Fluidized Pyrolysis Process for Heavy Feed Conversion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pyrolysis furnaces lack flexibility in processing residues and waste streams containing non-volatile components, leading to fouling issues and inefficiencies in converting heavy crude oil and organic waste into valuable olefins and fuel products.
Innovation Solution
A pyrolysis process involving the use of heated solid particles to crack hydrocarbons, followed by contacting the pyrolysis effluent with organic waste streams to further convert them into olefins and syngas, with the particles being recycled and reused in the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional pyrolysis furnaces are used to process heavy crude oil and organic waste streams, then the conversion of hydrocarbons into olefins can be achieved, but fouling occurs in the radiant section due to non-volatile components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) unit as an intermediary between the pyrolysis furnace and downstream processing. The FCC unit processes the heavy crude oil and organic waste streams before they enter the pyrolysis furnace, removing non-volatile components that would otherwise cause fouling in the radiant section. This mediator allows the pyrolysis process to operate efficiently without the harmful fouling effects.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If external vaporization drums or flash drums are used to separate vaporized hydrocarbons from liquid hydrocarbons, then fouling problems in the pyrolysis furnace are addressed, but a substantial quantity of hydrocarbons are removed and used as fuel instead of being converted into higher-value olefins
Solution Approach 1:
The FCC unit serves as an intermediary that processes liquid hydrocarbons containing non-volatile components, converting them into vaporized hydrocarbons suitable for pyrolysis without requiring external vaporization drums. This allows hydrocarbons to be converted into higher-value olefins through the pyrolysis process rather than being removed and used as fuel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the processing parameters by using catalytic cracking conditions in the FCC unit instead of simple thermal vaporization. This allows the liquid hydrocarbons to be chemically transformed into more suitable feedstock for pyrolysis, enabling the conversion of what would otherwise be waste material into valuable olefin products.
3Productivity
If extensive and expensive processing is applied to low-cost heavy crude oil to remove non-volatiles, then the feed can be converted into olefins, but the processing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The FCC unit is designed to handle multiple feedstock types including heavy crude oil, residues, and organic waste streams in a single integrated process. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate extensive processing trains for each feedstock type, reducing overall device complexity and processing costs while maintaining high conversion efficiency to olefins.
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 enables the efficient conversion of organic waste streams into valuable chemical products like olefins and syngas, overcoming fouling issues and improving the utilization of heavy crude oil, while also recycling waste materials.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the hydrocarbon-containing feed with a plurality of heated solid particles at a temperature sufficient in a pyrolysis reaction zone to effect pyrolysis of hydrocarbons contained in the feed to produce a first pyrolysis effluent comprising olefins
Implementation Method 2
The first pyrolysis effluent, still having a sufficiently high temperature, can be allowed to contact an organic-material-containing stream (e.g., a plastic-waste-containing stream) to further effect pyrolysis of the organic waste to convert the organic waste into olefins and/or lighter organic materials
Implementation Method 3
The solid particles separated from the first pyrolysis effluent and/or the second pyrolysis effluent can be supplied into a combustion zone where they are combusted and heated to a high temperature, and then recycled back to the pyrolysis reaction zone
Data Source
AI summary
Processes for converting an organic-material-containing feed comprising contacting the feed with a plurality of fluidized hot particles in a pyrolysis zone to product a first pyrolysis effluent, optionally contacting the first pyrolysis effluent with a quenching stream to impart additional pyrolysis of organic materials contained in the quenching stream, separating at least a portion of the particles and feeding them to a combustion zone where the particles are heated to an elevated temperature, optionally contacting the combustion zone effluent with a second organic-material-containing stream to produce, e.g., syngas, and feeding at least a portion of the heated particles to the pyrolysis zone.