Novel refining apparatus utilizing high-viscosity crude oil sludge

Abstract

A high-viscosity crude oil sludge refining apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a decomposition furnace that generates oil vapor by breaking down carbon-carbon bonds in atmospheric residue having a boiling point of 350℃ or more generated in an atmospheric distillation process and evaporating the resulting components; and a condenser that produces liquid heavy oil by cooling the oil vapor generated in the decomposition furnace, through heat exchange.

Description

A new refinery utilizing high-viscosity crude oil sludge

[0001] The present invention relates to a novel refinery utilizing high viscosity crude oil sludge discharged from a crude distillation unit (CDU), and more specifically, to a refinery capable of obtaining light oil from high viscosity crude oil sludge using a ceramic catalyst.

[0002] Crude oil can be separated into various petroleum products through the atmospheric distillation unit (CDU) process. The CDU process separates crude oil, whose main component is hydrocarbons, by utilizing differences in boiling points at atmospheric pressure. This conventional atmospheric distillation process is illustrated in Figure 1.

[0003] As illustrated in Figure 1, the atmospheric distillation unit (CDU) process can separate high value-added substances such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, and diesel from crude oil. On the other hand, the atmospheric residue (AR) that is not distilled due to its high boiling point of over 350℃ remains at the bottom. Although the atmospheric residue (AR) is sometimes sold by blending it with heavy oil (Bunker-C), its added value is low and its large quantity makes it difficult to dispose of. However, if the atmospheric residue (AR) is heated above 350℃, the oils with high boiling points do not boil and separate, but rather, they pyrolyze, which can generate a large amount of impurities such as coke.

[0004] This has led refineries to develop advanced processes that can produce additional high-value products, such as LPG, gasoline, kerosene, and diesel, from atmospheric residue (AR) without increasing temperatures. Examples of these advanced processes include the Vacuum Distillation Unit (VDU), hydrocracking, and fluid catalytic cracking (FCC).

[0005] The vacuum distillation unit (VDU) distills high-boiling-point materials, such as atmospheric residue (AR), under low-pressure conditions. This process utilizes the property that lowering the pressure also lowers the boiling point, allowing distillation at relatively lower temperatures. This allows for the extraction of high-value vacuum gas oil (VGO) from atmospheric residue (AR). However, the VDU requires separate vacuum equipment to maintain low pressure, and additional hydrocracking or fluidized catalytic cracking processes are required to process the vacuum residue (VR) remaining after the process.

[0006] Hydrocracking is a process that cracks carbon-carbon bonds by adding high-purity hydrogen under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. This process allows for the cracking of benzene rings, producing high-quality diesel fuel. Furthermore, the added hydrogen removes coke generated during the cracking process, preventing coke buildup. However, the high cost of high-purity hydrogen and the high installation and maintenance costs associated with maintaining high-temperature and high-pressure conditions are significant drawbacks.

[0007] Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) is a process that uses a catalyst to break the long carbon chains of atmospheric residue (AR) to produce high-octane light crude oil. Its unique characteristic is that it increases cracking efficiency by contacting heated AR vapor with a powdered catalyst in a fluidized state. However, FCC also has the disadvantage of heating AR to temperatures above its boiling point, which can lead to coke formation and the necessity of catalyst regeneration equipment.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a novel refining device capable of producing high value-added light oil by decomposing carbon bonds in high viscosity crude oil sludge such as atmospheric residue (AR) using wave energy radiated from a catalyst.

[0009] In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a novel refining apparatus capable of obtaining high value-added light oil from high viscosity crude oil sludge using a catalyst that does not require a regeneration process.

[0010] In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a novel purification device capable of decomposing high viscosity crude oil sludge in a low temperature range without using a large amount of hydrogen or expensive catalyst materials such as platinum (Pt).

[0011] However, the problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to the problem described above, and may be expanded in various ways within the scope that does not deviate from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0012] In order to achieve the above-described object of the present invention, a high viscosity crude oil sludge refining device according to exemplary embodiments includes a cracking furnace for crushing and evaporating carbon bonds of atmospheric residue oil having a boiling point of 350°C or higher generated in an atmospheric distillation process to generate oil vapor, and a condenser for cooling the oil vapor generated in the cracking furnace through heat exchange to produce heavy oil in a liquid state. At this time, the cracking furnace may include a housing having a cracking space for storing the atmospheric residue oil therein, the cracking space being selectively opened and closed by a door, a catalyst unit having a plurality of ceramic catalysts installed on a side wall of the housing and emitting wave energy having a short wavelength in a range of 80°C to 350°C to physically crush carbon bonds of the atmospheric residue oil, and a plurality of heating wires installed inside the housing and emitting heat using electric energy to heat the atmospheric residue oil and the catalyst unit. In addition, the ceramic catalyst may include at least one ceramic powder selected from Al2O3, ZrO2, and MgO, at least one fluoride powder selected from LiF, MgF2, and CaF2, and at least one phosphor material selected from terbium (Tb), cerium (Ce), europium (Eu), and dysprosium (Dy).

[0013] In one embodiment, the ceramic catalyst may be formed by mixing the ceramic powder, the fluoride powder, and the thermoluminescent rare earth phosphor material, adding a small amount of metallic catalyst material if necessary, forming a molded body, and sintering the molded body at a temperature range of 1300°C to 1450°C.

[0014] For example, the ceramic catalyst may include a metallic catalyst such as palladium (Pd), vanadium oxide (VOx), or titanium oxide (TiOx) to enhance the low-temperature decomposition reaction.

