Crude Conversion to Chemicals via Fractionation and Hydroconversion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for processing hydrocarbon mixtures with high end boiling points in pyrolysis reactors result in rapid coking and reduced yield, necessitating initial separation and specific processing conditions for each fraction, which is inefficient and energy-intensive.

Innovation Solution

A system that progressively separates whole crudes into light and heavy fractions using convection heat from steam cracking heaters, routing them to appropriate upgrading operations such as fixed bed hydroconversion, fluidized catalytic conversion, or residue hydrocracking units, eliminating the need for atmospheric and vacuum distillation steps and optimizing chemical yield through targeted temperature and pressure conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If hydrocarbon mixtures with high end boiling points are processed directly in pyrolysis reactors, then chemical yield is improved, but rapid coking occurs reducing reactor reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechemical yieldVSAvoidreactor operation continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The hydrocarbon mixture is separated into multiple fractions based on boiling point ranges. Light fractions (C1-C4) are processed separately from heavy fractions (C5+), allowing each to be pyrolyzed under optimized conditions. This segmentation prevents rapid coking while maintaining high chemical yield from the original crude mixture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If hydrocarbon mixtures are separated into numerous fractions for processing, then coking is reduced improving reactor reliability, but process complexity and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereactor operation continuityVSAvoidseparation and processing system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the light fraction (C1-C4) from the crude mixture before pyrolysis. This extraction eliminates the problematic components that cause rapid coking, allowing the remaining heavy fraction to be processed reliably without requiring complex multi-fraction separation systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The light fraction is removed in advance through a preliminary separation step before the pyrolysis process begins. This preliminary action prevents coking issues during reactor operation, simplifying the overall process design while maintaining reliable continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional refining processes are used to separate and process crude fractions, then fuel production is achieved, but energy consumption and process complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel production capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of following the conventional path of separating crude into multiple fractions for fuel production, the invention inverts the approach by directly pyrolyzing the heavy fraction after removing only the light fraction. This produces chemicals (olefins, aromatics) directly from crude, eliminating the need for conventional refining steps and significantly reducing energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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

This approach allows for the direct conversion of whole crudes to olefins and aromatics without a refinery, enhancing energy efficiency, reducing catalyst consumption, and maximizing chemical yields while maintaining continuous operation and flexibility in processing various crude qualities.

Implementation Method 1

heating the wide boiling range hydrocarbon stream in the convection zone of a pyrolysis heater

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection heat transfer: Convection

Implementation Method 2

thermally cracking the first vapor fraction to produce a converted first vapor fraction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal cracking: Pyrolysis

Implementation Method 3

separating the heated wide boiling range hydrocarbon stream into a first vapor fraction and a first liquid fraction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase separation: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentUS12049596B2Process for conversion of crudes and condensates to chemicals utilizing a mix of hydrogen addition and carbon rejection

Publication Date: 2024.07.30 LUMMUS TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

Processes herein may be used to thermally crack various hydrocarbon feeds, and may eliminate the refinery altogether while making the crude to chemicals process very flexible in terms of crude. In embodiments herein, crude is progressively separated into light and heavy fractions utilizing convection heat from heaters used in steam cracking. Depending on the quality of the light and heavy fractions, these are routed to one of three upgrading operations, including a fixed bed hydroconversion unit, a fluidized catalytic conversion unit, or a residue hydrocracking unit that may utilize either an ebullated bed reactor with extrudate catalysts or a slurry hydrocracking reactor using a homogeneous catalyst system, such as a molybdenum based catalysts which may optionally be promoted with nickel. Products from the upgrading operations can be finished olefins and/or aromatics, or, for heavier products from the upgrading operations, may be used as feed to the steam cracker.