Adsorption Column for Polyaromatic Removal in Refinery Bottoms

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Solution Overview

Problem

Refineries face challenges in economically reducing benzene content in reformate products while managing the aromatic complex bottoms, which deteriorate gasoline quality and impact engine performance when mixed into the gasoline pool.

Innovation Solution

An integrated refinery process and system that includes an atmospheric distillation unit, naphtha hydrotreating and reforming units, an aromatics complex, and an adsorption column to separate and remove polyaromatics from aromatic complex bottoms, producing a cleaned aromatics stream and a coke production unit to utilize the reject stream for high-quality coke production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If aromatic complex bottoms are mixed into the gasoline pool, then the gasoline volume is increased, but the gasoline quality deteriorates and engine performance is impacted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegasoline volumeVSAvoidgasoline quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes polyaromatic constituents from the aromatic complex bottoms through an adsorption process using activated carbon. This separation allows the cleaned aromatic complex bottoms to be blended into gasoline without the harmful polyaromatics that would otherwise deteriorate gasoline quality and impact engine performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies selective adsorption using activated carbon that specifically targets and removes polyaromatic compounds while leaving other components intact. This localized removal of harmful substances allows the remaining aromatic complex bottoms to serve as a valuable gasoline blending component without the negative effects of polyaromatics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If benzene content in reformate is reduced to meet regulations, then environmental compliance is improved, but production costs increase due to additional processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebenzene contentVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the previously problematic aromatic complex bottoms, which were considered waste or harmful material, into a valuable resource. By removing polyaromatics through adsorption, the processed material becomes a useful gasoline blending component, thereby reducing the need for additional benzene removal processes and lowering overall production costs while meeting environmental regulations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If polyaromatics are removed from aromatic complex bottoms, then gasoline quality is improved, but the complexity of the processing system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepolyaromatic contentVSAvoidprocessing system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs activated carbon, a porous material with high surface area and adsorption capacity, to remove polyaromatics from aromatic complex bottoms. This single adsorption step provides effective polyaromatic removal without requiring complex multi-stage processing systems, thereby improving gasoline quality while minimizing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Effectively reduces polyaromatic content in aromatic complex bottoms, improving gasoline quality and generating high-value products, including high-quality coke, thereby addressing environmental regulations and enhancing engine performance.

Implementation Method 1

an adsorption column, the adsorption column in fluid communication with ARC and operable to receive the aromatic bottoms stream produced by the ARC, and the adsorption column further operable to remove polyaromatics from the aromatic bottoms stream to produce a cleaned aromatics bottoms stream with reduced polyaromatic content

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentUS11613714B2Conversion of aromatic complex bottoms to useful products in an integrated refinery process

Publication Date: 2023.03.28 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

Systems and integrated methods are disclosed for processing aromatic complex bottoms into high value products. The system includes an adsorption column, the adsorption column in fluid communication with an aromatics complex and operable to receive and remove polyaromatics from an aromatic bottoms stream. The adsorption column producing a cleaned aromatic bottoms stream with reduced polyaromatic content and a reject stream including the removed polyaromatics. In some embodiments, the reject stream is recycled for further processing, passed to a coke production unit to produce high quality coke, or both.