[0015] In one embodiment, the ceramic catalyst can release energy of 200 kJ / mol to 400 kJ / mol.

[0016] In one embodiment, the heavy oil produced in the condenser may have a carbon number of 24 to 60.

[0017] In one embodiment, the high viscosity crude oil sludge purification device may further have a blower that forcibly discharges heated air in the decomposition space heated by the heating wire, cools the discharged heated air through heat exchange with the condenser, and supplies the cooled air back to the decomposition space.

[0018] In this case, the high viscosity crude oil sludge purification device may further include a sensor unit that monitors the internal pressure of the cracker, a gas tank in which an inert gas is stored, and a control unit that receives pressure information measured by the sensor unit and selectively supplies the inert gas stored in the gas tank into the cracker when the pressure of the cracker falls below a preset pressure due to the operation of the blower.

[0019] In order to achieve the above-described object of the present invention, a high viscosity crude oil sludge purification device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a wavelength cracking unit that physically crushes carbon bonds in atmospheric residual oil having a boiling point of 350°C or higher generated in an atmospheric distillation process using wave energy having a short wavelength band emitted from a catalyst heated to a temperature range of 80°C to 350°C, thereby producing heavy oil having a carbon number of 24 to 60, and a separation and purification unit that performs physical crushing of the heavy oil by the catalyst while simultaneously allowing the catalyst to directly contact the heavy oil to undergo catalytic cracking at the same time, thereby producing light oil having a carbon number of 10 to 18 from the heavy oil.

[0020] In this case, the catalyst may include at least one ceramic powder selected from Al2O3, ZrO2, and MgO, at least one fluoride powder selected from LiF, MgF2, and CaF2, and at least one phosphor material selected from Terbium (Tb), Cerium (Ce), Europium (Eu), and Dysprosium (Dy). In addition, the catalyst may emit wave energy having a short wavelength in a range from 80°C to 350°C to break down carbon bonds in the atmospheric residual oil and the heavy oil.

[0021] In one embodiment, the wavelength decomposition unit may include a cracker that uses the catalyst to break down and vaporize carbon bonds in the atmospheric residual oil to generate vapor, a condenser that cools the vapor generated in the cracker through heat exchange to produce heavy oil in a liquid state, and an oil-water separator that removes moisture contained in the heavy oil produced in the condenser.

[0022] In this case, the decomposition furnace may include a housing having a decomposition space for storing the atmospheric residue therein and the decomposition space being selectively opened and closed by a door, a catalyst unit having a plurality of ceramic catalysts installed on a side wall of the housing and physically crushing carbon-to-carbon bonds of the atmospheric residue by emitting wave energy of a wavelength of 200 nm to 700 nm in a range of 80°C to 350°C, a plurality of heating wires installed inside the housing and heating the atmospheric residue and the catalyst unit by emitting heat using electric energy, and a blower for forcibly discharging heated air of the decomposition space heated by the heating wires, cooling the discharged heated air through heat exchange with the condenser, and supplying the cooled air back to the decomposition space.

[0023] In one embodiment, the decomposition furnace may further include a sensor unit for monitoring the internal pressure of the decomposition furnace, a gas tank in which an inert gas is stored, and a control unit for receiving pressure information measured by the sensor unit and selectively supplying the inert gas stored in the gas tank into the decomposition furnace when the pressure of the decomposition furnace drops below a preset pressure due to the operation of the blower.

[0024] In one embodiment, the separation and refining unit may include a stirring vaporizer that generates vapor from the heavy oil generated in the wavelength decomposition unit, and first and second refiners that purify and condense the vapor generated in the stirring vaporizer to generate light oil.

[0025] In this case, the stirring steam generator may include a stirring tank having a cone shape in which heavy oil is accommodated therein and the inner bottom surface thereof gradually decreases in height from the center to the edge, stirring blades rotatably connected to a rotating shaft penetrating the center of the stirring tank to stir the heavy oil, a ceramic catalyst added to the shaft of the stirring facility to emit wave energy having a short wavelength in the range of 80°C to 350°C, and a heater for heating the heavy oil and the ceramic catalyst.

[0026] In one embodiment, the first purifier may include a vapor inlet provided at the lower portion of the first purifier housing, into which vapor generated from the stirred vaporizer flows; a plurality of catalyst receiving chambers sequentially stacked upward from the vapor inlet and having a ceramic catalyst that emits wave energy having a short wavelength in the range of 80°C to 350°C; and an outlet for supplying oil liquefied during passage through the plurality of catalyst receiving chambers to the second purifier. In this case, the vapor flowing into the catalyst receiving chambers may directly contact the ceramic catalyst.

[0027] In one embodiment, the second purifier may include a second purifier housing forming an outer shape, an inlet pipe extending vertically downward through an upper surface of the second purifier housing and receiving liquefied oil from the first purifier, a plurality of ceramic catalysts provided on the outside of the inlet pipe to fill the inside of the second purifier housing and emitting wave energy having a short wavelength in the range of 80° C. to 350° C., and a heater for heating the liquefied oil and the ceramic catalysts. At this time, the liquefied oil supplied through the inlet pipe may directly contact the ceramic catalysts.

