Steam-environment chemical processing for purifying pyrolysis-based oil

Abstract

A system may include a hydrogenation module, a fractionation module, and a washing module. The hydrogenation module may be coupled to the fractionation module, which may also be coupled to the washing module. The hydrogenation module may receive contaminated hydrocarbon material and output hydrogenated hydrocarbon material. The fractionation module may receive the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material and output vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material. The fractionation module may include a fractionation tower having multiple sections for vaporizing and refining the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment. The washing module may receive the vapor-conditioned hydrocarbon material and output purified steam cracker feedstock. The washing module may include a washing vessel and a circulation loop. The washing vessel may receive water and the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure is generally related to chemical treatment, and more specifically (though not necessarily exclusively) to the purification of hydrocarbon materials (such as olefins) from plastic waste by chemical treatment (such as fractionation) in a steam environment. [Previous Technology]

[0002] A large amount of plastic waste is generated every year. Incinerating plastic waste may be wasteful and harmful to the environment by releasing excessive amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Recycling plastic waste can reduce environmental damage. However, plastic waste may contain contaminants that prevent it from being processed or otherwise recycled into useful products. Furthermore, removing contaminants or otherwise purifying plastic waste to facilitate its processing or recycling may be difficult. [Summary of the Invention]

[0003] One example of this disclosure includes a system for producing purified steam cracker feedstock. The system may include a hydrogenation module, a fractionation module, and a washing module. The hydrogenation module may be fluidly coupled to the fractionation module. The hydrogenation module may be positioned to receive contaminated hydrocarbon material and output hydrogenated hydrocarbon material. The fractionation module may be fluidly coupled to both the hydrogenation module and the washing module. The fractionation module may be positioned to receive hydrogenated hydrocarbon material and output steam-diluted hydrocarbon material having a partial pressure lower than that of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material. The fractionation module may include a fractionation column comprising a first section and a second section. The first section may be positioned to facilitate stripping of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment. The second section may be vertically offset from the first section and may be positioned to facilitate distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment. The washing module may be fluidly coupled to the fractionation module. The washing module may be positioned to receive steam-diluted hydrocarbon material and output purified steam cracker feedstock. The washing module may include a condensation step, a washing container, and a circulation loop. The washing container may be sized to receive water and condensate vapor, as well as purified hydrocarbon material from the fractionation column. The circulation loop may extend from a first compartment of the washing container to a second compartment of the washing container to circulate water relative to the washing container.

[0004] Another embodiment of this disclosure includes a fractionation module that can be used to regulate the partial pressure of hydrogenated hydrocarbon material, for example using steam, to promote the production of purified steam cracker feedstock hydrogen included in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material. The fractionation module may include a fractionation column and a processing chamber. The fractionation column may include a first section and a second section. The first section may be positioned to promote the stripping of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment. Hydrogenated hydrocarbon material from the hydrogenation module may be received. The second section may be perpendicularly offset from the first section and may be positioned to promote the distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment to produce a steam-diluted hydrocarbon material that can be transferred to a washing module to produce purified steam cracker feedstock. The processing chamber may be fluidly coupled to the fractionation column to facilitate the recovery of a portion of the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material in the fractionation column.

[0005] Another example of this disclosure includes a method for producing purified steam cracker feedstock. The method includes receiving contaminated hydrocarbon material at a hydrogenation module of the system. The method includes transferring the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material from the hydrogenation module to a fractionation module of the system. The method includes stripping the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment in a first section of a fractionation column of the fractionation module. The method includes distilling the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment in a second section of a fractionation column perpendicularly offset from the first section to produce a steam-diluted hydrocarbon material. The method includes washing the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material to produce purified steam cracker feedstock, the washing being performed using a water washing module including a water washing vessel and a circulation loop extending from a first compartment of the water washing vessel to a second compartment of the water washing vessel.

Implementation Method

[0007] Certain aspects and features disclosed herein relate to the production of purified steam pyrolysis feedstock by fractional distillation of hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment. The steam pyrolysis unit (one of the intended recipients of the purified steam pyrolysis feedstock) may be or include a furnace capable of converting saturated hydrocarbon material into unsaturated hydrocarbon material, which can be used as a monomer, solvent, fuel, and for any other suitable purpose. The steam pyrolysis feedstock may be or include saturated hydrocarbon material that can be fed into the steam pyrolysis unit to produce unsaturated hydrocarbon material. The steam pyrolysis feedstock may be purified to enhance the quality, usability, and similar properties of the unsaturated hydrocarbon material. Fractionation may be or include a process of separating the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material into separate components. For example, the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may be fractionated to separate the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material into light and heavy hydrocarbons. The separated light hydrocarbons, along with steam, may undergo a condensation process that produces purified hydrocarbon material and water, which removes contaminants from the light hydrocarbons. The hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may be fractionated in, for example, a steam environment rather than a vacuum environment to reduce the partial pressure of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material. Lowering the partial pressure of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material allows the fractionation process to be performed at lower temperatures, which improves the output quality of the fractionation process and reduces the likelihood of fouling or polymerization. The output of the fractionation process can be used to produce purified steam cracker feedstock.

[0008] Advanced recycling (which may be based on or include chemical recycling) may involve techniques that facilitate the conversion of plastic-rich waste (which may include types of plastics that are difficult to recycle) into feedstock that can be used as input to a steam pyrolysis unit. A specific example of chemical recycling may include a pyrolysis process. Some pyrolysis processes (which may be based on or include a type of advanced recycling) produce hydrocarbon-rich pyrolysis base oil. The hydrocarbon-rich stream may include contaminant levels one or more orders of magnitude higher than those generally included in the steam pyrolysis feedstock. The contaminated hydrocarbon-rich stream may be blended with a large amount of general steam pyrolysis feedstock to dilute the total concentration of contaminants. However, as the amount of general steam pyrolysis feedstock decreases or the amount of hydrocarbon-rich pyrolysis base oil increases, diluting the contaminants may become difficult, impractical, or may fail to meet predetermined specifications. Additionally or alternatively, the quality of the hydrocarbon-rich pyrolysis oil may be lower than that of conventional steam pyrolysis feedstocks. Feeding hydrocarbon-rich pyrolysis oil into a steam pyrolysis unit may result in lower yields of olefins and other high-valence chemicals, such as butadiene.

[0009] Increasing advanced recovery rates can lead to the feeding of increasingly larger volumes of pyrolysis base oil to the steam cracker. The waste-to-olefins pathway may involve purification steps to remove contaminants from the pyrolysis base oil, thereby improving its quality and ultimately increasing the overall yield of olefins and other high-value chemicals obtained from the steam cracker. A procedure may be provided to remove contaminants and otherwise enhance the quality of the pyrolysis base oil (e.g., purification) to allow increasingly higher flow rates of pyrolysis base oil to be used as feedstock for the steam cracker.

[0010] Significant variations in the composition of the pyrolysis oil may be used as input to a system that produces purified steam cracker feedstock. This system may include storage tanks, filtration modules, guard beds, pre-fractionation columns, preheating trains, hydrogenation modules, fractionation modules, washing modules, any other suitable components for the system, or any combination thereof. Storage tanks may involve mixing plastic-rich waste and other materials to enhance the homogeneity of the delivered pyrolysis oil and suppress compositional fluctuations. Mixing may be achieved internally using a stirrer or by continuous recovery via a pump fed to the system. Filtration modules may involve one or more filters, one or more centrifugal modules, and the like to remove solids, waxes, or tar content. Guard beds may be used to remove catalyst poisons and for other suitable purposes. Pre-fractionation columns may be used to remove the heavier fraction of the pyrolysis base oil, which may include contaminants or other impurities such as metals and tar. Preheating trains may include thermal integration and may provide an initial heat level for plastic-rich waste.

