Deasphalted Heavy Oil Hydroprocessing Catalyst Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional refinery processes face challenges in processing heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks with high Conradson Carbon Residue (CCR) and total metals content, leading to catalyst deactivation and plugging issues, requiring expensive and energy-intensive upgrading processes.

Innovation Solution

A process involving deasphalting to produce a deasphalted heavy hydrocarbon material with CCR content above 12 weight percent and asphaltene content below 2 weight percent, which is then treated with a catalyst in a contacting zone to generate a product suitable for conventional refinery processes, reducing hydrogen usage and catalyst deactivation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional refinery processes (FCC, packed bed hydrotreating) are used to process heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks with high CCR and total metals content, then catalyst deactivation and plugging occur rapidly, but if expensive upgrading processes are applied, then feedstock quality improves while capital and operating costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatalyst stabilityVSAvoidprocess complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing deasphalting before the main catalytic processing step. This preliminary removal of asphaltenes (reducing content to less than 2 weight percent) prevents subsequent catalyst deactivation and plugging, allowing the use of simpler and less expensive catalytic processes while maintaining high reliability with feedstocks that would otherwise require complex upgrading

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If expensive upgrading processes are used to treat heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks, then product quality improves, but capital and operating costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct qualityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the extraction principle by selectively removing asphaltenes from heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks through deasphalting processes. This targeted removal of the problematic component (asphaltenes causing catalyst deactivation) improves product quality and processability without requiring expensive comprehensive upgrading processes, thereby reducing both capital and operating costs while maintaining manufacturing precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Use of energy by moving object

If deasphalted heavy hydrocarbon material with high CCR content is processed through conventional catalytic processes, then hydrogen consumption increases and catalyst deactivation accelerates, but if the material is further upgraded, then hydrogen usage decreases while additional processing costs are incurred

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydrogen consumptionVSAvoidcatalyst deactivation

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the 'blessing in disguise' principle by converting the harmful effect of high CCR content into a benefit. By removing asphaltenes first, the high CCR material can be processed through catalytic routes that actually reduce overall hydrogen consumption compared to conventional approaches, while the catalyst remains protected from deactivation. The previously harmful high CCR feedstock becomes suitable for more efficient catalytic processing

Inventive Principle:

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

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 treatment of heavy hydrocarbons without expensive upgrading processes, lowering capital and operating costs, reducing hydrogen consumption, and minimizing catalyst deactivation, while also reducing CO2 emissions and improving product yield and quality.

Implementation Method 1

contacting a feed material with at least one catalyst material within a contacting zone to effect generation of a total product

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Data Source

PatentUS9925532B2Method of processing heavy oils and residua

Publication Date: 2018.03.27 WELL RESOURCES

AI summary

There is provided a process of treating a heavy hydrocarbon-comprising material, comprising: contacting a feed material with at least a catalyst material within a contacting zone to effect generation of a total product such that a contacting zone material is disposed within the contacting zone and consists of the catalyst material and a feed/product-comprising mixture comprising the feed material and the total product, wherein the feed/product-comprising mixture includes a Conradson carbon residue content of at least 12 weight percent, based on the total weight of the feed/product-comprising mixture, and also includes an asphaltene content of less than two (2) weight percent, based on the total weight of the feed/product-comprising mixture, and wherein the feed material includes deasphalted heavy hydrocarbon-comprising material. A heavy hydrocarbon-containing feed for a catalytic hydroprocessing or catalytic hydrocracking process is also provided, wherein the feed comprises a deasphalted heavy hydrocarbon-comprising material having a Conradson carbon residue, CCR, content greater than about 12 wt % and an asphaltene content less than about 2 wt %. The feed results in reduced catalyst deactivation or catalyst coking during the catalytic hydroprocessing or catalytic hydrocracking process.