Systems and methods for nuclear powered petrochemical production systems

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system for nuclear production of petrochemicals. Some such systems include a nuclear reactor that generates thermal energy; a dehydrogenation plant adapted to produce petrochemicals using some thermal energy; a power generation device adapted to generate electricity and produce steam using some thermal energy; an electric steam methane reforming furnace for producing hydrogen using the generated electric power; and a cracking reactor adapted to combust hydrogen. Some such processes include using thermal energy generated by nuclear energy in a dehydrogenation plant to add the thermal energy to a dehydrogenation process to produce petrochemicals; using heat energy generated by nuclear energy in a power generation device to generate electricity and produce steam; energizing an electric steam methane reforming (SMR)-based hydrogen plant with the generated power to produce hydrogen, and processing a hydrocarbon feed in a cracking reactor to produce petrochemicals.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to petroleum production. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, the present disclosure relates to petroleum production using nuclear energy as an energy source. BACKGROUND

[0002] Chemical synthesis plants are used to provide a variety of chemicals. Typically, specialized fuels are burned or combusted to provide reaction heat for chemical synthesis, energy for heating one or more process streams, energy for vaporizing liquids (e.g., boiling water used as a diluent), energy for work (e.g., driving compressors or pumps), or energy for other process operations throughout the chemical synthesis plant. Such burning or combustion of fuels results in the production of flue gas containing CO2, which can be harmful to the environment, and also results in energy efficiency losses for the process. Likewise, steam is conventionally used within chemical synthesis plants as a plant-wide heat and / or energy transfer fluid. Steam used for heat and / or energy transfer is typically produced via combustion of fuels, resulting in additional flue gas production and further energy efficiency losses during chemical synthesis.

[0003] One strategy for reducing emissions associated with burning fuels is electrification of the chemical synthesis plant, but electrification of certain components in a chemical synthesis plant presents additional problems and challenges. For example, in steam cracking, an electrically heated pyrolysis reactor can present problems that are different from and / or not necessarily present with a combustion driven furnace pyrolysis reactor.

[0004] Providing heat from electricity is typically more expensive than providing heat directly from fuel combustion. Furthermore, sources of carbon-free electricity tend to be unreliable and intermittent. The amount of electricity produced from solar and wind power varies with time of day and weather conditions, e.g., night and overcast days reduce or interrupt the electricity production from solar panels. Likewise, during periods of slow or non-existent wind, the electricity production from wind turbines is reduced or interrupted. However, in commerce, it is important for a chemical plant to maintain consistent production, and therefore a continuous source of power is typically required. Stored energy can be used to compensate for the gaps associated with intermittent power production, but energy storage is typically expensive and limited in capacity. Thus, while useful, stored energy is ineffective at compensating for extended gaps in power production. SUMMARY

[0005] One of the many factors to be addressed in the decarbonization of certain petrochemical production processes involves selecting the appropriate energy source based on the needs, opportunities, and economics presented by these processes. While low-carbon energy sources are desirable, not all such energy sources are technically and ultimately economically feasible. For example, the selected energy source should be reliable, and its implementation in industrial applications (e.g., changes to equipment in existing industrial plants) should be feasible. Petrochemical production processes, such as steam cracking to make olefins, steam methane reforming to make syngas and hydrogen, catalytic reforming to make aromatics, and various other dehydrogenation reactions consume thermal energy, which is typically derived from the combustion of natural gas, resulting in carbon emissions. Thus, replacing the combustion of natural gas with a carbon-free energy source is desirable. The most popular carbon-free energy sources are wind and solar, but these energy sources are intermittent and unreliable, which can be difficult to use in petrochemical plants that require a continuous supply of energy every hour of the day and every day of the week. As low-carbon footprint and reliability are driving factors, the present inventors have discovered systems and methods for producing petrochemicals using nuclear energy, which is the most reliable and continuous form of carbon-free energy.

[0006] Embodiments of the present disclosure include providing various energy modes from a nuclear energy source, and using the various energy modes to process petrochemicals according to process temperature requirements. In this way, thermodynamic efficiency can be maximized, thus reducing costs. Embodiments of the present disclosure also involve utilizing byproducts of some processes as feedstocks and / or fuels for other processes in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the carbon footprint of operating a petrochemical plant as a whole, where some of those byproducts might otherwise become greenhouse gases.

[0007] In some configurations, the present system includes a nuclear reactor configured to generate thermal energy, and a dehydrogenation plant adapted to use a first portion of the generated thermal energy to add thermal energy directly into a dehydrogenation reaction to remove hydrogen from a first hydrocarbon feedstock to produce one or more petrochemical products. The system additionally includes a power generation plant adapted to use a second portion of the generated thermal energy to generate electricity and produce steam, and an electrically-steam methane reforming (SMR) based hydrogen plant adapted to receive at least a first portion of the generated electricity and powered by at least the first portion of the generated electricity to produce hydrogen. The system still additionally includes a cracking reactor adapted to process a second hydrocarbon feed to produce one or more petrochemical products, the cracking reactor adapted to receive and combust hydrogen from at least one source selected from a list of hydrogen sources consisting of: the electrically-SMR based hydrogen plant, the dehydrogenation plant, and the cracking reactor.

[0008] In some such configurations, the one or more petrochemical products include a product selected from a group of products consisting of: olefins, aromatics, propylene, butadiene, isobutylene, benzene, toluene, xylene, and hydrogen.

[0009] In some configurations, the second hydrocarbon feed comprises one or more elements selected from the list of elements consisting of: alkanes, condensate, LPG, naphtha, and gas oil, and one or more petrochemical products comprising a product selected from the group of products consisting of: one or more olefins, ethylene, propylene, butylenes, aromatics, benzene, toluene, xylene, pyrolysis gas (PyGas) and pyrolysis oil (PyOil), hydrogen, and methane.