[0011] The hydrogenation module can be used to hydrogenate plastic-rich waste, which may be or includes contaminated hydrocarbon materials. The hydrogenation module can be used to convert organic pollutants, such as oxygen, nitrogen, halogenated compounds, and the like, and to saturate at least some olefins or aromatics included in the contaminated hydrocarbon materials. The first reactor or first set of reactors of the hydrogenation module may be or include a guard bed to protect the downstream final hydrogenation catalyst. In some instances, the hydrogenation module may be located close to a steam cracker, and the hydrogenation module may use hydrogen produced by the steam cracker. Additionally or alternatively, the hydrogenation module may involve or include a reactor effluent neutralization and separation drum that can neutralize or remove excess hydrogen, trace amounts of H2S and NH3, and the like. The liquid produced from the hydrogenation module can be transferred to a fractionation module. In some instances, the hydrogenation module can remove chlorine, saturate olefins, and the like. Alternatively or additionally, if polysiloxanes, arsenic, and the like may be present in the plastic waste and are not removed via a hydrogenation catalyst or guard bed, they may remain in the heavy hydrocarbon portion of the liquid to be removed by the fractionation module.

[0012] The fractionation module may include or consist of a stripper that can operate in a steam environment, for example, instead of a vacuum environment. A steam environment allows fractionation operations to be performed at lower hydrocarbon partial pressures. Lower hydrocarbon partial pressures allow the fractionation module to perform fractionation operations at lower temperatures, and steam stripping in the lower section allows operation without a reboiler. Heavy oil may be returned as a bottom fraction from the fractionation step, and the heavy oil may include heavy polycyclic aromatic or heteroaromatic compounds that may not have been hydrogenated in one or more upstream reactors. In some instances, the fractionation module may be located close to the steam cracker, and the heavy oil may be mixed with fuel oil produced at the bottom of the main fractionator within the steam cracker.

[0013] A water washing module can be used to remove water from the material supplied by a fractionation module. The fractionation module can produce vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material, which can be received at a neutralization and decanting system via a condensation system, referred to as, including, or included in the water washing module, to remove water, which may include contaminants released from the regulated hydrocarbon material produced at the top of the fractionation step. The decanting step, which can be performed by the water washing module, can additionally serve as a single washing system (e.g., having one circulation loop), a dual washing system (e.g., having two circulation loops), a triple washing system (e.g., having three circulation loops), etc. Additionally or alternatively, a group of one or more adsorbent beds (which may involve mercury, unsaturated organochlorides, polysiloxanes, etc.) can be included in the water washing module to ensure final polishing of the purified steam pyrolyzer feedstock before it is fed to the steam pyrolyzer. The foregoing operations or any subgroup thereof can be performed to ensure appropriate levels of contaminant removal to suitably purify the feedstock for use in the steam pyrolyzer.

[0014] A system using a steam environment fractionator to produce purified steam pyrolysis feedstock can receive various compositions of the pyrolysis base oil using one or more technologies. This system can suppress the effects of compositional fluctuations delivered to the system and the steam pyrolysis furnace. The system can remove solid materials, contaminants, heavy hydrocarbons, and the like. The system can also convert organic contaminants into different removable compounds. The system can remove the heavy tail of the pyrolysis base oil to minimize fouling in the convection section of the steam pyrolysis furnace. The system can operate at reduced fractionation temperatures by using a steam environment to lower the partial pressure of hydrocarbons, thereby reducing the risk of pyrolysis base oil polymerization. Additionally or alternatively, the steam environment can allow the system to perform fractionation without a reboiler during fouling services. The system can involve a highly efficient two-stage water decanting system, such as via a water washing module, to minimize the risk of contaminant penetration and maximize contaminant removal from the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material. The system can include thermal integration (e.g., throughout the system) to provide optimal energy efficiency. The system may involve a fractionation module located downstream of the hydrogenation module (i) to maximize energy efficiency using a heating cycle and a cooling cycle, and (ii) to inject steam to reduce the partial pressure of the hydrocarbon material for stripping contaminants from the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material.

[0015] These illustrative examples are given to introduce the general subject matter discussed herein and are not intended to limit the scope of the concepts disclosed. Various additional features and examples are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same numerals denote the same elements, but as illustrative examples, they should not be used to limit this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an advanced recovery system 100, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, for producing purified steam pyrolysis feedstock 125. The advanced recovery system 100 may include plastic-based waste 102, feedstock purification system 104, system output 106, steam pyrolysis unit 108, output hydrocarbons 110, and recycled water 130. Plastic-based waste 102 may be or include hydrocarbon-rich waste products, such as consumer products, garbage, industrial waste, and the like. Plastic-based waste 102 may include hydrocarbon material 112, contaminants 114, and any other suitable material. In some embodiments, hydrocarbon material 112 may be heterogeneously mixed with contaminants 114 (e.g., physically mixed), homogeneously mixed with contaminants 114 (e.g., chemically bonded), or a combination thereof. In specific embodiments, plastic-based waste 102 may include hydrocarbon material 112 chemically bonded to chlorine, nitrogen, oxygen, or any other suitable contaminants included in contaminants 114. Additionally or alternatively, plastic-based waste 102 may be physically mixed with heavy oils (such as cooking oil, tar, and the like) or metals (such as mercury, magnesium, iron, and the like). Hydrocarbon material 112 may be contaminated saturated hydrocarbon material, partially saturated or partially contaminated hydrocarbon material, unsaturated hydrocarbon material, other suitable types of hydrocarbon material, or any combination thereof.

[0017] Plastic-based waste 102 may be collected in, for example, a storage container, feed line, or the like, and may be provided to feedstock purification system 104. Feedstock purification system 104 may receive plastic-based waste 102 and may produce one or more different outputs from plastic-based waste 102, such as system output 106. Additionally or alternatively, feedstock purification system 104 may produce recycled water 130, which may be, for example, as steam recovery. System output 106 may include purified steam cracker feedstock 125, heavy ends 128 (such as heavy hydrocarbons), light ends 132 (such as light hydrocarbons), purge water 134, and any other suitable outputs that may be produced by feedstock purification system 104. In some instances, feedstock purification system 104 may include one or more modules that perform one or more operations to produce system output 106.

[0018] One or more modules may include a hydrogenation module, a fractionation module, a washing module, and any other suitable module capable of performing one or more operations to produce system output 106. The hydrogenation module may be configured to remove large contaminants, easily removable contaminants, and the like by hydrogenating the plastic-based waste 102. The fractionation module may be configured to perform at least one stripping operation on the plastic-based waste 102 in a steam environment to reduce the partial pressure of the hydrocarbon material 112. Reducing the partial pressure of the hydrocarbon material 112 allows for fractionation operations on the plastic-based waste 102 to be performed at lower temperatures, higher pressures, or combinations thereof, compared to other fractionation operations using or by other systems. The washing module may be configured to circulate water relative to the plastic-based waste 102, for example after the plastic-based waste 102 has been hydrogenated and steam-fractionated, to result in the removal of residual contaminants from contaminant 114 from the hydrocarbon material 112. Other suitable modules (such as filtration modules, adsorption modules, pre-fractionation modules, and the like) may be included in the feed purification system 104 to facilitate the generation of system output 106 by the feed purification system 104.