[0028] A high viscosity crude oil sludge refinery according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention can produce high value-added light oil by cracking carbon bonds in high viscosity crude oil sludge, such as atmospheric residue (AR), using wave energy radiated from a catalyst. In particular, since the high viscosity crude oil sludge refinery utilizes physical decomposition using a catalyst, catalyst regeneration is unnecessary, and it is environmentally friendly because it does not use fossil fuels. In addition, the high viscosity crude oil sludge refinery does not use expensive substances such as high purity hydrogen, and since it is possible to produce light oil even at low temperatures ranging from about 80°C to 350°C, it is highly economical.

[0029] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a atmospheric pressure distillation process.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a high viscosity crude oil sludge purification device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the decomposition process of Figure 2.

[0032] Figure 4 is a block diagram for explaining the cooling process of the decomposition furnace of Figure 2.

[0033] Figure 5 is a drawing showing the separation and purification unit of Figure 2.

[0034] Figure 6 is a drawing showing the stirring steam generator of Figure 5.

[0035] Figure 7 is a drawing showing the first purifier of Figure 5.

[0036] Figure 8 is a drawing showing the second purifier of Figure 5.

[0037] With respect to the embodiments of the present invention disclosed in the text, specific structural and functional descriptions are merely illustrative for the purpose of explaining the embodiments of the present invention, and the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described in the text.

[0038] The present invention is susceptible to various modifications and takes various forms. Specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail herein. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific disclosed forms, but rather to encompass all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0039] While terms like "first" and "second" may be used to describe various components, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used to distinguish one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, a first component could be referred to as a "second component," and similarly, a second component could also be referred to as a "first component."

[0040] When a component is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, but that there may be other components in between. Conversely, when a component is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between. Other expressions that describe the relationship between components, such as "between" and "directly between" or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to", should be interpreted similarly.

[0041] The terminology used in this application is only used to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, it should be understood that the terms "comprises" or "has" indicate the presence of a described feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof, but do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0042] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning within the context of the relevant technology, and shall not be construed in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0043] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings. Identical components in the drawings are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions of identical components are omitted.

[0044] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a high viscosity crude oil sludge purification device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the cracking furnace of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram explaining the cooling process of the cracking furnace of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the separation and purification unit of FIG. 2. In addition, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the stirring vaporizer of FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the first purifier of FIG. 5, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the second purifier of FIG. 5.

[0045] Meanwhile, the high viscosity crude oil sludge in the present invention may include all high viscosity materials having a high boiling point of 350℃ or higher and a high hydrocarbon content, such as atmospheric residue (AR) produced in a atmospheric distillation unit (CDU) and vacuum residue (VR) produced in a vacuum distillation unit (VDU). In addition, the high viscosity crude oil sludge may be in a liquid or solid state. For convenience of explanation, the following description will be made only for the case where the high viscosity crude oil sludge is atmospheric residue (AR) in a liquid state.

[0046] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 8, the high viscosity crude oil sludge purification device (10) according to the present invention cracks the hydrocarbon bonds of high viscosity crude oil sludge to produce heavy oil (C 24 Inland C 60 ) producing a wavelength decomposition unit (100), and refining the produced heavy oil to produce light oil (C 10 Inland C 18 ) and a post-processing unit (300) that improves the added value of the produced light oil or further processes it according to the intended use.

[0047] The wavelength cracking unit (100) can crack the hydrocarbon bonds of high viscosity crude oil sludge using wave energy emitted from the catalyst. In particular, the wavelength cracking unit (100) is environmentally friendly in that it uses electric energy instead of fossil fuels for heating, and is characterized by a relatively low temperature of about 80°C to 350°C. In addition, since it uses a physical cracking method that breaks the hydrocarbon bonds of high viscosity crude oil sludge using wave energy emitted from the catalyst, it has the advantage of eliminating the need for catalyst regeneration and allowing the catalyst to be used semi-permanently. In addition, since the wavelength cracking unit (100) is a batch process, it has the advantage of excellent stability and a high conversion rate of high viscosity crude oil sludge to heavy oil. Meanwhile, a general batch process has a disadvantage in that a cooling time is required after performing a single process, but the wavelength cracking unit (100) according to the present invention can significantly reduce the cooling time by circulating air using a blower (150). Below, the wavelength decomposition unit (100) is described in more detail.

[0048] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the wavelength decomposition unit (100) may include a cracking furnace (110) that cracks carbon bonds of high viscosity crude oil sludge to generate heavy oil vapor, a condenser (120) that cools the heavy oil vapor to generate heavy oil in a liquid state, a heavy oil storage tank (130) that stores the heavy oil, an oil-water separator (140) that removes moisture contained in the heavy oil, a blower (150) that forcibly circulates air inside the cracking furnace (110) to rapidly cool the cracking furnace (110), a gas tank (160) that supplies gas to prevent the pressure inside the cracking furnace (110) from dropping below a preset pressure, and a control unit (170) that controls the operation of each device.

[0049] First, the decomposition furnace (110) may include a housing (111) having a decomposition space (112) therein, a door (117) for selectively opening and closing the decomposition space (112), a receiving portion (114) for receiving high-viscosity crude oil sludge, a plurality of catalyst portions (116) containing catalysts that emit wave energy when heated, a plurality of heating wires (not shown) for supplying heat to the high-viscosity crude oil sludge and the catalyst, a sensor portion (118) for monitoring the condition inside the housing (111), and a vapor discharge port (119) for discharging vapor generated from the high-viscosity crude oil sludge.