[0010] In some configurations, the system additionally comprises a plastics production apparatus adapted to use at least one of the petrochemical product(s) from the cracking reactor, a third portion of the thermal energy, a second portion of the generated electricity, and / or at least a portion of the generated steam, to produce one or more plastics.

[0011] In certain optional variants, the nuclear reactor is adapted to be cooled by gas. In certain optional variants, the nuclear reactor is adapted to be cooled by molten salt or molten metal.

[0012] In some configurations, a gas / gas heat exchanger is additionally included, adapted to transfer a first portion of the generated thermal energy to the dehydrogenation apparatus.

[0013] In certain optional variants, hydrogen from the one or more petrochemical products from the dehydrogenation apparatus is used as fuel to deliver thermal energy by combustion.

[0014] In certain optional variants, the electricity-based SMR hydrogen apparatus is configured such that CO2 manufactured by reforming in the electricity-based SMR hydrogen apparatus is sequestered or used as a feedstock.

[0015] In certain optional variants, the feed to the electricity-based SMR hydrogen apparatus at least partially comprises methane byproduct from the cracking reactor.

[0016] In some configurations of the system, the electricity-based (SMR) hydrogen apparatus is adapted to provide at least some of the generated hydrogen to one or more of the group consisting of: the cracking reactor to be used as fuel, the ammonia apparatus for manufacturing ammonia, to a methanol apparatus for manufacturing methanol, to a gas-to-liquid apparatus, and to an apparatus that converts carbon dioxide into other products.

[0017] Some embodiments of the method include using a first portion of the thermal energy generated from the nuclear reaction in a dehydrogenation unit to add thermal energy to a dehydrogenation reaction to remove hydrogen from a first hydrocarbon feed to produce one or more petrochemical products, and using a second portion of the thermal energy in a power generation unit to generate electricity and to produce steam. The method additionally includes powering a steam methane reforming (SMR) based hydrogen unit with at least a portion of the generated electricity to produce hydrogen, and processing a second hydrocarbon feed in a cracking reactor to produce one or more petrochemical products, wherein thermal energy is added to a cracking reaction in the cracking reactor by combusting hydrogen from at least one source selected from a list of hydrogen sources consisting of: the SMR based hydrogen unit, the dehydrogenation unit, and the cracking reactor.

[0018] In some configurations, the method includes removing hydrogen from the first hydrocarbon feed is a dehydrogenation reaction that produces H2 and one or more petrochemical products selected from the list of elements consisting of: aromatics, propylene, butadiene, isobutylene, benzene, toluene, xylene, and hydrogen.

[0019] In some configurations, the second hydrocarbon feed includes one or more elements selected from the list of elements consisting of: alkanes, condensate, LPG, naphtha, or gas oil; and the one or more petrochemical products include products selected from the group of products consisting of: olefins, ethylene, propylene, and butylenes; aromatics, benzene, toluene, and xylene; pyrolysis gas (PyGas) and pyrolysis oil (PyOil).

[0020] In some configurations, the method includes providing at least one of the petrochemical product(s) from the cracking reactor, a second portion of the generated electricity, and / or at least a portion of the generated steam to a plastics production unit, and producing one or more plastics from the at least one petrochemical product in the plastics production unit.

[0021] The term "coupled" is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically; two items that are "coupled" can be unitary with each other. The terms "a" and "an" are defined as one or more unless this disclosure explicitly states otherwise. The term "substantially" is defined as mostly, but not necessarily entirely, as understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. In any embodiment of the devices, kits, and methods of the present invention, the term "substantially" can be replaced with the specified "within [a percentage] of," where the percentage includes 0.1%, 1%, 5%, and / or 10%.

[0022] The terms "comprise" (and any form of comprise, such as "comprises" and "comprising"), "have" (and any form of have, such as "has" and "having"), "include" (and any form of include, such as "includes" and "including") and "contain" (and any form of contain, such as "contains" and "containing") are open-ended linking verbs. As a result, a device or apparatus that "comprises," "has," "includes" or "contains" one or more elements possesses those one or more elements, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more elements. Likewise, a methodology that "comprises," "has," "includes" or "contains" one or more steps possesses those one or more steps, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more steps.

[0023] Additionally, devices, apparatuses, or systems configured in a certain way are at least configured in that way, but can also be configured in other ways than specifically described.

[0024] Any embodiment of any of the devices and methods can consist of or essentially consist of any described step, element, and / or feature, rather than comprising / including / containing / having any described step, element, and / or feature. Thus, in any claim, the term "consisting of" or "consisting essentially of can be replaced with either the open-ended language "comprising" or the other open-ended language "including," and the application will remain valid. Similarly, in any claim, the term "consisting of" or "consisting essentially of can be replaced with either the open-ended language "comprising" or the other open-ended language "including," and the application will remain valid.

[0025] The term "majority" as used in the specification and / or claims means greater than any of 50% by weight, 50% by mole, and 50% by volume. For example, "majority" can include 50.1% to 100% by weight, all values and ranges therebetween, 50.1% to 100% by mole, all values and ranges therebetween, or 50.1% to 100% by volume, all values and ranges therebetween.

[0026] The disclosure of numerical ranges in the specification and / or claims is a disclosure of any range or value within the disclosed range. For example, the disclosure of a range 1 to 10 is a disclosure of any range or value within the range 1 to 10, such as 1 to 5, 5 to 10, 3 to 8, 5 to 6, 5.5 to 6.4, etc.; and is a disclosure of values 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 1.1, 2.2, 3.3, 4.9, 5.8, 6.7, etc.

