the first solvent and the second solvent existing in gas phase.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the TC mixer comprising:
an inner cylinder; and an outer cylinder, wherein the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder are concentric, wherein the outer cylinder is stationary and includes an inlet and an outlet, the inlet configured to receive the hydrocarbon feed and the first solvent, the outlet configured to exit the mixed stream, wherein the inner cylinder is rotating at a predetermined angular velocity.

15 . A solvent deasphalting system for deasphalting a hydrocarbon feed, the solvent deasphalting system comprising:
a first pump, the first pump configured to pressurize the hydrocarbon feed to a pressure ranging between 2 MPa and 4 MPa, wherein the hydrocarbon feed comprises asphaltenes; a heater, the heater configured to heat the heat the hydrocarbon feed to a temperature ranging between 150 deg. C. and about 350 deg. C.; a second pump, the second pump configured to pressurize a first solvent to a pressure ranging between 2 MPa and 4 MPa, wherein the first solvent is selected from the group consisting of: propane, n-butane, n-pentane, and combinations of the same; a Taylor-Couette (TC) mixer, the TC mixer fluidly connected downstream of the first pump and the heater and fluidly connected downstream of the second pump, the TC mixer configured to combine the hydrocarbon feed and the first solvent to produce a mixed stream; a third pump, the third pump configured to pressurize a second solvent to a pressure ranging between 2 MPa and 4 MPa, wherein the second solvent is selected from the group consisting of: propane, n-butane, n-pentane, and combinations of the same; an extractor, the extractor fluidly connected downstream of the TC mixer and fluidly connected downstream of the third pump, the extractor operated at a temperature ranging between 50 deg. C. and 150 deg. C. and a pressure ranging between 2 MPa and 4 MPa to produce a first deasphalted oil stream and a pitch stream, wherein the first deasphalted oil stream is substantially in the absence of the asphaltenes, wherein the pitch stream comprises the asphaltenes; a pressure reducer, the pressure reducer fluidly connected downstream of the extractor, the pressure reducer configured to depressurize the first deasphalted oil stream to a pressure ranging between 0.05 MPa and 0.1 MPa; and a solvent recovery unit, the solvent recovery unit fluidly connected downstream of the pressure reducer, the solvent recovery unit operated at a temperature ranging between 50 deg. C. and 100 deg. C. and a pressure ranging between 0.05 MPa and 0.1 MPa to produce a second deasphalted oil stream and a recovered solvent stream, wherein the second deasphalted oil stream is substantially in the absence of the first solvent and the second solvent, wherein the recovered solvent stream comprises the first solvent and the second solvent existing in gas phase.

16 . The solvent deasphalting system of claim 15 , wherein the mixed stream has a solvent-to-oil volume ratio ranging between 0.2 and 2.

17 . The solvent deasphalting system of claim 15 , wherein the extractor is operated to have a total solvent-to-oil volume ratio ranging between 0.5 and 5.

18 . The solvent deasphalting system of claim 15 , wherein the TC mixer comprising:
an inner cylinder; and an outer cylinder, wherein the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder are concentric, wherein the outer cylinder is stationary and includes an inlet and an outlet, the inlet configured to receive the hydrocarbon feed and the first solvent, the outlet configured to exit the mixed stream, wherein the inner cylinder is rotating at a predetermined angular velocity.

19 . The solvent deasphalting system of claim 18 , wherein the TC mixer has an inner cylinder-to-outer cylinder radius ratio ranging between 0.79 and 0.92.

20 . The solvent deasphalting system of claim 18 , wherein the TC mixer has a gap aspect ratio ranging between 0.075 and 0.277.

21 . The solvent deasphalting system of claim 18 , wherein the TC mixer has a reduced Taylor number is greater than 1,000.

22 . The solvent deasphalting system of claim 18 , wherein the TC mixer has a length aspect ratio greater than 55.

23 . The solvent deasphalting system of claim 18 , wherein the TC mixer has an inner volume ranging between 0.1% of an input volume flow rate and 1% of the input volume flow rate.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Aljishi Mohammad F
• Choi Ki-Hyouk

Classifications

• B01F27/272

  with means for moving the materials to be mixed axially between the surfaces of the rotor and the stator, e.g. the stator rotor system formed by conical or cylindrical surfaces · CPC title

• C10G2300/205

  Metal content · CPC title

• B01F2215/0431

  Numerical size values, e.g. diameter of a hole or conduit, area, volume, length, width, or ratios thereof · CPC title

• C10G2300/308

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

• C10G21/28

  Recovery of used solvent · CPC title