[0019] In some instances, subgroups of one or more modules of the feedstock purification system 104 may produce different portions of the system output 106. For example, a fractionation module may output heavy components 128, and a washing module may output purified steam cracker feedstock 125 and purge water 134, although other or additional modules may output the aforementioned or additional outputs, which may be included in the system output 106. The purified steam cracker feedstock 125 may include purified hydrocarbon material that may be fed into the steam cracker 108 to produce unsaturated hydrocarbon material or other suitable outputs from the steam cracker 108. Heavy components 128 may be or include purified heavy oil that may be used as input to the steam cracker 108, may be included together with output hydrocarbons 110, or a combination thereof. Recycled water 130 may be generated by the washing module in response to washing hydrocarbon material 112 that may have been previously steam stripped or otherwise steam diluted and purified. Pure or semi-pure water can be injected into a washing module that circulates water to contact hydrocarbon material 112 and extract contaminants 114. Recycled water 130 may be or may include recycled water containing at least a portion of the contaminants 114. Recycled water 130 can be recovered within the feedstock purification system 104 to reduce water consumption in the system. For example, recycled water 130 can be converted into steam for use in the feedstock purification system 104 or for other suitable purposes.

[0020] The steam pyrolyzer 108 may be a steam pyrolyzer furnace that can receive saturated hydrocarbon materials, or any other suitable input, and output unsaturated hydrocarbon materials, or any other suitable output. For example, the steam pyrolyzer 108 may receive purified steam pyrolyzer feedstock 125, heavy component 128, or a combination thereof, and the steam pyrolyzer 108 may produce output hydrocarbons 110. Output hydrocarbons 110 may include olefins, unsaturated hydrocarbon materials, and other suitable outputs, which may be used or processed into fuels, solvents, and other suitable products.

[0021] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a process 200 for producing purified steam cracker feedstock 125 based on fractionation hydrogenation of hydrocarbon material in a steam environment, according to some examples of this disclosure. In block 201, contaminated hydrocarbon material may be pretreated. One or more guard beds of a feedstock purification system (such as feedstock purification system 104) may be used to pretreat contaminated hydrocarbon material. For example, guard beds may be used to remove catalyst poisons and for other suitable purposes of pretreating contaminated hydrocarbon material. In some instances, the guard bed, or the treatment for pretreatment, may be separate from the system, process 200, or a combination thereof.

[0022] At block 202, contaminated hydrocarbon material is received at the hydrogenation module. The hydrogenation module may be included in the raw material purification system. The contaminated hydrocarbon material may be or includes plastic-based waste, such as plastic-based waste 102, which may include hydrocarbon material 112, contaminant 114, and the like. In some instances, the contaminated hydrocarbon material may be pretreated, for example by a filtration module, to remove one or more solid contaminants or other easily removable contaminants from the contaminated hydrocarbon material. In other instances, the contaminated hydrocarbon material may be or includes hydrocarbon-rich waste, such as garbage, consumer products, industrial waste, and the like.

[0023] The hydrogenation module can receive contaminated hydrocarbon materials and produce hydrogenated hydrocarbon materials, for example, by exposing the contaminated hydrocarbon materials to varying temperatures or pressures in a hydrogen environment. In some instances, the hydrogenation module can remove subgroups of contaminants included in the contaminated hydrocarbon materials. For example, the hydrogenation module can expose the contaminated hydrocarbon materials to slightly elevated temperatures or pressures to remove easily removable contaminants. Additionally or alternatively, the hydrogenation module can expose the contaminated hydrocarbon materials to higher temperatures or pressures to remove difficult-to-remove contaminants, such as nitrides, oxides, and the like. In some instances, some of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon materials can be recycled within the hydrogenation module to enhance the efficiency of the hydrogenation module and reduce the total amount of hydrogen used. Some hydrogen that may be saturated with contaminants or light hydrocarbons (such as methane) may accumulate to a level that is determined to be too high to effectively hydrogenate the hydrocarbon materials and can be purged.

[0024] In block 204, the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material is transferred to a fractionation module. The fractionation module may be included in the feed purification system. Additionally or alternatively, the fractionation module may include a fractionation column, a steam generator, other suitable components, or any combination thereof. The fractionation module may receive output material from the hydrogenation module. For example, the fractionation module may receive hydrogenated hydrocarbon material from the hydrogenation module and may vaporize the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material to allow for further refining or purification of the hydrocarbon material in a washing or condensation module.

[0025] In some instances, a steam generator may produce steam, for example from pure or semi-pure water, from recycled water, or other suitable water sources, and may transfer the steam to a fractionation column, which may be connected to or include a stripping column. Hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may be transferred to at least a portion of the fractionation column. For example, a fluid transport line may transport the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material from the hydrogenation module to a first section of the fractionation column. One or more temperature control elements (such as heaters, coolers, or the like) may be positioned along the fluid transport line to heat or cool the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material during transport to the fractionation column. The fluid transport line may transport the heated (or cooled) hydrogenated hydrocarbon material to the first section of the fractionation column. The first section of the fractionation column may be connected to or include the bottom portion of the fractionation column. The fractionation column may include a second section that may be vertically offset from the first section. For example, when the fractionation column is installed in the feed purification system 104 or otherwise operated, the second section may be positioned above the first section.

[0026] In block 206, the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material is steam stripped in a fractionation module. For example, the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may be steam stripped in at least one section of the fractionation tower. The hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may be fed from, for example, the hydrogenation module to a first section of the fractionation tower for steam stripping. In some instances, the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may be fed above a steam feed point in the fractionation tower, which may be used to provide a steam environment for the fractionation tower. The fractionation tower may have a steam environment, such as in place of a vacuum environment, an atmospheric environment, and the like, to dilute or otherwise reduce the partial pressure of the hydrocarbons to below the partial pressure of the hydrogenated material. The steam from the steam environment may be used to recover more light hydrocarbons from heavy oil and other fuel oil hydrocarbon materials by stripping. In some instances, and in response to the contact of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material with steam, or in response to the feeding of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material into the fractionation tower, heavy oil may be generated, for example, from the bottom portion of the fractionation tower. Light components may be condensed from the top section and used as reflux, may be generated for input into a steam cracker, or may otherwise be suitably used. Additionally or alternatively, heavy oils (such as fuel oils, heavy residues, and the like) may have a first density or boiling point greater than or higher than the second density or boiling point of the hydrocarbon material that may be diluted by steam generated from distillation in the second section of the fractionation column.

[0027] In block 208, the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material is distilled in the second section of the fractionation tower. The hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may have mist or condensed heavy oil or residue prior to the distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material. The stripped hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may proceed upwards within the fractionation tower and into the second section of the fractionation tower. The distillation operation may produce vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material. In some instances, the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material may be or include hydrogenated pyrolysis oil, saturated hydrocarbon material with saturated or partially saturated contaminants, or the like. The vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material may be transferred to a subsequent module of the feedstock purification system 104, such as a water washing module, where the vapor can be condensed and contaminants can be extracted. In some instances, caustic alkali injection may be used to neutralize the condensed vapor or otherwise correct the pH of the condensed vapor before or substantially simultaneously with the transfer of the condensed vapor and hydrocarbon material to the subsequent module of the feedstock purification system 104.

[0028] The vapor environment of the fractionation column can reduce the partial pressure of the hydrocarbon material in the fractionation column. Additionally or alternatively, reducing the partial pressure of the hydrocarbon material in the fractionation column can allow stripping operations, distillation operations, or combinations thereof to be performed at lower temperatures, higher total pressures, or combinations thereof compared to the aforementioned operations performed in a vacuum environment, an atmospheric environment, a positive pressure environment, and the like.