[0050] The housing (111) may have a decomposition space (112) for receiving high viscosity crude oil sludge therein and crushing hydrocarbon bonds. A door (117) is formed on one side of the housing (111), and the decomposition space (112) may be selectively exposed to the outside depending on the opening and closing of the door (117). When the door (117) is opened and the decomposition space (112) is exposed to the outside, a receiving portion (114) containing high viscosity crude oil sludge may be inserted into the housing (111), and after the reaction is completed, the receiving portion (114) may be taken out to the outside through the opened door (117). Meanwhile, the receiving portion (114) may have various forms, such as a wheeled cart or a tank. For example, if the high viscosity crude oil sludge is in a gel or solid state, the receiving unit (114) may be a cart, and rails (not shown) for smooth movement of the receiving unit (114) may be further provided. Alternatively, if the high viscosity crude oil sludge is in a liquid state, the receiving unit (114) may be a tank-shaped unit with an opening and closing portion. Alternatively, the atmospheric pressure residual oil in a liquid or gel state may be directly supplied into the housing (111) through the door (117). Meanwhile, the vapor generated from the high viscosity crude oil sludge may be sequentially discharged to the outside of the housing (111) through the opening and closing portion and the vapor discharge port (119).

[0051] A plurality of catalyst members (116) and heating wires may be installed on the side wall of the housing (111) or inside the housing (111). In FIG. 3, the catalyst member (116) is illustrated as being inserted into the inside of the housing (111) in a cylindrical shape, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the catalyst member (116) may be installed on the inner surface of the side wall of the housing (111), inside the side wall, inside the door (117), etc.

[0052] Meanwhile, although the heating wires are not specifically illustrated in FIG. 3, the heating wires may be installed in various locations and in various numbers as needed. For example, a plurality of heating wires may be arranged horizontally to the ground and spaced apart from each other inside the housing (111). Alternatively, the heating wires may be installed to contact the inner surface of the housing (111) or penetrate the side wall, and may extend in various directions, such as a direction perpendicular to the ground.

[0053] Various tubes that penetrate the side wall of the housing (111) and communicate with the decomposition space (112) can be connected. Specifically, an air supply pipe (151) and an air discharge pipe (not shown) connected to a blower (150), a gas supply pipe (161) connected to a gas tank (160), and a vapor discharge port (119) connected to a condenser (120) can be connected to the decomposition space (112) by penetrating the side wall of the housing (111).

[0054] The catalyst unit (116) can accommodate a plurality of ceramic catalysts. The ceramic catalyst can include ceramic powder, fluoride powder, and thermo-fluorescent rare earth-based fluorescent material.

[0055] The ceramic powder may include at least one ceramic powder selected from Al2O3, ZrO2, and MgO. The fluoride powder may include at least one fluoride powder selected from LiF, MgF2, and CaF2. The thermoluminescent rare earth phosphor material may include at least one phosphor material selected from terbium (Tb), cerium (Ce), europium (Eu), and dysprosium (Dy). The ceramic catalyst may be manufactured through a step of forming a molded body by mixing the ceramic powder, the fluoride powder, and the thermoluminescent rare earth phosphor material, and a step of sintering the molded body at a temperature range of 1300°C to 1450°C.

[0056] In one embodiment, the ceramic catalyst may further include at least one metallic catalyst, such as palladium (Pd), vanadium oxide (Vox), or titanium oxide (TiOx), to enhance the low-temperature decomposition reaction.

[0057] The ceramic catalyst can emit wave energy having a short wavelength at a temperature of about 80°C to 350°C due to its thermoluminescent properties. For example, the ceramic catalyst can radiate wave energy having a wide wavelength range of about 200 nm to 700 nm in a range of about 80°C to 350°C. The wave energy exists discontinuously in a wide wavelength range and may be a pulse wave having strong wave energy. In this case, the wave energy of the pulse wave may be approximately 200 kJ / mol to 400 kJ / mol. This wave energy also includes a wavelength range having energy greater than 347 kJ / mol, which is the carbon-carbon single bond (CC) energy. Therefore, the wave energy emitted from the ceramic catalyst can physically decompose (crack) the carbon-carbon bonds of the high viscosity crude oil sludge stored in the receiving portion (114).

[0058] The above heating wires are installed in multiple numbers on the side wall or inside of the housing (111) and can emit heat by supplying electricity. Specifically, the heating wires receive electric energy from the outside and heat the ceramic catalyst accommodated in the catalyst unit (116) to about 80°C to 350°C, thereby allowing wave energy having a wide wavelength range to be emitted from the ceramic catalyst. In addition, the heating wires can directly transmit heat energy to high viscosity crude oil sludge accommodated in the accommodation unit (114).

[0059] In this way, the molecular weight of high-viscosity crude oil sludge can be reduced by breaking carbon-carbon bonds due to wave energy emitted from the heated ceramic catalyst. Therefore, simply by heating the high-viscosity crude oil sludge to a relatively low temperature, a portion of the heavy oil decomposed in the high-viscosity crude oil sludge can be vaporized and converted into a vapor state. The vapor thus generated can be discharged to the condenser (120) through the vapor discharge port (119).

[0060] The sensor unit (118) monitors the status inside the housing (111) and may include a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, etc. The status information measured by the sensor unit (118) is transmitted to the control unit (170), and the control unit (170) can control the operation of the wavelength decomposition unit (100) based on the status information received. For example, the control unit (170) can determine the open / close status of the door (117) based on the measured value of the pressure sensor, and if the door (117) is not properly closed, can output a warning signal to the user through an alarm, etc. In addition, in the process of cooling the inside of the housing (111), the control unit (170) can prevent the pressure in the decomposition space (112) from dropping excessively by monitoring the measured value of the pressure sensor and selectively opening and closing the gas supply pipe (161).