[0027] Details associated with the above-described embodiments and other embodiments are presented below.

[0028] Some details associated with aspects of the present disclosure are described above, while others are described below. Other implementations, advantages, and features of the present disclosure will become apparent in view of the whole application, including the drawings, the detailed description, and the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0029] The following drawings illustrate by example and not by limitation. For brevity and clarity, each feature of a given structure is not always portrayed in each illustration of that structure. Identical reference numerals or reference designations do not necessarily indicate identical structures. Rather, similar reference numerals or designations can be used to indicate similar features or features with similar functionality. Similarly, the first digit or digits of a reference number can indicate that the referenced feature is common to one or more of the illustrated structures or embodiments.

[0030] Figure 1 A schematic diagram depicting an example of a nuclear energy powered system for producing petrochemicals.

[0031] Figure 2 A conceptual flow diagram depicting an example of the present method of producing petrochemicals.

[0032] Figure 3 A schematic diagram depicting an example of a dehydrogenation unit that can be included in the present system.

[0033] Figure 4 A schematic diagram depicting an example of a steam cracking unit that can be included in the present system.

[0034] Figure 5 A schematic diagram depicting an example of an electrically steam methane reforming (SMR) unit that can be included in the present system.

[0035] Figure 6 A conceptual flow diagram depicting another example of the present method of producing petrochemicals.

[0036] Figure 7 A schematic diagram depicting another example of an embodiment of a nuclear energy powered propane dehydrogenation unit for making propylene.

[0037] Figure 8 A schematic diagram depicting an example of an embodiment of a nuclear energy powered catalytic reforming unit for making aromatics.

[0038] Figure 9 A schematic diagram depicting an example of a power system design for a nuclear energy powered petrochemical production plant. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a petrochemical production plant is powered by thermal energy from a nuclear energy source, which is delivered to various production processes in several ways including: (1) direct heating with a nuclear energy thermal medium, (2) via steam generated from the thermal energy of a nuclear energy thermal medium, and (3) via electricity generated from a portion of the generated steam. This approach maximizes the utilization of the thermal energy produced by nuclear energy and its subsequent modes of thermal efficiency by matching these different energy modes to the process units according to their energy requirements (e.g., based on the temperature ranges needed for each process).

[0040] System for producing petrochemicals in a nuclear energy powered petrochemical plant

[0041] Reference will now be made to the drawings, and more specifically to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 depicts a system 10 suitable for producing petrochemicals, Figure 2 depicts a method 20 suitable for producing petrochemicals and that can be implemented using the system 10.

[0042] As Figure 1 shown in the middle, the system 10 includes a nuclear reactor 100 suitable for conducting a nuclear reaction and thereby converting nuclear energy into thermal energy. The nuclear reactor 100 can include one or more nuclear core reactors and / or one or more small modular reactors. The nuclear reactor 100 is suitable for heating a coolant 102 to form a heated medium 103 (which consists of the heated coolant 102). The heated medium 103 can for example have a temperature in the range of 500°C to 1000°C. In embodiments, the nuclear reactor 100 can be cooled by different means. For example, the nuclear reactor 100 can be molten salt cooled, molten metal cooled, and / or gas cooled. In the depicted configuration, the system 10 is suitable for separating the heated medium 103 into a first portion 103-1 (having a first portion of the generated thermal energy) and a second portion 103-2 (having a second portion of the generated thermal energy). In some configurations, the system 10 can include one or more gas-gas heat exchangers suitable for transferring the thermal energy of the first portion 103-1 to a dehydrogenation plant 30. In some embodiments, 5% to 15% of the heated medium 103 is directed to the first portion 103-1 and 85% to 95% of the heated medium 103 is directed to the second portion 103-2. In the depicted example, the system 10 also includes a power plant 104 suitable for generating electricity 105 and producing steam 106 using the second portion of the generated thermal energy (the thermal energy of the second portion 103-2).

[0043] As Figure 1As depicted in the middle, the system 10 includes a petrochemical plant 101 that includes one or more plants suitable for processing hydrocarbons. For example, in the depicted configuration, the petrochemical plant 101 includes a dehydrogenation plant 30, a cracking reactor 40, an electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50, a plastic production plant 115 (e.g., for polyethylene production), a polypropylene production plant 112, an ethylene oxide / ethylene glycol production plant 118, and a separator 111. Figure 1 It is also depicted how various production processes of the petrochemical plant 101 can be configured to utilize energy from the nuclear reactor 100 via the first portion 103-1 of the heating medium 103, the electricity 105, and the steam 106, and how various components of the product streams can be directed as fuel and / or process feedstock to the production plants in order to operate the various plants in a manner that minimizes the carbon footprint of the petrochemical plant 101 as a whole (where some of the components would otherwise become greenhouse gases). It should be noted that while the system 10 is depicted as including polyethylene and polypropylene plants, certain embodiments can include other or additional plastic plants. Further, while the system 10 is disclosed as including a dehydrogenation plant 30 for producing propylene, it should be noted that the system 10 can include other dehydrogenation plants for producing other olefins or aromatics. Thus, the dehydrogenation plant can be configured in some embodiments to produce one or more of olefins, aromatics, propylene, butenes, butadiene, isobutylene, benzene, toluene, xylene, and hydrogen.

