Aromatic Blending Component for Low-Sulfur Fuel Oil Viscosity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional fuel oils in marine and shipping applications require blending with more valuable components like kerosene and light gas oil to reduce viscosity and meet specifications, which is costly and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an aromatic blending component derived from aromatic bottoms of an aromatic recovery complex, such as straight-run aromatic bottoms, hydrodearylated aromatic bottoms, or heavy hydrodearylated aromatic bottoms, to reduce viscosity without adding significant sulfur, thereby minimizing the need for more valuable components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If vacuum residue oil is blended with kerosene and light gas oil to reduce viscosity, then fuel oil specifications are met, but the cost increases due to use of more valuable components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel oil specifications complianceVSAvoidkerosene and light gas oil content

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the blending component by using aromatic bottoms (high aromatic content, high viscosity) instead of conventional low-viscosity components like kerosene. This parameter substitution allows meeting fuel oil specifications while minimizing valuable component usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs aromatic bottoms, a byproduct stream with limited other uses, as the blending component. This disposable-like approach uses a low-value material (aromatic bottoms) to replace high-value materials (kerosene, light gas oil) in the fuel oil blend.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Quantity of substance

If aromatic bottoms are used as blending component, then viscosity is reduced and valuable components are minimized, but sulfur content may increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearomatic blending component contentVSAvoidsulfur content

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by selectively using the aromatic blending component in specific proportions within the fuel oil blend, concentrating its viscosity-reducing properties where needed while controlling sulfur introduction through careful formulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs feedback control by monitoring and adjusting the aromatic blending component content based on sulfur content requirements. The blending process incorporates quality control mechanisms that ensure sulfur specifications are met while maximizing the use of aromatic bottoms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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

The aromatic blending component effectively reduces the need for kerosene and light gas oil, maintaining fuel oil specifications while optimizing the use of more valuable hydrocarbon streams and reducing sulfur content.

Implementation Method 1

The aromatic blending component can reduce the viscosity of the fuel oil without adding significant amounts of sulfur

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectViscosity reduction through blending:

Implementation Method 2

The step of supplying an aromatic blending component from the aromatic bottoms includes hydrodearylating the aromatic bottoms to produce hydrodearylated aromatic bottoms

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrodearylation:

Implementation Method 3

The step of supplying an aromatic blending component from the aromatic bottoms includes fractionating the aromatic bottoms to obtain heavy aromatic bottoms

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFractionation: Fractionation

Data Source

PatentUS11248176B2Low-sulfur aromatic-rich fuel oil blending component

Publication Date: 2022.02.15 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

Refinery processes, systems, and compositions for making an aromatic blending component for fuel oil, and a fuel oil blend using the same. Valuable hydrocarbons like kerosene can be reduced or eliminated from fuel oil blends by adding certain aromatic blending components derived from the aromatic bottoms stream of an aromatic recovery complex. The aromatic blending component can be used in lieu of more costly hydrocarbon streams to decrease the overall viscosity of the fuel oil blend without adding sulfur.