[0061] The carbon bonds of the high viscosity crude oil sludge stored in the receiving portion (114) can be broken by the heating by the above-mentioned hot wire and the wave energy emitted from the catalyst portion (116). Accordingly, a portion of the high viscosity crude oil sludge is converted into heavy oil and can be evaporated to become a vapor state. The vapor can be discharged to the condenser (120) through the vapor discharge port (119) formed at the top of the housing (111). A portion of the high viscosity crude oil sludge that is not discharged as vapor remains in the receiving portion (114) and can be discharged to the outside through the door (117) after the decomposition reaction is completed. Meanwhile, the heavy oil here has a carbon number of C 24 Inland C 60 It could be human oil.

[0062] Meanwhile, light oil (C) is directly produced in the wavelength decomposition section (100). 10 Inland C 18 ) may be generated. Since the catalyst part (116) of the present invention functions to break down carbon-carbon bonds, depending on the properties of the raw material fed into the receiving part (114), it may be converted directly into oil at the level of light oil instead of heavy oil.

[0063] The condenser (120) can cool and liquefy heavy oil in a vapor state discharged through the vapor discharge port (119) of the cracker (110). For example, the condenser (120) can be a heat exchanger. The liquefied heavy oil is stored in a heavy oil storage tank (130), and moisture can be removed during the process of passing through an oil-water separator (140).

[0064] Meanwhile, the decomposition furnace (110) of the present invention is a batch type, and when the decomposition process for the high viscosity crude oil sludge received in the receiving portion (114) is completed, a process for cooling the decomposition furnace (110) is required. After the decomposition furnace (110) is completely cooled to room temperature, the door (117) can be opened and the receiving portion (114) can be discharged to the outside, and then new high viscosity crude oil sludge can be supplied into the housing (111) to carry out the decomposition process again. At this time, conventional batch type decomposition furnaces are generally cooled to room temperature through natural cooling, which takes a long time for cooling, and as a result, the productivity of the high viscosity crude oil sludge purification device (10) decreases. In the present invention, the cooling speed can be greatly improved by forcibly circulating the air inside the housing (111).

[0065] Specifically, the blower (150) can forcibly circulate air in the decomposition space (112) of the housing (111). When the blower (150) is in operation, the hot air filling the decomposition space (112) moves to the condenser (120) through an air discharge pipe connected to the condenser (120), and can be cooled through heat exchange in the condenser (120). The cooled air moves back to the decomposition space (112) through the air supply pipe (151), and can quickly cool the housing (111). In this way, forced circulation through the operation of the blower (150) can be performed by the control unit (170).

[0066] Meanwhile, if the air inside the decomposition space (112) is rapidly exhausted due to the operation of the blower (150), the pressure inside the decomposition space (112) may drop rapidly. If the pressure inside the decomposition space (112) drops below a preset pressure, the decomposition furnace (110) may be physically damaged. To prevent this, the sensor unit (118) continuously monitors the internal pressure, and if the pressure inside the decomposition space (112) drops below a preset pressure, the control unit (170) can open the gas supply pipe (161) to supply the gas filled in the gas tank (160) to the decomposition space (112). At this time, the gas may be, for example, an inert gas such as nitrogen.

[0067] In this way, the wavelength decomposition unit (100) according to the present invention can rapidly cool the decomposition furnace (110), thereby significantly improving the productivity of the high viscosity crude oil sludge purification device (10). In addition, it can prevent the formation of a vacuum inside the decomposition furnace (110), thereby resolving the problem of the decomposition furnace (110) being damaged due to pressure drop caused by forced air circulation.

[0068] Heavy oil produced in the wavelength cracking unit (100) can be converted into light oil in the separation and refining unit (200). At this time, the wavelength cracking unit (100) can physically break down (crack) carbon-carbon bonds using wave energy emitted from the ceramic catalyst. The separation and refining unit (200) described below can simultaneously perform not only physical breaking down using wave energy emitted from the ceramic catalyst, but also contact cracking (cracking) through direct contact between the ceramic catalyst and the oil. Accordingly, light oil with a high octane number can be obtained from the heavy oil. Hereinafter, the process of obtaining light oil in the separation and refining unit (200) will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8.

[0069] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the separation and refining unit (200) may include a stirring vaporizer (210) that generates vapor from heavy oil, a first refiner (220) and a second refiner (230) that refine and condense the vapor to generate light oil, a cooler (240) that removes moisture from light oil that has passed through the refiners (220, 230), and a light oil storage tank (250) that stores the generated light oil.

[0070] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the stirring vaporizer (210) may include a heavy oil inlet (211) into which heavy oil generated in the wavelength decomposition unit (100) flows, a stirring tank (212) containing heavy oil therein, a stirring blade (215) that rotates around a rotation shaft (214) to stir the heavy oil, a ceramic catalyst (216) that emits wave energy having a short wavelength in the range of about 80°C to 350°C, a heater (217) that heats the heavy oil and the ceramic catalyst (216), a vapor discharge pipe (218) that discharges vapor generated from the heavy oil to the first refiner (220), and a sludge discharge pipe (219) that discharges sludge to the outside.

[0071] The stirring tank (212) has a space inside that can accommodate heavy oil, and a rotating shaft (214) connected to a motor (213) can be installed at the center thereof. A plurality of stirring blades (215) are rotatably attached to the lower portion of the rotating shaft (214), and the rotational force of the motor (213) can be transmitted to the stirring blades (215) through the rotating shaft (214).