[0044] The dehydrogenation plant 30 is suitable for dehydrogenating a hydrocarbon such as an alkane. In Figure 3 In an example, the dehydrogenation plant 30 is suitable for dehydrogenating propane present in a first hydrocarbon feed 300 to produce a first product stream 304 comprising propylene. Dehydrogenation, as the name implies, involves the removal of a hydrogen atom from a compound. In the dehydrogenation of propane, hydrogen gas is removed from propane to form propylene according to the following reaction: C3H8→ C3H6 + H2 The dehydrogenation reaction of propane to form propylene is typically carried out in the presence of a catalyst in a dehydrogenation reactor. The effluent from the dehydrogenation reactor includes primarily propylene (C3H6, the main product), propane (C3H8, the unreacted portion of the propane feed, which can be recycled back to the dehydrogenation reactor for further attempts to dehydrogenate it to produce propylene), hydrogen (H2, the main byproduct produced by the dehydrogenation reaction), and typically a small amount of a methane byproduct stream. Both propylene and hydrogen are valuable components of the dehydrogenation reactor effluent. For example, hydrogen is an energy carrier that can be used as a fuel or as a feedstock to make products such as ammonia.

[0045] In Figure 3In the illustrated example, propane contained in the first hydrocarbon feed 300 is provided to a dehydrogenation reactor 301, which can include one or more fixed bed reactors, for example. The dehydrogenation reactor 301 dehydrogenates the propane to form a dehydrogenation reactor effluent 302, which contains propylene, hydrogen, unreacted propane, and typically small amounts of methane. The dehydrogenation reactor effluent 302 can then be separated by a product splitter 303 to form a first product stream 304 containing primarily propylene, a propane stream 305 containing primarily propane, a first hydrogen stream 306, and a first methane stream 307. The propane stream 305 can be recycled to the dehydrogenation reactor 301 for additional processing. It should be noted that other designs of dehydrogenation units 30 can be used in the present system.

[0046] In the depicted example, the cracking reactor 40 is adapted to process alkanes in the second hydrocarbon feed 400 to produce a second product stream 408 containing olefins. With reference to Figure 4 , a flow diagram of an example of a general steam cracking unit or process is shown, which includes one or more of the following process sections for converting the second hydrocarbon feed 400 into a desired olefin product stream (second product stream 408): a feed pretreatment section 401, a pyrolysis reaction section 403, a primary fractionation and compression section 405, a product fractionation (separation) and compression section 407, or combinations thereof. Such sections will be briefly described in the next few paragraphs, and described in more detail hereinafter.

[0047] The feed pretreatment section 401 can be configured to adjust the pressure of the second hydrocarbon feed 400, possibly remove undesirable components (e.g., carbon dioxide (CO2), mercury, water) from the feed, combine incoming feed with stored feed to minimize variations in the feed to the pyrolysis reaction section 403, and / or preheat the second hydrocarbon feed 400 to provide a pretreated feed stream 402.

[0048] The pyrolysis reaction section 403 can include at least one steam cracker or “pyrolysis” furnace configured to crack hydrocarbons in the presence of steam to produce a cracked gas stream, and a transfer line exchanger (TLE) or other heat transfer device to quench the cracked gas stream (and optionally harvest heat therefrom) to provide a cooled cracked gas stream 404. Conventionally, the furnaces of a steam cracking unit produce a high temperature environment by combusting at least a partially carbon-based fuel (e.g., methane), which produces carbon dioxide emissions from conventional steam cracking units / processes. However, in the present system, in some embodiments, the furnaces can be fired solely by hydrogen (from various sources), thus decarbonizing the furnaces completely while introducing minimal design and operational changes.

[0049] The primary fractionation and compression section 405 can be configured to provide additional heat recovery and quenching from the cooled cracked gas stream 404, remove one or more components (e.g., fuel oil, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, water, or combinations thereof) from the cooled cracked gas stream 404, and / or compress the cooled cracked gas stream 404, thus providing a compressed cracked gas stream 406.

[0050] The product fractionation or separation section 407 can be configured to fractionate the compressed cracked gas stream 406, selectively hydrogenate one or more streams produced during fractionation, and provide one or more olefins (e.g., ethylene, propylene) in a second product stream 408. The product fractionation or separation section 407 can also provide one or more byproduct streams 409, such as, but not limited to, a Ci stream, a C2 saturated stream, a C3 saturated stream, a C4 saturated stream, an acetylene stream, a butadiene stream, an l-butene stream, an iso-butene stream, an aromatic stream, a hydrogen stream, a pyrolysis gasoline stream, and / or a fuel oil stream, or a stream comprising combinations of these components. Some of these streams can be recycled to one or more sections of the steam cracking unit. For example, but not limited to, C2, C3, and / or C4 saturated streams can be recycled to one or more of the pyrolysis furnaces of the pyrolysis reaction section 403, hydrogen can be purified (e.g., via a pressure swing adsorption unit (PSA) and a methanation reactor to remove CO) and recycled to hydrogenation reactors (e.g., C2, C3, acetylene, or di-olefin hydrogenators) and / or used as a fuel source (e.g., via a fuel cell or by simple combustion). Combusting hydrogen in this way helps decarbonize the cracking process. The Ci stream can be used as a chemical feedstock (e.g., for methanol production in a methanol plant) and can be indirectly used as a fuel by feeding it to the electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50, which produces a second hydrogen stream 501 that can be combusted and a byproduct CO2 506 that can be sequestered or used as a feedstock. Notably, the byproduct CO2 506 from the electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50 is easier and cheaper to capture and sequester compared to the capture of flue gas CO2 as in conventional processes. It should be noted that other designs of cracking reactors 40 can be used in the present system.