[0029] In block 210, the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material is condensed and washed with water to produce purified steam pyrolysis feedstock 125. In some instances, the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material may be received by a water washing module of the feedstock purification system 104. The water washing module may include a condenser and may circulate water, such as pure water, semi-pure water, recycled water, and the like, to enhance the contact between water, condensate vapor, and hydrocarbon material, thereby optimizing the removal of contaminants from the purified hydrocarbon material. In response to circulating water for a predetermined number of cycles, a predetermined amount of time, or the like, the water washing module may output purified steam pyrolysis feedstock 125, recyclable water, purge water from the circulation, and may generate or set any other suitable output.

[0030] In some instances, the washing module may include a washing container, one or more circulation loops, and any other suitable components for the washing module. The one or more circulation loops may include one, two, three, four, five, or more than five circulation loops. Each of the one or more circulation loops may be connected to or include a fluid delivery line that may be coupled to at least one compartment of the washing container at at least two different locations. In a particular instance, the washing module may include two circulation loops. The first circulation loop may have a first end coupled to a bottom portion of a first compartment of the washing container and a second end coupled to a top portion of the first compartment. Additionally or alternatively, the second circulation loop may have a first end coupled to a bottom portion of a second compartment of the washing container and a second end coupled to a top portion of the second compartment.

[0031] Condensed steam and hydrocarbon material can be contacted by water in the washing module and can enter the first section of the first compartment of the washing module. The first section can separate water and oil within the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material. Oil can flow from the first section of the first compartment to the second section of the first compartment above the first weir. The oil can then be pumped to the first section of the second compartment of the washing module. Before entering the first section of the second compartment, the oil can be contacted with wash water included in the second circulation loop. A mixture of oil and water can enter the first section of the second compartment, wherein the mixture can be separated and cause oil to flow above the second weir into the second section of the second compartment. Purified steam cracker feedstock can exit the second section of the second compartment. In some instances, the second circulation loop can circulate and receive fresh makeup water. Purge water from the second circulation loop can be transported to the first circulation loop. Purge water from the first circulation loop may be or may include recycled water or purge water.

[0032] In some instances, the operations described with respect to procedure 200 may result in the purification, saturation, or similar treatment of the hydrocarbon material. For example, the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may have a first contaminant concentration that is less than the concentration of a second contaminant that may be present in the contaminated hydrocarbon material. Additionally or alternatively, the purified steam cracker feedstock may have a third contaminant concentration that is less than the concentration of the first contaminant in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material.

[0033] Figure 3 is a diagram of a fractionation module 300, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, for fractionating hydrogenated hydrocarbon materials in a steam environment to facilitate the production of purified steam cracker feedstock 125. As illustrated in Figure 3, the fractionation module 300 may include a fractionation column 302, a processing chamber 304, a partial condenser 305, one or more flow lines (such as flow lines 306a to 306g), a vaporizer 308, and any other suitable components for the fractionation module 300. The fractionation column 302 may be a column for stripping input materials, rectifying input materials, and the like. In some embodiments, the input may be vaporized by the vaporizer 308 or otherwise heated before being received by the fractionation column 302. The processing chamber 304 may receive the output from the fractionation column 302 and may recover at least a portion of the output back to the fractionation column 302, or transfer at least a portion of the output to a subsequent module (such as a water washing module) of the feedstock purification system 104, or a combination thereof. One or more flow lines may be used to deliver material to fractionation module 300 (e.g., from a separate module of feedstock purification system 104, such as a hydrogenation module), deliver material within fractionation module 300 (e.g., between fractionation tower 302 and processing chamber 304), deliver material from fractionation module 300 (e.g., to a separate module of feedstock purification system 104, such as a water washing module), or a combination thereof.

[0034] The fractionating column 302 may include a housing 309 that defines an internal region having one or more sections or compartments. For example, the housing 309 of the fractionating column 302 may define a first section 310a and a second section 310b, although any other suitable number of sections (e.g., fewer or more than two) is possible for the fractionating column 302. When the fractionating column 302 is installed, operated, or similarly, the first section 310a may be vertically offset from the second section 310b (e.g., vertically above the second section), and the first section 310a may be positioned below the second section 310b, such as in alignment with gravity. The fractionating column 302 may be coupled to a set of flow lines. For example, the fractionating column 302 may be coupled to flow lines 306a to 306e and a seventh flow line 306g, although other suitable flow lines may be coupled to the fractionating column 302. A first flow line 306a may be coupled to the middle portion of fractionation column 302 for supplying input material (such as hydrogenated hydrocarbon material) to fractionation column 302. A vaporizer 308 may be coupled to or otherwise positioned along the first flow line 306a to vaporize the input material. A second flow line 306b may be coupled to a first bottom portion of fractionation column 302 for supplying steam to fractionation column 302. The steam may originate from a seventh flow line 306g, which provides recoverable steam, or an eighth flow line 306h, which provides input steam. A third flow line 306c may be coupled to a second bottom portion of fractionation column 302 for transporting heavy residues, heavy oil, fuel oil, and the like from fractionation column 302. A fourth flow line 306d may be coupled to a first top portion of fractionation column 302 for transporting vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material from fractionation column 302. The fifth flow line 306e can be coupled to the second top portion of the fractionation tower 302 for receiving recycled material from the processing chamber 304.

[0035] Processing chamber 304 (which may be connected to or include a reflux chamber) may be fluidly coupled to fractionating tower 302. For example, a fourth flow line 306d may be coupled to fractionating tower 302 and processing chamber 304 to deliver fluid from fractionating tower 302 to processing chamber 304. Additionally or alternatively, a fifth flow line 306e may be coupled to fractionating tower 302 and processing chamber 304 to deliver fluid from processing chamber 304 to fractionating tower 302. A sixth flow line 306f may be coupled to at least a portion of processing chamber 304 (such as the top portion), for example via a partial condenser 305, to produce vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material or otherwise deliver vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material to subsequent modules of feedstock purification system 104, such as a water washing module. Although eight flow lines are illustrated and described with respect to fractionation module 300, any other suitable number of flow lines (e.g., more or less than eight) may be included in fractionation module 300. For example, additional flow lines may be included to enhance the recovery capacity of fractionation module 300, some flow lines may be omitted or combined to simplify the operations performed by fractionation module 300, and so on.

[0036] In some instances, the fractionation module 300 can be used to produce vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material, heavy residues, and any other suitable output. A second flow line 306b can supply steam, such as from pure or semi-pure water, from recycled water (e.g., from a washing module or from another suitable source), to the first section 310a of the fractionation tower 302 to provide a steam environment in the fractionation tower 302. Hydrogenated hydrocarbon material can be conveyed from the hydrogenation module to the first section 310a of the fractionation tower 302 via the first flow line 306a. Heavy residues, fuel oil, and the like can be conveyed from the fractionation tower 302 via a third flow line 306c. The remaining portion of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material can rise to the second section 310b of the fractionation tower 302. The remaining portion can be distilled to produce vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material. The vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material may be generated or otherwise conveyed from fractionation tower 302 to processing chamber 304 via fourth flow line 306d, for example, via partial condenser 305. A portion of the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material (such as material including material exceeding critical contaminant levels, material condensed or otherwise migrated to the bottom portion of processing chamber 304, and the like) may be recovered to the second section 310b of fractionation tower 302 via fifth flow line 306e. The remaining portion of the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material may be generated or otherwise conveyed from processing chamber 304 and fractionation module 300 to subsequent modules of feedstock purification system 104, such as a water washing module or other suitable modules.