[0072] The inner bottom of the stirring tank (212) may be a cone whose height gradually decreases from the center to the edge. In this case, heavy components such as sludge can quickly move to the edge of the stirring tank (212) due to gravity, and the rotation of the stirring blade (215) can accelerate this movement. Accordingly, heavy components such as sludge can be easily discharged through the sludge discharge pipe (219) connected to the edge of the bottom of the stirring tank (212).

[0073] The ceramic catalyst (216) is provided at the bottom or inside the side wall of the stirring tank (212), and may have a plate shape or a spherical shape. The ceramic catalyst (216) may be substantially the same catalyst as the ceramic catalyst accommodated in the catalyst unit (116) of the wavelength decomposition unit (100) described above. That is, the ceramic catalyst (216) can emit wave energy having a short wavelength band at a temperature of about 80°C to 350°C due to its thermoluminescent characteristic, and the wave energy can crack the carbon bonds of the heavy oil accommodated in the stirring tank (212).

[0074] Meanwhile, the ceramic catalyst (216) may also be provided within the rotating shaft (214). In this case, even during the heavy oil stirring process, the wave energy radiated from the catalyst (216) accommodated in the rotating shaft (214) can break down the carbon-carbon bonds of the heavy oil, and as a result, the light oil yield can be significantly improved.

[0075] A heater (217) is installed on the conical bottom of the stirring tank (212) and can heat heavy oil and a ceramic catalyst (216). In this case, the heater (217) may be a heating wire using electric energy, or a tube through which heated vapor or liquid passes.

[0076] Heavy oil contained in a stirring tank (212) can have its carbon bonds broken by wave energy emitted from a ceramic catalyst (216) and can be heated by a heater (217) to be converted into a vapor state. The vapor thus generated is delivered to the first refiner (220) through a vapor discharge pipe (218), and heavy oil that is not vaporized can be discharged to the outside through a sludge discharge pipe (219).

[0077] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the first refiner (220) may include a first refiner housing (221) forming an outer shape, a vapor inlet (222) provided at the lower portion of the housing (221) through which vapor generated from the stirring vaporizer (210) is introduced, a catalyst (226) accommodated inside the housing (221) to induce the production of light oil, a vapor discharge port (227) provided at the upper portion of the housing (221) to discharge the generated vapor, and an inspection port (228) for observing the inside of the housing (221).

[0078] In addition, the first purifier (220) may further include a plurality of catalyst receiving chambers (2236) stacked vertically, separator plates (2232) each positioned on the top of the catalyst receiving chamber (2236), a discharge port (2235) for discharging liquefied oil while passing through the ceramic catalysts, and a ceramic catalyst replacement port (2233) for replacing the ceramic catalyst.

[0079] The vapor introduced into the vapor inlet (222) rises and hits the separator plate (2232), and is evenly distributed toward the edge, so that the area in contact with the catalyst (226) inside the catalyst receiving chamber (2236) can increase.

[0080] Since a plurality of catalyst receiving chambers (2236) are stacked inside the housing (221), the vapor can come into contact with a plurality of catalysts (226). The catalyst (226) may be substantially the same catalyst as the ceramic catalyst received in the catalyst unit (116) of the wavelength separation unit (100) described above. That is, the catalyst (226) may include a ceramic powder, a fluoride powder, and a thermo-fluorescent rare earth-based fluorescent material. The ceramic powder may include at least one ceramic powder selected from Al2O3, ZrO2, and MgO. The fluoride powder may include at least one fluoride powder selected from LiF, MgF2, and CaF2. The thermoluminescent rare earth phosphor material may include at least one phosphor material selected from Terbium (Tb), Cerium (Ce), Europium (Eu), and Dysprosium (Dy). The ceramic catalyst may be manufactured through a step of forming a molded body by mixing the ceramic powder, the fluoride powder, and the thermoluminescent rare earth phosphor material, and a step of sintering the molded body at a temperature range of 1300°C to 1450°C. In addition, the catalyst (226) may include a small amount of a metal catalyst component such as palladium (Pd), vanadium oxide (VOx), or titanium oxide (TiOx) to further activate a low-temperature decomposition reaction.

[0081] The ceramic catalyst accommodated in the catalyst unit (116) of the wavelength decomposition unit (100) emits wave energy having a short wavelength by heating at a temperature of about 80°C to 350°C, and the emitted wave energy can partially break down the carbon chain bonds of the vapor. In contrast, the catalyst (226) of the first purifier (220) can not only have a breaking action by wave energy, but can also break down or promote the carbon chain bonds by directly contacting the vapor. Specifically, the vapor generated in the agitated vaporizer (210) may be heated to a temperature of about 80°C to 350°C. The heated vapor heats the catalyst (226), and wave energy having a short wavelength is released from the catalyst (226) to break down the carbon chain bonds of the vapor. In addition, the vapor can further promote the breaking down of the carbon chain bonds as described above by directly contacting the ceramic catalyst. However, in this case, the performance of the catalyst (226) may deteriorate with use, and it must be replaced periodically through a ceramic catalyst replacement port (2233).

[0082] The liquefied oil inside the housing (221) is delivered to the second refiner (230) through the outlet (2235), and the non-liquefied vapor continues to rise and interact with the catalyst. By repeating these processes, the liquefied oil can be delivered to the second refiner (230) through the outlets (2235). The non-liquefied vapor can be delivered directly to the cooler (240) through the vapor outlet (227).