[0051] In the present system, the electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50 is adapted to use the generated electricity 105 to power an electric SMR furnace 507 that is the core of the hydrogen (H2) process. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, this generated hydrogen can be provided to a cracking reactor 40 that is adapted to combust the generated hydrogen, thus providing heat for processing a second hydrocarbon feed 400 to produce a second product stream 408 comprising olefins. Referring to Figure 5 , a block diagram of an electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50 configured for steam methane reforming is shown. As Figure 5As shown, the hydrogen processing unit 50 based on electric SMR includes an electric SMR furnace 507, a water-gas shift reactor 508, and a separator 504. The electric SMR furnace 507 can be radiant, impedance-heated, induction-heated, or a synthesis flame, etc. Figure 1 As depicted, the electric SMR furnace 507 typically includes a fluid inlet 5000 (for a third hydrocarbon feed 500) and a fluid outlet 5001 (for the furnace effluent 502, which contains syngas (CO and H2), H2O, and unreacted CH4). The furnace effluent 502 is provided to one or more water-gas shift reactors 508, where CO and H2O react to form CO2 and additional H2. Thus, the water-gas shift reactor effluent 503 contains CO2, H2, and unreacted CH4. The water-gas shift reactor effluent 503 is provided to a separator 504 (e.g., a distillation column), where it is separated into a second hydrogen stream 501, an unreacted CH4 stream 505, and a byproduct CO2 506.

[0052] exist Figure 1 In the examples depicted, petrochemical unit 101 includes a polypropylene production unit 112 adapted to process a first product stream 304 primarily comprising propylene to produce polypropylene. In the examples depicted, petrochemical unit 101 includes a plastics production unit 115 and / or an ethylene oxide / ethylene glycol production unit 118. The plastics production unit 115 may be adapted to process at least a portion of a fourth hydrocarbon feed 116 containing ethylene to produce a fifth product stream 117 containing polyethylene. The ethylene oxide / ethylene glycol production unit 118 may be adapted to process at least a portion of the fourth hydrocarbon feed 116 containing ethylene to produce a sixth product stream 119 containing ethylene oxide or ethylene glycol. In the examples depicted, petrochemical unit 101 includes a product divider 303 and a separator 111 adapted to separate chemical streams into components. The product divider 303 and separator 111 may include, for example, one or more distillation columns, cold boxes, PSAs, or any combination of other unit operations well known to those skilled in the art for achieving the desired separation.

[0053] Methods for producing petrochemicals in nuclear-powered petrochemical plants

[0054] exist Figure 2In the depicted example method, the method 20 includes generating thermal energy at block 200 by a nuclear reaction (e.g., in a nuclear reactor 100), for example, where a nuclear core reactor causes a nuclear reaction that generates thermal energy. This thermal energy can then be transferred to a coolant 102, thereby forming a hot medium 103 (which consists of the heated coolant 102) having a temperature in the range of 500 °C to 1000 °C. Block 201 of the method 20 can involve providing a first portion of the generated thermal energy to a first processing unit, for example, by separating the heated medium 103 into a first portion 103-1 and a second portion 103-2, and providing the first portion 103-1 to a dehydrogenation device 30. In the depicted example, one or more gas-gas heat exchangers transfer thermal energy of the first portion 103-1 to the dehydrogenation device 30. The method 20 can include processing a first hydrocarbon feed 300 containing one or more alkanes at block 202 to produce one or more alkenes and / or one or more arenes. For example, block 202 can include processing a first hydrocarbon feed 300 containing propane in the dehydrogenation device 30 to produce propylene and hydrogen gas contained in a first product stream 304. Certain embodiments can include other dehydrogenation devices that can produce other alkenes or arenes plus hydrogen gas byproducts. The alkenes can include propylene, butadiene, and isobutylene; and the arenes can include benzene, toluene, and xylene. In some embodiments, the process conditions for processing the first hydrocarbon feed 300 in the dehydrogenation device 30 include a temperature in the range of 400 °C to 650 °C (e.g., 450 °C to 600 °C, 500 °C to 600 °C, 400 °C to 550 °C, 400 °C to 450 °C, 450 °C to 500 °C, 500 °C to 550 °C, 550 °C to 600 °C, or 600 °C to 650 °C).

[0055] In the depicted example, block 203 of the method 20 involves providing a second portion of the generated thermal energy to a power generation device, for example, by flowing the second portion 103-2 of the heated medium 103 to the power generation device 104. Also, at block 204, the power generation device 104 can use the second portion of the generated thermal energy to generate electricity 105 and produce steam 106. The temperature and pressure of the steam 106 can vary depending on the temperature of the nuclear heat and the needs of the downstream processes. In some cases, it can be superheated steam at 1,600 PSIG to 2,500 PSIG, which can be used to do shaft work to turn compressors and pumps, and which can be used for various heating needs throughout the petrochemical plant 101. The method 20 can include producing hydrogen at block 205 in an eSMR-based hydrogen plant 50 using the generated electricity 105 as an energy source. And the method 20 can additionally involve combusting hydrogen gas from various sources (dehydrogenation device, cracking device, and / or hydrogen plant) at block 206, thereby providing thermal energy to a second processing unit, such as a cracking reactor 40.

[0056] In the depicted example, block 207 includes processing the second hydrocarbon feed 400 in the cracking reactor 40 to produce one or more petrochemical products. For example, block 207 can include processing the second hydrocarbon feed 400 in the cracking reactor 40 that includes alkanes, condensate, LPG, naphtha, and gas oil; and the one or more petrochemical products include a product selected from the group of products consisting of olefins, one or more olefins (such as ethylene, propylene, and butylenes), aromatic hydrocarbons (such as benzene, toluene, and xylene), heavier byproduct pyrolysis gas (PyGas) and pyrolysis oil (PyOil), hydrogen, and methane. In some embodiments, the process conditions for processing the second hydrocarbon feed 400 in the cracking reactor 40 include a temperature in the range of 500 °C to 900 °C, including the ranges of 500 °C to 550 °C, 550 °C to 600 °C, 600 °C to 650 °C, 650 °C to 700 °C, 700 °C to 750 °C, 750 °C to 800 °C, 800 °C to 850 °C, and 850 °C to 900 °C.