[0037] Figure 4 is a flowchart of a process 400 for fractionating hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In block 402, a fractionation module (such as fractionation module 300) may receive the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material. For example, contaminated hydrocarbon material may be fed into a hydrogenation module that produces and can transfer the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material to the fractionation module. The hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may include fewer or lower concentrations of contaminants compared to the number or concentration of contaminants included in the contaminated hydrocarbon material. The hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may be delivered to the fractionation module via a first flow line of a set of flow lines included in or otherwise coupled to the fractionation module.

[0038] In block 404, the fractionation module can receive steam. The steam can be supplied via a second flow line 306b and can be pure or semi-pure water, recycled water, or the like. The steam can be positioned in a fractionation column (such as fractionation column 302 of fractionation module 300) to provide a steam environment in the fractionation column.

[0039] In some instances, steam may be provided by one or more other suitable steam sources. These other suitable sources may include heating elements positioned along one or more flow lines included in the fractionation module. For example, as water (whether pure water, semi-pure water, fresh water, recycled water, or the like) travels along a specific flow line, the heating elements may heat the water and convert it into steam before it enters the fractionation column. Additionally or alternatively, the fractionation module may use a combination of one or more heating elements and a steam generator to generate steam and supply it to the fractionation column.

[0040] In block 406, the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material is stripped in the first section of a fractionating column. The fractionating column may have a set of sections, including one, two, three, or more than three sections. In a particular example, the fractionating column may include a shell defining two sections: a first section and a second section. For example, when the fractionating column is operating or otherwise installed in the feed purification system 104, the first section may be vertically offset from its position and below the second section. The hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may be conveyed along a first flow line and heated before entering the first section of the fractionating column. The heated, hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may interact with the vapor environment, and heavy residues, fuel oil, and other heavy materials may condense from the heated, hydrogenated hydrocarbon material. In some examples, light components may vaporize from the heavy residues, fuel oil, and other heavy materials. The vapor may further reduce the partial pressure of the light components, which may result in additional vaporization. The remaining liquid may include heavy residues, fuel oil, and other heavy materials flowing downwards along the lower section. The heavy residues, fuel oil, and other heavy materials may travel downwards, such as in line with gravity, and may be generated from the fractionation tower or otherwise transported. The remaining portion of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material may travel upwards (such as against gravity) into the second section of the fractionation tower.

[0041] In block 408, the remaining portion of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material is distilled in the second section of the fractionation column. In some instances, the distillation may be a process in which vapor from the vapor environment of the fractionation column interacts with the remaining portion of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material and contaminants from the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material.

[0042] In block 410, steam-diluted hydrocarbon material is transferred to a washing module to facilitate the production of purified steam cracker feedstock. The steam-diluted hydrocarbon material may be generated or otherwise conveyed from a fractionation column. The steam-diluted hydrocarbon material may be transferred to a processing chamber, such as processing chamber 304, where the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material may be generated or recovered. A portion of the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material (such as a portion of unseparated contaminants having a critical limit level exceeding the unseparated contaminant) may be recovered to the fractionation column for continued exposure to the steam environment. Other portions of the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material may be generated or otherwise conveyed from the processing chamber and fractionation module to a washing module or other suitable module that can use the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material to produce purified steam cracker feedstock.

[0043] Figure 5 is a diagram of a washing module 500, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, which can be used to produce purified steam cracker feedstock 125. As illustrated in Figure 5, the washing module 500 may include a washing container 502 and one or more circulation loops. Two circulation loops, such as a first circulation loop 504a and a second circulation loop 504b, are illustrated in the washing module 500, although other suitable numbers (such as one or more than two) of circulation loops may be included in the washing module 500. In some embodiments, each additional circulation loop may have less contaminant or a lower concentration of contaminants than the previous circulation loop. The first circulation loop 504a may have a first end 520a coupled to the bottom portion of a first compartment 508a of the washing container 502, and the first circulation loop 504a may have a second end 520b coupled to the top portion of the first compartment 508a. The second circulation loop 504b may have a first end 522a coupled to the bottom of the second compartment 508b of the washing container 502, and the second circulation loop 504b may have a second end 522b coupled to the top of the second compartment 508b.

[0044] The washing container 502 may include one or more compartments. As illustrated, the washing container 502 includes a housing 506 defining a first compartment 508a and a second compartment 508b, although other suitable numbers of compartments (such as one or more than two) may be included in the washing container 502. Additionally or alternatively, the washing module 500 may include one or more flow lines, such as flow lines 510a to 510c, which may deliver fluid or gas relative to the washing module 500.

[0045] A first flow line 510a may deliver conditioned hydrocarbon material from a separate prior module (such as fractionation module 300) of the feed purification system 104 to a washing module 500. In some instances, the first flow line 510a may include or be coupled to a condenser 507, which may cool the conditioned hydrocarbon material, for example to facilitate the removal of contaminants from the conditioned hydrocarbon material. The first flow line 510a may result in the transport of the conditioned hydrocarbon material to a first compartment 508a of the washing container 502. The conditioned hydrocarbon material may be allowed to settle in the first compartment 508a for a predetermined amount of time. During the passage of the predetermined amount of time, water bonded or otherwise bound to contaminants included in the conditioned hydrocarbon material may separate from the partially purified hydrocarbon material entity included in the conditioned hydrocarbon material. For example, the partially purified hydrocarbon material may migrate to the top portion of the first compartment 508a, while water that may be bonded to some contaminants may migrate to the bottom portion of the first compartment 508a. In some instances, partially purified hydrocarbon material may migrate to the top of the first weir 551 and move from the first section 553a of the first compartment 508a to the second section 553b of the first compartment 508a. Additionally or alternatively, the discharge line 513 may be coupled to the first compartment 508a of the wash container 502 to discharge from the wash module 500 or otherwise transport light tails (such as light hydrocarbons).

[0046] After a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, the first circulation loop 504a may receive water and circulate the water from the bottom to the top of the first compartment 508a. The first circulation loop 504a may include one or more valves, pumps, and the like that facilitate the delivery of controller fluid relative to the water washing container 502. The circulating water may re-contact the partially purified hydrocarbon material to cause a maximum amount of contaminants to bond to the water and be removed from the partially purified hydrocarbon material.

[0047] After another predetermined amount of time has elapsed, or after a predetermined number of water circulation cycles via the first circulation loop 504a, the washing module 500 may result in the delivery of partially purified hydrocarbon material to the second compartment 508b of the washing container 502. For example, a delivery line 512 may receive the partially purified hydrocarbon material from a second section 553b of the first compartment 508a, may be coupled to a water supply line 514 (which may mix the partially purified hydrocarbon material with pure water), and may deliver the partially purified hydrocarbon material and pure water to the second compartment 508b. In some instances, the pure water may be system- or include makeup water comprising trace to no contaminants removed from the partially purified hydrocarbon material. The partially purified hydrocarbon material may be allowed to settle in the second compartment 508b for a predetermined amount of time. During a predetermined period of time, water bonded or otherwise bound to contaminants included in the partially purified hydrocarbon material may separate from the purified hydrocarbon material entity included in the partially purified hydrocarbon material. For example, the purified hydrocarbon material may migrate to the top portion of the second compartment 508b, while water that may be bonded to some contaminants may migrate to the bottom portion of the second compartment 508b. In some instances, the purified hydrocarbon material may migrate to the top of the second weir 555 and move from the first section 553c of the second compartment 508b to the second section 553d of the second compartment 508b.