[0083] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the second refiner (240) may include a second refiner housing (231) forming an outer shape, an inlet pipe (232) penetrating the upper portion of the second refiner housing (231) and introducing oil produced in the first refiner (230), a plurality of catalysts (233) accommodated in the side wall of the housing (231), and a heater (234) for heating the catalyst (233) and oil, a light oil discharge port (235) for discharging light oil that has passed through the catalyst (233), a ceramic catalyst replacement port (236) for replacing the catalyst (233), a moisture discharge port (237) for discharging moisture to the outside, and a spray (238) for spraying oil introduced into the inlet pipe (232).

[0084] The liquid oil produced in the first refiner (220) is supplied to the upper portion of the second refiner (230) and can be introduced into the second refiner housing (231) through the inlet pipe (232). The oil inside the housing (231) can be decomposed by a catalyst (233) placed inside the housing (231).

[0085] Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the catalyst (233) may be inserted into the side wall of the housing (231), but at the same time, the internal space of the housing (231) may also be filled with the catalyst (233). In this case, the liquid oil may directly contact the catalyst, and the probability of contact between the oil and the catalyst (233) may be increased by spraying the oil with the spray (238).

[0086] In this case, the catalyst (233) is substantially the same as the catalyst (226) used in the first refiner (220), and can simultaneously perform physical decomposition and contact decomposition by wave energy. Accordingly, the carbon bonds within the oil can be cracked once more, and higher quality oil can be produced. In addition, the catalyst (233) includes a large number of pores on the surface, and the presence of the pores allows impurities contained in the oil to be removed. Moisture generated during this process can be discharged to the outside through the moisture discharge port (237).

[0087] Meanwhile, since the catalyst (233) performs not only physical crushing but also contact decomposition, its performance may deteriorate with use, and it must be replaced periodically through a ceramic catalyst replacement port (236).

[0088] The cooler (240) can receive the vapor generated from the first refiner (220) and the liquid oil generated from the second refiner (230). The cooler (240) cools the vapor and oil to generate light oil in a liquid state, and the generated light oil can be stored in a light oil storage tank (250).

[0089] The post-processing unit (300) can improve the quality of light oil produced from high-viscosity crude oil sludge or perform additional processes to suit specific purposes. For example, the post-processing unit (300) can include a desulfurization device to remove sulfur components contained in light oil, an oil-water separator to further reduce the moisture content of light oil, a flash point controller to increase the flash point of light oil, etc. The flash point controller can improve the flash point of light oil by selectively removing low-flash point substances such as naphtha contained in light oil.

[0090] As described above, the high viscosity crude oil sludge refinery (10) according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention can produce high value-added light oil by cracking the carbon bonds of high viscosity crude oil sludge such as atmospheric residue (AR) using wave energy radiated from a catalyst. In particular, since the high viscosity crude oil sludge refinery (10) uses physical decomposition using a catalyst, catalyst regeneration is unnecessary, and it is environmentally friendly because it does not use fossil fuels. In addition, the high viscosity crude oil sludge refinery (10) does not use expensive substances such as high purity hydrogen, and since light oil production is possible even in a low temperature range of about 80°C to 350°C, it is economically excellent.

[0091] [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 10: High viscosity crude oil sludge purification unit

[0093] 100: Wavelength decomposition section 110: Decomposition furnace

[0094] 120: Condenser 130: Heavy oil storage tank

[0095] 140: Oil-water separator 150: Blower

[0096] 160: Gas tank 200: Separation and purification unit

[0097] 210: Stirred steam generator 220: First purifier

[0098] 230: Second refiner 240: Cooler

[0099] 250: Light oil storage tank 300: Post-processing unit

Claims

1. A cracking furnace that crushes and evaporates the carbon bonds of the atmospheric residual oil with a boiling point of 350℃ or higher generated in the atmospheric distillation process to produce oil vapor; and It has a condenser that cools the vapor generated in the cracking furnace through heat exchange to produce heavy oil in a liquid state. In the above decomposition, A housing having a decomposition space for storing the above-mentioned atmospheric pressure residual oil inside, and wherein the decomposition space is selectively opened and closed by a door; A catalyst section having a plurality of ceramic catalysts installed on the side wall of the housing and physically crushing carbon bonds of the atmospheric pressure residual oil by emitting wave energy in the range of 80°C to 350°C; and It is installed inside the housing and includes a plurality of heating wires that heat the atmospheric pressure residual oil and the catalyst part by emitting heat using electric energy. The above ceramic catalyst is, Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , at least one ceramic powder selected from MgO; LiF, MgF 2 , CaF 2 At least one fluoride powder selected from; A high viscosity crude oil sludge purification device comprising at least one phosphor material selected from Terbium (Tb), Cerium (Ce), Europium (Eu), and Dysprosium (Dy); and at least one metal selected from Palladium (Pd), Vanadium Oxide (VOx), and Titanium Oxide (TiOx).

2. In paragraph 1, The above ceramic catalyst is formed by mixing the ceramic powder, the fluoride powder, and the thermoluminescent rare earth type fluorescent substance to form a molded body, and sintering the molded body at a temperature range of 1300°C to 1450°C. A high viscosity crude oil sludge stagnation device, characterized in that the wave energy emitted from the ceramic catalyst has an energy of 200 kJ / mol to 400 kJ / mol.

