Supercritical hydrocarbon conversion process

Abstract

Supercritical conversion of hydrocarbons boiling above 538° C. (1000° F.) with a solvating hydrocarbon at a weight ratio of solvating hydrocarbon to high-boiling hydrocarbons of at least 2:1 and at conditions above the critical temperature and pressure of the high-boiling hydrocarbons-solvent mixture, in the presence of hot fluidized solids. The hydrocarbons are supplied to a reaction zone at a temperature below that of the hot solids supplied thereto, whereby the resulting hydrocarbons-solids suspension has a thermal equilibrium temperature corresponding to the reaction temperature. The conversion has high rates of sulfur, nitrogen and metals removal, nearly complete conversion to lower molecular weight products, high naphtha and distillate selectivity, and low coke formation. The supercritical conversion can replace crude distillation, vacuum distillation, solvent deasphalting, coking, hydrocracking, hydrotreating, and / or fluid catalytic cracking, and / or used in parallel with such unit operations for debottlenecking or increasing capacity.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of co-pending application having Ser. No. 10 / 707,997, filed on Jan. 30, 2004, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,144,498.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to the conversion of high-boiling hydrocarbons in the presence of a hydrocarbon solvent at mixture supercritical conditions using hot particle heating. [0003] The conversion of high boiling hydrocarbons is economically important in maximizing the production of useable hydrocarbons. Useable hydrocarbons for these purposes are defined as hydrocarbons possessing normal boiling points less than 538° C. (1000° F.). Methods traditionally employed to enhance the recovery of useable hydrocarbons include thermal cracking, visbreaking, hydrocracking, catalytic cracking, steam cracking, and solvent extraction to name a few. [0004] Cracking is a refining process involving the decomposition and molecular recombination of hydrocarbons, to form m...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

), as well as nitrogen, sulfur, organometallic compounds, and Conradson Carbon Residue (CCR), making it difficult to process.

High pressure is needed to ensure the presence of hydrogen in the reaction mixture and the formation of insignificant amounts of coke, and high levels of feed CCR and / or metals present in the hydrocracker feed can easily poison the catalyst.

Because of the potential for catalyst poisoning, a cheap but less effective catalyst is usually used in the hydrocracker 22, resulting in incomplete conversion of the high molecular weight compounds.

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