[0048] After a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, the second circulation loop 504b may receive water and circulate the water from the bottom portion of the second compartment 508b to the top portion of the second compartment 508b. The second circulation loop 504b may include one or more valves, pumps, and the like, which facilitate the delivery of controller fluid relative to the water washing container 502. The circulating water may re-contact the purified hydrocarbon material to cause a maximum amount of contaminants to bond to the water and be removed from the purified hydrocarbon material.

[0049] After another predetermined amount of time has elapsed, or after a predetermined number of water circulation cycles via the second circulation loop 504b, the washing module 500 may result in the generation or otherwise delivery of purified hydrocarbon material (which may be related to or include purified steam cracker feedstock 125) from the washing container 502. For example, a second flow line 510b may be opened to receive the purified hydrocarbon material. The second flow line 510b may generate or otherwise deliver the purified hydrocarbon material from the washing module 500 to a post-treatment module, a steam cracker furnace, or any other suitable destination for the purified hydrocarbon material. Additionally or alternatively, a third flow line 510c may be opened after or substantially simultaneously with the generation of the purified hydrocarbon material to deliver purge water from the washing container 502. The purge water may include water that is bonded to or otherwise combined with contaminants in the conditioned hydrocarbon material. In some instances, and in response to a determination that the purge water contains a contaminant level exceeding a critical limit, the purge water may be dumped or otherwise removed from the feedstock purification system 104, for example, to prevent the introduction of additional contaminants into new batches or streams of hydrocarbon material flowing through the feedstock purification system 104. Additionally or alternatively, in response to a determination that the purge water contains a contaminant level not exceeding a critical limit, the purge water may be recovered within the feedstock purification system 104. For example, the purge water may be recovered to a washing container 502 to continue contacting subsequent batches or streams of conditioned hydrocarbon material. Additionally or alternatively, the purge water may be recovered to a fractionation module to be converted into steam, which can be used to provide a steam environment for the fractionation column.

[0050] In some instances, each loop in the circulation loop included in the water washing module may have at least one section. Additionally, each section may have two compartments. In some instances, such as when more than one circulation loop is included in the circulation loop, water may circulate within one or more loops in the circulation loop, and there may be water purging from one loop to another.

[0051] Figure 6 is a flowchart of a procedure 600 for producing purified steam cracker feedstock 125 using a washing module (such as washing module 500) according to some examples of this disclosure. In block 602, condensed, steam-diluted hydrocarbon material is received at a washing module (such as washing module 500). The condensed, steam-diluted hydrocarbon material may originate from a fractionation module, such as fractionation module 300, and may include contaminants, water, condensed or otherwise cooled water from the steam environment of fractionation module 300, and a mixture of contaminants, etc. The contaminants may be heterogeneously mixed with the hydrocarbon material and may be bonded or otherwise combined with water molecules from the steam environment of the fractionation module. The condensed, steam-diluted hydrocarbon material may be received and positioned in a first compartment (such as first compartment 508a) of the washing container (such as washing container 502) of the washing module.

[0052] In block 604, condensed, vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material is allowed to settle in the first compartment of the washing container. The condensed, vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material may be allowed to settle for a predetermined amount of time, a predetermined number of water circulation cycles, or similar. As the condensed, vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material settles, portions of the condensed, vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material may be separated from each other. For example, the condensed, vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material may include partially purified hydrocarbon material, contaminant-bonded water, water-soluble contaminants, and other suitable components. The partially purified hydrocarbon material may migrate to the top portion of the first compartment, while the contaminant-bonded water and water-soluble contaminants may migrate to the bottom portion of the first compartment, or any section included in the first compartment.

[0053] In block 606, contaminant-bonded water and water-soluble contaminants can circulate relative to the first compartment. For example, and after a predetermined amount of time, contaminant-bonded water and water-soluble contaminants that may have separated from the partially purified hydrocarbon material in the first compartment can be conveyed into the first circulation loop via a first end coupled to the bottom portion of the first compartment. Contaminant-bonded water and water-soluble contaminants can be conveyed through the first circulation loop to a second end coupled to the top portion of the first compartment. In this way, contaminant-bonded water and water-soluble contaminants can continuously contact the partially purified hydrocarbon material to optimize the removal of contaminants from the partially purified hydrocarbon material and optimize the purification of the hydrocarbon material. Additionally or alternatively, pure water, semi-pure water, fresh water, or the like can be continuously, periodically, or similarly added to the first compartment, for example, via the first circulation loop included in the water washing module or other suitable flow lines.

[0054] The contaminant-bonded water and water-soluble contaminants can be circulated one or more times. For example, the contaminant-bonded water and water-soluble contaminants can be circulated once, twice, three times, four times, or more than four times. Additionally or alternatively, the contaminant-bonded water can be circulated for a predetermined amount of time. After the predetermined number of cycles, predetermined amount of time, or similar, partially purified hydrocarbon material and optionally contaminant-bonded water and water-soluble contaminants can be generated or otherwise removed from the first compartment. In some instances, the partially purified hydrocarbon material can be mixed with pure feed water and conveyed to the second compartment of the washing vessel to undergo a second water circulation cycle, wherein the water may have fewer contaminants or a lower concentration of contaminants compared to the water in the first compartment. The partially purified hydrocarbon material can undergo one water circulation cycle, two water circulation cycles, three water circulation cycles, four water circulation cycles, or more than four water circulation cycles, for example, based on the corresponding number of compartments included in the washing vessel. In other instances, and after the initial cycle, partially purified hydrocarbon material can be converted into reproducible purified hydrocarbon material, while simultaneously purging or recovering contaminant-bonded water and water-soluble contaminants for water washing modules, fractionation modules, other suitable modules or systems, or combinations thereof.

[0055] In block 608, a water washing module generates purified steam pyrolysis feedstock, such as purified steam pyrolysis feedstock 125. Purified hydrocarbon material (which may be generated by the water washing vessel after one or more water circulation cycles) may be derived from or include purified steam pyrolysis feedstock. For example, purified steam pyrolysis feedstock may include purified hydrocarbon material, such as saturated hydrocarbon material and the like. The water washing module may cause the purified steam pyrolysis feedstock to be conveyed, for example, from the water washing vessel via a flow line coupled to and extending away from the water washing vessel to a subsequent module (such as a post-treatment module) of the feedstock purification system 104, or to the steam pyrolysis furnace.

[0056] As used below, any reference to a series of instances will be understood as a separate reference to each of such instances (e.g., "instances 1 to 4" will be understood as "instances 1, 2, 3, or 4").

[0057] Example 1 is a system comprising: a fractionation module fluidly coupled to a washing module, the fractionation module being positioned to receive hydrogenated hydrocarbon material and output vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material, the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material being generated from plastic waste, the fractionation module comprising: a fractionation tower comprising: a first section positioned to facilitate stripping of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment; and a second section offset from the first section and positioned to facilitate distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in the steam environment; and a washing module fluidly coupled to the fractionation module, the washing module being positioned to receive the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material and output purified steam cracker feedstock, the washing module comprising a circulation loop extending from a first end of a compartment of the washing module to a second end of the compartment of the washing module.

[0058] Example 2 is the system of Example 1, wherein the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material has a first contaminant concentration that is greater than a second contaminant concentration in the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material, and wherein the purified steam cracker feedstock has a third contaminant concentration that is less than the second contaminant concentration in the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material.

[0059] Example 3 is the system of Example 1, wherein the circulation loop is a first circulation loop, wherein the washing module further includes a second circulation loop extending from a first end of a second compartment of the washing module to a second end of the second compartment of the washing module, wherein the washing module includes a washing container having a number of compartments corresponding to the number of circulation loops included in the washing module, and wherein the compartments and the second compartment are included in the number of compartments.