[0057] In the depicted example of the method 20, block 208 includes providing the produced heat energy (via the first portion 103-1 of the heating medium 103), the produced electricity 105, and / or the produced steam 106 to a plastics production plant 115 that processes one or more olefins to produce one or more plastics. The one or more plastics can include, for example, polyethylene and / or polypropylene. In block 209, a portion of the one or more petrochemical products (such as methane included in the third hydrocarbon feed 500 from the cracking reactor 40) is processed in the eSMR-based hydrogen plant 50 to produce a second hydrogen stream 501 that includes hydrogen. The produced hydrogen can be used as fuel (e.g., in a cracking plant) or as a feedstock to make, for example, ammonia (in an ammonia plant).

[0058] Figure 6 The method 60 is shown and depicted how various product streams are directed in various methods to act as feedstocks and / or fuels in order to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the petrochemical plant 101. In the depicted example and as implemented using the system 10, the method 60 includes, at block 600, processing the first hydrocarbon feed 300 in the dehydrogenation plant 30 to produce a dehydrogenation reactor effluent 302. At block 601, the method 60 includes separating the dehydrogenation reactor effluent 302 at the product splitter 303 into (a) a first methane stream 307 that includes primarily methane; (b) a first product stream 304 that includes primarily propylene; and (c) a first hydrogen stream 306 that includes primarily hydrogen. The method 60 can involve, at block 602, providing the first hydrogen stream 306 to be combusted as fuel to heat the cracking reactor 40, providing the first product stream 304 to a polypropylene production plant 112, and providing the first methane stream 307 to the eSMR-based hydrogen plant 50 to be processed to produce hydrogen.

[0059] At block 603, the method 60 can involve the electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50 receiving the generated electricity 105 and using it to process a third hydrocarbon feed 500 to produce a second hydrogen stream 501. The amount of methane that flows from the cracking reactor 40 to the electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50 depends on the feed slate that makes up the second hydrocarbon feed 400, and can vary from <5% of ethane, about 20% of LPG, and about 15% of naphtha. Thus, the second hydrocarbon feed slate to the cracking reactor 40 can determine the amount of hydrogen produced in the electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50. If the hydrogen produced does not meet the heating requirements at the cracking plant or if additional hydrogen is needed as a feedstock, additional methane can be added to the feed to the electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50 via an additional CH4 stream 509. If hydrogen is in excess, it can be used as a feedstock elsewhere (e.g., to make ammonia in an ammonia plant). It should be noted that a light stream 108, including various light hydrocarbon effluent streams (e.g., those having four carbon atoms and / or less), can also be directed to the electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50 for processing.

[0060] At block 604, the second hydrogen stream 501 from the electrical SMR based hydrogen plant 50 is separated into a first hydrogen portion 501-1 and a second hydrogen portion 501-2. The first hydrogen portion 501-1 of the second hydrogen stream 501 is routed to the cracking reactor 40 to be combusted as fuel along with the first hydrogen stream 306 to provide thermal energy for processing the second hydrocarbon feed 400 to produce the second product stream 408. The second hydrogen portion 501-2 of the second hydrogen stream 501 can be routed to storage as excess, as hydrogen is considered a carrier of energy, and thus effectively storing energy, for extraction and / or sale as a fuel, for production of ammonia in an ammonia plant, then urea in a process that also consumes a portion of the byproduct carbon dioxide formed in the petrochemical plant 101 (and thereby further reducing carbon dioxide that would otherwise become a greenhouse gas or be sequestered), for production of methanol in a methanol plant, for processing in a gas to liquids plant, and / or for processing in any plant that converts carbon dioxide into other products. The method 60 can also include, at block 605, separating the second product stream 408 into a third hydrocarbon feed 500 comprising primarily methane; a third hydrogen stream 107 comprising primarily hydrogen; and a fourth hydrocarbon feed 116 comprising primarily ethylene. In the depicted example, block 606 includes flowing the third hydrocarbon feed 500 to the electrical SMR based hydrogen plant 50 for processing to produce hydrogen. In the depicted example, block 607 involves flowing the fourth hydrocarbon feed 116 to a plastics production plant 115 for processing to produce a fifth product stream 117. The method 60 can include, at block 608, flowing the third hydrogen stream 107 to the cracking reactor 40 to be combusted as fuel along with the first hydrogen stream 306 and the first hydrogen portion 501-1 of the second hydrogen stream 501 to provide thermal energy to the cracking reactor 40 to produce the second product stream 408.

[0061] The use of various hydrogen streams (first hydrogen stream 306, first hydrogen portion 501-1, and third hydrogen stream 107) as fuel in cracking reactor 40 has a positive impact on the carbon footprint of operating petrochemical plant 101. Likewise, directing methane as third hydrocarbon feed 500 from cracking reactor 40 to electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50 utilizes the byproduct in petrochemical plant 101, rather than burning it in some cases, which produces carbon emissions, thus the current method positively impacts the carbon footprint of petrochemical plant 101 compared to conventional methods. Furthermore, utilizing energy from a nuclear energy source to power (1) dehydrogenation plant 30 (which produces methane that is processed in electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50), (2) cracking reactor 40 (which produces methane that is processed in electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50), and (3) electric SMR-based hydrogen plant 50 (which produces some hydrogen that is used as fuel in cracking reactor 40) compounds the decarbonization effects of the above-described relationships of directing feedstocks and fuels.