3. A high viscosity crude oil sludge stagnation device characterized in that, in the second paragraph, it further includes a blower that forcibly discharges heated air in the decomposition space heated by the heating wire, cools the heated air discharged from the decomposition space through heat exchange with the condenser, and supplies the cooled air back to the decomposition space.

4. In paragraph 4, A sensor unit for monitoring the internal pressure of the above-mentioned decomposition furnace; A gas tank storing inert gases; and A high viscosity crude oil sludge stagnation device characterized by further including a control unit that receives pressure information measured by the sensor unit and selectively supplies an inert gas stored in the gas tank into the inside of the decomposition furnace when the pressure in the decomposition furnace drops below a preset pressure due to the operation of the blower.

5. A high viscosity crude oil sludge stagnation device in the fourth paragraph, characterized in that the heavy oil produced in the condenser has a carbon number of 24 to 60. A wave cracking unit that physically breaks down carbon bonds in atmospheric residual oil having a boiling point of 350°C or higher generated in an atmospheric distillation process by using wave energy emitted from a catalyst heated to a temperature range of 6.80°C to 350°C, thereby producing heavy oil having 24 to 60 carbon atoms; and A separation and refining unit is included to produce light oil having 10 to 18 carbon atoms from the heavy oil by simultaneously performing physical crushing of the heavy oil by the catalyst and simultaneously causing contact cracking by directly contacting the catalyst with the heavy oil. The above catalyst is, Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , at least one ceramic powder selected from MgO; LiF, MgF 2 , CaF 2 At least one fluoride powder selected from; At least one phosphor material selected from Terbium (Tb), Cerium (Ce), Europium (Eu), and Dysprosium (Dy); and Containing at least one metal selected from palladium (Pd), vanadium oxide (VOx), and titanium oxide (TiOx), The above catalyst is a high viscosity crude oil sludge stagnation device that emits wave energy in the range of 80℃ to 350℃ to break down the carbon bonds of the atmospheric residual oil and the heavy oil.

7. In paragraph 6, The above wavelength decomposition section is, A cracking furnace that uses the above catalyst to break down and vaporize the carbon bonds of the atmospheric residual oil to produce steam; A condenser that cools the vapor generated in the cracking furnace through heat exchange to produce heavy oil in a liquid state; and It includes an oil-water separator for removing moisture contained in heavy oil produced in the above condenser, In the above decomposition, A housing having a decomposition space for storing the above-mentioned atmospheric pressure residual oil inside, and wherein the decomposition space is selectively opened and closed by a door; A catalyst section having a plurality of ceramic catalysts installed on a side wall of the housing and physically crushing carbon bonds of the atmospheric pressure residual oil by emitting wave energy of a wavelength of 200 nm to 700 nm in a range of 80°C to 350°C; A plurality of heating wires installed inside the housing and heating the atmospheric pressure residual oil and the catalyst part by emitting heat using electric energy; and A high viscosity crude oil sludge purification device characterized by including a blower for forcibly discharging heated air in the decomposition space heated by the heating wire, cooling the discharged heated air through heat exchange with the condenser, and supplying the cooled air back to the decomposition space.

8. In the 7th paragraph, the decomposition process is as follows: A sensor unit for monitoring the internal pressure of the above-mentioned decomposition furnace; A gas tank storing inert gases; and A high viscosity crude oil sludge stagnation device characterized by further including a control unit that receives pressure information measured by the sensor unit and selectively supplies an inert gas stored in the gas tank into the inside of the decomposition furnace when the pressure in the decomposition furnace drops below a preset pressure due to the operation of the blower.

9. In paragraph 8, The above separation and purification unit is, A stirring vaporizer that generates vapor from heavy oil generated in the wavelength decomposition unit; and It includes first and second refiners that purify and condense the vapor generated in the above-mentioned stirring vaporizer to produce light oil. The above stirring steamer is, A stirring tank that contains heavy oil inside and has a conical shape with an inner bottom whose height gradually decreases from the center to the edge; A stirring blade rotatably connected to a rotating shaft passing through the center of the stirring tank to stir the heavy oil; A ceramic catalyst that emits wave energy in the range of 80°C to 350°C; A high viscosity crude oil sludge refining device characterized by including a heater for heating the heavy oil and the ceramic catalyst.

10. In paragraph 9, The above first purifier, The first purifier housing forming the outer appearance; A vapor inlet provided at the lower part of the first purifier housing, into which vapor generated from the stirring vaporizer is introduced; A plurality of catalyst receiving chambers having a ceramic catalyst that is sequentially stacked upward from the above steam inlet and emits wave energy having a short wavelength in the range of 80°C to 350°C; and It includes an outlet for supplying the liquefied oil to the second refiner during the process of passing through the above-mentioned plurality of catalyst receiving chambers, The vapor introduced into the above catalyst receiving chambers comes into direct contact with the ceramic catalyst, The above second purifier, Second purifier housing forming the outer appearance; An inlet pipe penetrating the upper surface of the second purifier housing and supplying liquefied oil from the first purifier into the interior of the housing; A plurality of ceramic catalysts accommodated inside the housing and emitting wave energy having a short wavelength in the range of 80°C to 350°C; A spray that sprays liquefied oil introduced into the above inlet pipe toward the above ceramic catalysts; and It includes a heater for heating the liquefied oil and the ceramic catalysts, A high viscosity crude oil sludge purification device characterized in that the liquefied oil supplied through the above inlet pipe comes into direct contact with the above ceramic catalysts.

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