[0060] Example 4 is a system of any one of Examples 1 or 3, wherein a first fluid from the compartment is circulated via the first circulation loop to cause continuous interaction between water and the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material to produce partially purified steam-diluted hydrocarbon material, wherein a second fluid from the second compartment of the water washing vessel is circulated via the second circulation loop to cause continuous interaction between water and the partially purified steam-diluted hydrocarbon material to produce purified steam cracker feedstock and purge water, wherein the purge water contains water and contaminants from the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material, and wherein the purge water is transferable to the fractionation module to be converted into steam for use in the fractionation tower.

[0061] Example 5 is the system of Example 1, which further includes a hydrogenation module fluidly coupled to the fractionation module, wherein the hydrogenation module is capable of being positioned to receive contaminated hydrocarbon material and output the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material.

[0062] Example 6 is the system of Example 1, wherein the fractionation tower can be positioned such that the first section is vertically offset from the second section, wherein the distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material can be performed in the second section, such that contaminants in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material can combine with condensate from the vapor environment of the fractionation tower.

[0063] Example 7 is the system of Example 1, wherein the heavy hydrocarbon tail can be extracted from the first section, and wherein the heavy hydrocarbon tail has a first boiling point that is higher than a second boiling point of the hydrocarbon material diluted by the steam.

[0064] Example 8 is a fractionation module comprising: a fractionation tower including: a first section positioned to facilitate the stripping of hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment, the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material being generated from plastic waste; and a second section perpendicularly offset from the first section and positioned to facilitate the distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in the steam environment to produce a vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material, the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material being transferable to a washing module to produce purified steam cracker feedstock; a condenser separating at least a portion from the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material; and a processing chamber fluidly coupled to the fractionation tower to facilitate the recovery of that portion of the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material in the fractionation tower. A steam generator may be provided to generate steam for supply to the fractionation tower to provide a steam environment in the fractionation tower; and the first section of the fractionation module may be configured to perform at least one stripping operation on the plastic waste in the steam environment to reduce a partial pressure of the hydrocarbon material.

[0065] Example 9 is a fractionation module of Example 8, wherein the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material has a first contaminant concentration, which is less than a second contaminant concentration in the contaminated hydrocarbon material that can be received at a hydrogenation module, and wherein the purified steam cracker feedstock has a third contaminant concentration, which is less than the first contaminant concentration in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material.

[0066] Example 10 is the fractionation module of Example 8, wherein the processing chamber is a reflux chamber.

[0067] Example 11 is a fractionation module of either Example 8 or 10, wherein the steam environment can be provided within the fractionation module using a combination of fresh water and recycled water.

[0068] Example 12 is a fractionation module of any one of Examples 8 or 10, further comprising: a plurality of flow lines that fluidly couple the fractionation module to one or more separate modules and fluidly couple the fractionation column to the reflux chamber; and one or more temperature control elements that can be positioned along one or more of the plurality of flow lines to control a temperature of the fluid flowing relative to the fractionation module.

[0069] Example 13 is a fractionation module of Example 8, wherein the fractionation tower can be positioned such that the first section is vertically offset from the second section, wherein the distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material can be performed in the second section such that contaminants in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material can combine with a vapor environment of the fractionation tower to reduce a partial pressure of the hydrocarbon material included in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material and promote the separation of contaminants from the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material after condensation and decantation.

[0070] Example 14 is a fractionation module of Example 8, wherein a heavy hydrocarbon tail can be extracted from the first section, and wherein the heavy hydrocarbon tail has a first boiling point that is higher than a second boiling point of the hydrocarbon material diluted by the steam.

[0071] Example 15 is a method comprising: receiving contaminated hydrocarbon material generated from plastic waste at a hydrogenation module of a system; transferring the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material from the hydrogenation module to a fractionation module of the system; stripping the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment in a first section of a fractionation column of the fractionation module to vaporize a portion of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material; distilling the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in the steam environment in a second section of the fractionation column perpendicularly offset from the first section to produce a steam-diluted hydrocarbon material; and washing the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material to produce a purified steam cracker feedstock, the washing being performed using a washing module including a washing container and a circulation loop extending from a first end of a compartment of the washing container to a second end of the compartment of the washing container.

[0072] Example 16 is the method of Example 15, wherein the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material has a first contaminant concentration, the first contaminant concentration being less than a second contaminant concentration in the contaminated hydrocarbon material, and wherein the purified steam cracker feedstock has a third contaminant concentration, the third contaminant concentration being less than the first contaminant concentration in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material.

[0073] Example 17 is the method of Example 15, wherein the circulation loop is a first circulation loop, wherein the washing module further includes a second circulation loop extending from a first end of a second compartment of the washing container to a second end of the second compartment of the washing container to circulate fluid relative to the washing container, wherein the washing container includes a number of compartments corresponding to the number of circulation loops included in the washing module, and wherein the compartments and the second compartment are included in the number of compartments.

[0074] Example 18 is a method of any one of Examples 15 or 17, wherein a first fluid from the compartment of the water washing vessel is circulated via the first circulation loop to cause continuous interaction between water and the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material, thereby producing a partially purified conditioned hydrocarbon material, wherein a second fluid from the second compartment of the water washing vessel is circulated via the second circulation loop to cause continuous interaction between water and the partially purified steam-diluted hydrocarbon material to produce the purified steam cracker feedstock and purge water, wherein the purge water contains water and contaminants from the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material, and wherein a majority of the purge water is transferred to the fractionation module to be converted into steam for use in the fractionation tower, wherein a remainder of the purge water leaves the system to prevent contaminant accumulation.

[0075] Example 19 is the method of Example 15, wherein when the fractionation tower is in use, the first section is vertically offset from the second section, wherein the distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material is performed in the second section, such that contaminants in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material combine with condensate from the vapor environment of the fractionation tower.

[0076] Example 20 is a method of Example 15 (or more), wherein a heavy hydrocarbon tail is extracted from the first section, and wherein the heavy hydrocarbon tail has a first boiling point that is higher than a second boiling point of the hydrocarbon material diluted by the vapor.

[0077] Example 21 is a method for generating a purified steam cracker feedstock, the method comprising the steps of: providing a fractionation module comprising a fractionation column, a condenser, and a processing chamber; providing a steam environment in the fractionation column using a steam generator; stripping a hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment in a first section of the fractionation column; providing a second section of the fractionation column, the second section being vertically offset from the first section and positioned to facilitate the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in the distillation steam; wherein the condenser is configured to separate at least a portion of the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material; and wherein a processing chamber is fluidly coupled to the fractionation column to facilitate the recovery of that portion of the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material in the fractionation column.

[0078] Example 22 is the method of Example 21, wherein steam is injected into the fractionation tower.