[0062] Figure 7 Examples of embodiments of a nuclear energy powered petrochemical production plant, specifically a nuclear energy powered propane dehydrogenation plant 70, are depicted. As Figure 7As shown in the figure, the nuclear energy powered propane dehydrogenation plant 70 includes a nuclear reactor 100, a return gas stream 700, a hot gas stream 701, a first gas-gas heat exchanger 703-1, a second gas-gas heat exchanger 703-2, a third gas-gas heat exchanger 703-3; a first dehydrogenation reactor 704-1, a second dehydrogenation reactor 704-2, a third dehydrogenation reactor 704-3, and a separator 706. In this example, the nuclear reactor 100 is adapted to generate heat energy and transfer that heat energy to the return gas stream 700 at a temperature in the range of 600°C to 700°C, thereby forming the hot gas stream 701 at a temperature in the range of 700°C to 900°C. It should be noted that in certain embodiments, depending on the operating parameters of the nuclear reactor 100, the return gas stream 700 stream and the hot gas stream 701 can be at a higher or lower temperature. The hot gas stream 701 is used to heat one or more propane feeds comprising propane, in the depicted example, a first propane feed 702-1, a second propane feed 702-2, and a third propane feed 702-3. In at least some embodiments, each feed is heated to a temperature of at least 650°C by a heat exchanger. The dehydrogenation reactors, the first dehydrogenation reactor 704-1, the second dehydrogenation reactor 704-2, and the third dehydrogenation reactor 704-3, are adapted to dehydrogenate the propane to form propylene, thus, as the processing of the feed proceeds from the first propane feed 702-1 to the second propane feed 702-2 and to the third propane feed 702-3, the relative proportion of propane will decrease and the relative proportion of propylene will increase. The dehydrogenation reaction that occurs in the dehydrogenation reactors is endothermic and equilibrium-limited. As a result, the temperature will drop across each reactor and the reaction will slow, so heat is added between the reactors to keep the reaction going. A temperature high enough is needed to achieve a reasonable conversion (i.e., the reaction equilibrium is in favor of propylene at high temperatures). The separator 706 can include one or more distillation columns adapted to separate the intermediate product stream 705 into a first separator product stream 707 comprising methane and light hydrocarbons; a second separator product stream 708 comprising propylene; a third product stream 709 comprising hydrogen that can be used as a fuel; and a fourth product stream 710 comprising unreacted propane that can be recycled back to the feed.

[0063] Figure 8 An example of an embodiment of a nuclear energy powered petrochemical production plant, a nuclear energy powered reformer for aromatics 80 is depicted. As Figure 8As shown in FIG. 8, the nuclear energy powered reformer 80 includes a nuclear reactor 100, a return salt 800, a hot salt 801, a first heat exchanger 803-1, a second heat exchanger 803-2, a third heat exchanger 803-3; a first aromatization reactor 804-1, a second aromatization reactor 804-2, and a third aromatization reactor 804-3. According to this embodiment of the disclosure, the nuclear reactor 100 is adapted to generate heat energy and transfer the heat energy to the return salt 800 at a temperature in the range of 500 °C to 650 °C, thereby forming the hot salt 801 at a temperature in the range of 550 °C to 900 °C. The hot salt 801 is used to heat one or more feeds - a first reformer feed 802-1, a second reformer feed 802-2, and a third reformer feed 802-3 - all of which comprise light naphtha or components thereof. In at least some embodiments, each feed is heated by a heat exchanger to a temperature of at least 500 °C. Similar to the process described with respect to the nuclear energy powered propane dehydrogenation plant 70, the aromatization reactions are endothermic and equilibrium limited. The temperature drops across each reactor, and therefore interstage heating is required to provide the heat of reaction and maintain a high temperature for good conversion. The aromatization reactors - the first aromatization reactor 804-1, the second aromatization reactor 804-2, and the third aromatization reactor 804-3 - are adapted to process the light naphtha components to form aromatics, and therefore as processing proceeds from the first aromatization reactor 804-1 to the second aromatization reactor 804-2 and to the third aromatization reactor 804-3, the relative proportion of light naphtha components will decrease and the relative proportion of aromatics will increase. The reformer effluent 805 from the third aromatization reactor 804-3 comprises (a) one or more aromatics, such as benzene, toluene, and xylene; (b) a hydrogen byproduct; and (c) non-reactive hydrocarbons. As shown in FIG. 8, the reformer effluent 805 is separated by a separator 806 into a hydrogen byproduct stream 807, a methane byproduct stream 808, and an aromatic-rich hydrocarbon stream 809. Figure 8 As depicted in FIG. 8, the reformer effluent 805 is separated by a separator 806 into a hydrogen byproduct stream 807, a methane byproduct stream 808, and an aromatic-rich hydrocarbon stream 809.

