Flexible Hydroprocessing Zones for Heavy Oil Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The petroleum industry faces challenges in effectively upgrading heavy oil feeds with high concentrations of asphaltenes and low API gravities, as existing systems require significant catalyst usage and recycling, leading to operational inefficiencies and equipment issues.
Innovation Solution
A process involving multiple contacting zones and separation zones is employed, using a slurry catalyst with an active metal catalyst in a hydrocarbon oil diluent, under hydrocracking conditions, to convert heavy oil feeds into lower boiling hydrocarbons, with a focus on minimizing catalyst usage and optimizing process efficiency through flexible operational modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If spent slurry catalyst and unconverted heavy oil feeds are recycled back to the process, then heavy oil conversion is maximized, but device complexity and operational inefficiencies increase
Solution Approach 1:
The process is divided into multiple contacting zones (first contacting zone, second contacting zone, etc.) with separate separation zones for each. This segmentation allows each zone to handle specific conversion tasks independently, eliminating the need for overall process recycling while maintaining high conversion through staged processing. The effluent from each contacting zone is separated and sent to the next zone without recycling back.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of recycling spent catalyst and unconverted feed back to the beginning of the process, the invention inverts the approach by using a series of contacting zones where unconverted material naturally flows forward to subsequent zones. Each zone processes a portion of the feed, and the combined effect achieves high conversion without the complexity of recycling loops.
2Productivity
If slurry catalyst is used for hydrocracking heavy oil feedstock, then conversion to lower boiling hydrocarbons is achieved, but catalyst consumption and separation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The catalyst is distributed across multiple contacting zones rather than being concentrated in a single reactor. This segmentation allows the catalyst to be used more efficiently throughout the process, with each zone contributing to the overall conversion while reducing the burden on any single catalyst bed.
Solution Approach 2:
The process maintains continuous flow through multiple contacting zones, ensuring that unconverted material continuously encounters fresh catalyst in subsequent zones. This continuous action maximizes conversion efficiency and catalyst utilization without requiring catalyst recycling or additional separation steps.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple contacting zones and separation zones are configured in permutable fashion, then operational flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed with dynamic operational flexibility, allowing contacting zones and separation zones to be operated in various configurations (sequential mode, parallel mode, or combinations). This dynamic adaptability enables the process to respond to different feedstock qualities and product demands while maintaining a relatively straightforward physical layout of zones arranged in logical sequences.
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 achieves high conversion rates of heavy oil feeds with reduced catalyst consumption, improved product quality, and increased system throughput, while minimizing equipment downtime due to reduced pressure drops and efficient catalyst recovery.
Implementation Method 1
combining at least a portion of the hydrogen containing gas feed, at least a portion of the heavy oil feedstock, and at least a portion of the slurry catalyst in a first contacting zone under hydrocracking conditions at a sufficient temperature and a sufficient pressure to convert at least a portion of the heavy oil feedstock to lower boiling hydrocarbons
Implementation Method 2
sending a first effluent stream from the first contacting zone comprising a mixture of the upgraded products, the slurry catalyst, the hydrogen containing gas, and unconverted heavy oil feedstock as a feed to a first separation zone, wherein volatile upgraded products are removed with the hydrogen containing gas as a first overhead stream
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible once-through process for hydroprocessing heavy oil feedstock is disclosed. The process employs a plurality of contacting zones and at least a separation zone to convert at least a portion of the heavy oil feedstock to lower boiling hydrocarbons, forming upgraded products. The contacting zones operate under hydrocracking conditions, employing a slurry catalyst for upgrading the heavy oil feedstock. The plurality of contacting zones and separation zones are configured in a permutable fashion allowing the once-through process to be flexible operating in various modes: a sequential mode; a parallel mode; a combination of parallel and sequential mode; all online; some online and some on stand-by; some online and some off-line; a parallel mode with the effluent stream from the contacting zone being sent to at least a separation zone in series with the contacting zone; a parallel mode with the effluent stream from the contacting zone being combined with an effluent stream from at least another contacting zone and sent to the separation zone; and combinations thereof.