Dual Catalyst Ebullated Bed Upgrading Vacuum Residue
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heavy oil hydroprocessing systems face challenges in efficiently upgrading low-quality heavy oil feedstocks due to high concentrations of sulfur, nitrogen, metals, and asphaltenes, which lead to fouling of catalysts and equipment, and result in suboptimal vacuum residue products with high viscosity, density, and impurity content.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a dual catalyst system in ebullated bed hydroprocessing systems, comprising a solid supported heterogeneous catalyst and well-dispersed metal sulfide catalyst particles, to improve the quality of vacuum residue products by reducing viscosity, asphaltene, sulfur, nitrogen, and sediment content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional single catalyst systems are used for heavy oil hydroprocessing, then the process is simpler and cost lower, but the vacuum residue product quality is suboptimal with high viscosity, density, and impurity content
Solution Approach 1:
The catalyst system is segmented into two distinct components: a solid supported heterogeneous catalyst and well-dispersed homogeneous catalyst particles. This segmentation allows each catalyst type to perform its specific function optimally - the heterogeneous catalyst provides structural stability and the homogeneous catalyst enhances activity and selectivity - thereby improving vacuum residue product quality while maintaining manageable system complexity through functional division
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a composite catalyst system combining heterogeneous and homogeneous catalyst components. The heterogeneous catalyst (solid supported) and homogeneous catalyst (dispersed metal sulfide particles) work synergistically as a composite system, where the heterogeneous component provides structural framework and the homogeneous component provides active catalytic sites, achieving superior product quality compared to single-catalyst systems
2Productivity
If high severity hydroprocessing is applied to upgrade heavy oil, then conversion increases and more valuable products are produced, but equipment fouling increases due to high concentrations of asphaltenes and carbon residue
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the potentially harmful effect of asphaltenes and carbon residue into a beneficial catalytic function. The homogeneous catalyst particles are specifically designed to promote hydrocracking and hydroisomerization reactions that transform these harmful components into valuable liquid products, thereby converting what would normally cause fouling into useful products that enhance productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The homogeneous catalyst particles act as an intermediary between the heavy oil feedstock and the desired liquid products. These dispersed metal sulfide particles facilitate the transformation of difficult-to-process components like asphaltenes and carbon residue into more manageable and valuable products, reducing fouling while maintaining high conversion rates
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional hydroprocessing is used, then the process is more economical, but the vacuum residue product requires expensive cutter stocks for blending to meet specifications
Solution Approach 1:
The dual catalyst system operates within a fluidized bed reactor where the catalyst particles are kept in suspension by upward flowing fluid (hydrocarbon vapor and gas). This hydraulic/pneumatic environment allows the homogeneous catalyst particles to remain well-distributed and active throughout the reactor, maximizing their effectiveness in producing high-quality vacuum residue that reduces or eliminates the need for expensive cutter stocks
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 dual catalyst system significantly enhances the quality of vacuum residue products by achieving reductions in viscosity, asphaltene, sulfur, and sediment content, improving API gravity and micro carbon residue, thereby reducing equipment fouling and the need for expensive cutter stocks, while maintaining or increasing production rates.
Implementation Method 1
operating an ebullated bed reactor using a heterogeneous catalyst to hydroprocess heavy oil
Implementation Method 2
upgraded the ebullated bed reactor to operate using a dual catalyst system comprised of dispersed metal sulfide catalyst particles and heterogeneous catalyst
Data Source
AI summary
An ebullated bed hydroprocessing system is upgraded using a dual catalyst system that includes a heterogeneous catalyst and dispersed metal sulfide particles to improve the quality of vacuum residue. The improved quality of vacuum residue can be provided by one or more of reduced viscosity, reduced density (increased API gravity), reduced asphaltene content, reduced carbon residue content, reduced sulfur content, and reduced sediment. Vacuum residue of improved quality can be produced while operating the upgraded ebullated bed reactor at the same or higher severity, temperature, throughput and/or conversion. Similarly, vacuum residue of same or higher quality can be produced while operating the upgraded ebullated bed reactor at higher severity, temperature, throughput and/or conversion.