[0064] Figure 9 A system 90 is depicted, which is an example of a power system design for a nuclear energy powered petrochemical production plant. As shown in FIG. 8, the system 90 includes a nuclear reactor 100, a propane dehydrogenation plant 901, a SHP boiler 908, an MP / LP boiler 902, a turbine 903, a condenser 904; a preheat heat exchanger 905, a steam methane reformer 906, and utilities 907 for distributing heat and power to the various process units. Figure 9 The power generated or consumed by each component of the system 90 is shown. One skilled in the art can optimize the precise configuration of the power cycle. Figure 9

[0065] Although reference has been made to Figure 2 and Figure 6 ​The blocks / steps describe certain example implementations of the method, but it should be understood that operation of the system is not limited to Figure 2 and Figure 6 the particular steps or particular orders of steps shown in Figure 2 and Figure 6 . Accordingly, variations in the method can use various blocks / steps to provide functionality as described herein, including those not depicted in Figure 2 and Figure 6 and / or in different orders than those depicted in

[0066] The above specification and examples provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary implementations. Although certain implementations have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, one skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed implementations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the various illustrative implementations of the present device are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, they include all modifications and alternatives falling within the scope of the claims, and implementations other than those shown can include some or all of the features depicted. For example, components can be combined into a unified structure, and / or connections can be substituted. Also, where appropriate, aspects of any of the examples described above can be combined with aspects of any of the other examples described to form additional examples. Similarly, it will be understood that the benefits and advantages described above can relate to one embodiment or can relate to several embodiments.

[0067] The claims are not intended to include, and should not be interpreted to include, mere a means plus function or steps plus function limitations, unless such a limitation is explicitly recited in a given claim by using the phrases "means for" or "step for", respectively.

Claims

1. A system for producing one or more petrochemical products, the system comprising: a nuclear reactor configured to generate heat energy; a dehydrogenation unit adapted to use a first portion of the generated heat energy to add heat energy into a dehydrogenation reaction to remove hydrogen from a first hydrocarbon feed to produce one or more of the petrochemical products; a power generation unit adapted to use a second portion of the generated heat energy to generate electricity and to produce steam; a steam methane reforming (SMR) based hydrogen unit adapted to receive at least a first portion of the generated electricity and powered by at least the first portion of the generated electricity to produce hydrogen; and a cracking reactor adapted to process a second hydrocarbon feed to produce one or more of the petrochemical products, the cracking reactor adapted to receive and combust hydrogen from at least one source selected from a list of hydrogen sources consisting of: the SMR based hydrogen unit, the dehydrogenation unit, and the cracking reactor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more petrochemical products comprise a product selected from a group of products consisting of: olefins, aromatics, propylene, butadiene, isobutylene, benzene, toluene, xylene, and hydrogen.

3. The system of any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the second hydrocarbon feed comprises one or more elements selected from a list of elements consisting of: alkanes, condensate, LPG, naphtha, and gas oil, and the one or more petrochemical products comprise a product selected from a group of products consisting of: one or more olefins, ethylene, propylene, butylene, aromatics, benzene, toluene, xylene, pyrolysis gas (PyGas) and pyrolysis oil (PyOil), hydrogen, and methane.

4. The system of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a plastics production unit adapted to use at least one of the petrochemical products from the cracking reactor, a third portion of the heat energy, a second portion of the generated electricity, and / or at least a portion of the generated steam, to produce one or more plastics.

5. The system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the nuclear reactor is adapted to be cooled by a gas.

6. The system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the nuclear reactor is adapted to be cooled by a molten salt or a molten metal.

7. The system of any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: a gas / gas heat exchanger adapted to transfer the first portion of the generated heat energy to the dehydrogenation unit.

8. The system of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein hydrogen of one or more petrochemical products from the dehydrogenation unit is used as a fuel to deliver heat energy by combustion.

9. The system of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the SMR based hydrogen unit is configured such that CO2 made by reforming in the SMR based hydrogen unit is sequestered or used as a feedstock.

10. The system of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a feed to the SMR based hydrogen unit at least partially comprises a methane byproduct from the cracking reactor.

11. The system of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the electric steam methane reforming (SMR) based hydrogen plant is adapted to provide at least some of the produced hydrogen to one or more of the group consisting of: the cracking reactor to be used as fuel, an ammonia plant for the manufacture of ammonia, to a methanol plant for the manufacture of methanol, to a gas to liquids plant, and to a plant that converts carbon dioxide into other products.

12. A method of producing petrochemicals, the method comprising: using a first portion of thermal energy generated from a nuclear reaction in a dehydrogenation plant to add thermal energy to a dehydrogenation reaction to remove hydrogen from a first hydrocarbon feed to produce one or more of the petrochemicals; using a second portion of the thermal energy in a power generation plant to generate electricity and produce steam; using at least a portion of the generated electricity to power an electric steam methane reforming (SMR) based hydrogen plant to produce hydrogen; and processing a second hydrocarbon feed in a cracking reactor to produce one or more of the petrochemicals, wherein thermal energy is added to a cracking reaction in the cracking reactor by burning hydrogen from at least one source selected from a list of hydrogen sources consisting of: the SMR based hydrogen plant, the dehydrogenation plant, and the cracking reactor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein removing hydrogen from the first hydrocarbon feed is a dehydrogenation reaction that produces H2 and one or more petrochemicals selected from the group consisting of: aromatics, propylene, butadiene, isobutylene, benzene, toluene, xylene, and hydrogen.

14. The method of any one of claims 12 and 13, wherein the second hydrocarbon feed comprises one or more elements selected from a list of elements consisting of: alkanes, condensates, LPG, naphtha, or gas oil; and the one or more petrochemicals include products selected from a group of products consisting of: olefins, ethylene, propylene, and butylenes; aromatics, benzene, toluene, and xylene; pyrolysis gas (PyGas) and pyrolysis oil (PyOil).

15. The method of any one of claims 12 to 14, further comprising: providing to a plastics production plant: at least one of the petrochemicals from the cracking reactor; a second portion of the generated electricity and / or at least a portion of the generated steam, and producing one or more plastics from the at least one petrochemical in the plastics production plant.

Images