[0079] The foregoing description of certain examples (including those illustrated) is presented for illustrative and descriptive purposes only and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit this disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications, adjustments, and uses therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, any example described herein can be combined with any other example to produce further examples. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0006] [Figure 1] is a block diagram of an advanced recycling system for producing purified steam pyrolysis feedstock according to some examples of this disclosure. [Figure 2] is a flowchart of a procedure for producing purified steam pyrolysis feedstock based on fractionation and washing of hydrogenated hydrocarbon materials in a steam environment according to some examples of this disclosure. [Figure 3] is a diagram of a fractionation module for fractionating hydrogenated hydrocarbon materials in a steam environment to facilitate the production of purified steam pyrolysis feedstock according to some examples of this disclosure. [Figure 4] is a flowchart of a procedure for fractionating hydrogenated hydrocarbon materials in a steam environment according to some examples of this disclosure. [Figure 5] is a diagram of a water washing module for producing purified steam pyrolysis feedstock according to some examples of this disclosure. [Figure 6] is a flowchart of a procedure for producing purified steam pyrolysis feedstock using a water washing module according to some examples of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A system for generating purified steam pyrolysis feedstock, comprising: a fractionating module fluidly coupled to a washing module, the fractionating module being positioned to receive hydrogenated hydrocarbon material and output steam-diluted hydrocarbon material, the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material being generated from plastic waste, the fractionating module comprising: a fractionating column comprising: a first section positioned to facilitate stripping of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment; and a second section offset from the first section and positioned to facilitate distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in the steam environment; and a washing module fluidly coupled to the fractionating module, the washing module being positioned to receive the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material and output purified steam pyrolysis feedstock, the washing module comprising a circulation loop extending from a first end of a compartment of the washing module to a second end of the compartment of the washing module.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a hydrogenation module fluidly coupled to the fractionation module, wherein the hydrogenation module is positioned to receive contaminated hydrocarbon material and output the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material has a first contaminant concentration greater than a second contaminant concentration in the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material, and wherein the purified steam cracker feedstock has a third contaminant concentration less than the second contaminant concentration in the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the circulation loop is a first circulation loop, wherein the washing module further includes a second circulation loop extending from a first end of a second compartment of the washing module to a second end of the second compartment of the washing module, wherein the washing module includes a washing container having a number of compartments corresponding to the number of circulation loops included in the washing module, and wherein the compartments and the second compartment are included in the number of compartments.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein a first fluid from the compartment is circulated via the first circulation loop to cause continuous interaction between water and the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material to produce partially purified steam-diluted hydrocarbon material, wherein a second fluid from the second compartment of the water washing vessel is circulated via the second circulation loop to cause continuous interaction between water and the partially purified steam-diluted hydrocarbon material to produce the purified steam cracker feedstock and purge water, wherein the purge water contains water and contaminants from the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material, and wherein the purge water is transferred to the fractionation module to be converted into steam for use in the fractionation tower.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the fractionation tower is positioned such that the first section is perpendicularly offset from the second section, wherein the distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material is performed in the second section such that contaminants in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material combine with condensate from the vapor environment of the fractionation tower.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the heavy hydrocarbon tail is extracted from the first segment, and wherein the heavy hydrocarbon tail has a first boiling point higher than a second boiling point of the hydrocarbon material diluted by the vapor.

8. A fractionation module comprising: a fractionation tower including: a first section positioned to facilitate the stripping of a hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment, the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material being generated from plastic waste; and a second section perpendicularly offset from the first section and positioned to facilitate the distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in the steam environment to produce a vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material; a condenser separating at least a portion from the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material; and a processing chamber fluidly coupled to the fractionation tower to facilitate the recovery of the portion of the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material in the fractionation tower; wherein a steam generator is provided to generate steam for supplying to the fractionation tower to provide a steam environment in the fractionation tower; and wherein the first section of the fractionation module is configured to perform at least one stripping operation on the plastic waste in the steam environment to reduce a partial pressure of the hydrocarbon material.

9. The fractionation module of claim 8, wherein the heavy hydrocarbon tail can be extracted from the first section, and wherein the heavy hydrocarbon tail has a first boiling point higher than a second boiling point of the hydrocarbon material diluted by the vapor.

10. The fractionation module of claim 8, wherein the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material has a first contaminant concentration that is less than a second contaminant concentration in contaminated hydrocarbon material that can be received at a hydrogenation module, and wherein the purified steam cracker feedstock has a third contaminant concentration that is less than the first contaminant concentration in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material.

11. The fractionation module of claim 8, wherein the processing chamber is a reflux chamber; optionally, wherein the steam environment can be provided in the fractionation module using a combination of fresh water and recycled water.

12. The fractionation module of claim 11, further comprising: a plurality of flow lines that fluidly couple the fractionation module to one or more separate modules and fluidly couple the fractionation column to the reflux chamber; and one or more temperature control elements that can be positioned along one or more of the plurality of flow lines to control a temperature of the fluid flowing relative to the fractionation module.

13. The fractionation module of claim 8, wherein the fractionation tower is positioned such that the first section is vertically offset from the second section, wherein the distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material is performed in the second section such that contaminants in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material can combine with a vapor environment of the fractionation tower to reduce a partial pressure of the hydrocarbon material included in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material and facilitate the separation of contaminants from the vapor-diluted hydrocarbon material after condensation and decantation.

14. A method for producing purified steam pyrolysis feedstock, comprising: receiving contaminated hydrocarbon material from plastic waste at a hydrogenation module of a system; transferring the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material from the hydrogenation module to a fractionation module of the system; stripping the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a steam environment in a first section of a fractionation column of the fractionation module to vaporize a portion of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material; distilling the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in the steam environment in a second section of the fractionation column perpendicularly offset from the first section to produce steam-diluted hydrocarbon material; and washing the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material to produce purified steam pyrolysis feedstock, the washing being performed using a washing module including a washing container and a circulation loop extending from a first end of a compartment of the washing container to a second end of the compartment of the washing container.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the circulation loop is a first circulation loop, wherein the washing module further includes a second circulation loop extending from a first end of a second compartment of the washing container to a second end of the second compartment of the washing container to circulate fluid relative to the washing container, wherein the washing container includes a number of compartments corresponding to the number of circulation loops included in the washing module, and wherein the compartments and the second compartment are included in the number of compartments.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material has a first contaminant concentration that is less than a second contaminant concentration in the contaminated hydrocarbon material, and wherein the purified steam cracker feedstock has a third contaminant concentration that is less than the first contaminant concentration in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein a first fluid from the compartment of the wash vessel is circulated via the first circulation loop to cause continuous interaction between water and the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material to produce a partially purified conditioned hydrocarbon material, wherein a second fluid from the second compartment of the wash vessel is circulated via the second circulation loop to cause continuous interaction between water and the partially purified steam-diluted hydrocarbon material to produce the purified steam cracker feedstock and purge water, wherein the purge water contains water and contaminants from the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material, and wherein a majority of the purge water is transferred to the fractionation module to be converted into steam for use in the fractionation tower, wherein a remainder of the purge water leaves the system to prevent contaminant accumulation.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein when the fractionation column is in use, the first section is vertically offset from the second section, wherein the distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material is performed in the second section such that contaminants in the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material combine with condensate from the vapor environment of the fractionation column.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the heavy hydrocarbon tail is extracted from the first segment, and wherein the heavy hydrocarbon tail has a first boiling point higher than a second boiling point of the hydrocarbon material diluted by the vapor.

20. A method for generating a purified steam cracker feedstock, the method comprising the steps of: providing a fractionation module comprising a fractionation column, a condenser, and a processing chamber; providing a steam environment in the fractionation column using a steam generator; stripping a hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in a first section of the fractionation column in the steam environment; providing a second section of the fractionation column, the second section being vertically offset from the first section and positioned to facilitate the distillation of the hydrogenated hydrocarbon material in the steam; wherein the condenser is configured to separate at least a portion of the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material; and wherein a processing chamber is fluidly coupled to the fractionation column to facilitate the recovery of that portion of the steam-diluted hydrocarbon material in the fractionation column.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the steam is injected into the fractionation tower.

Images