Heteroatom Removal via Oxidation and Phase Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing heteroatom contaminants like sulfur, nitrogen, and phosphorus from hydrocarbon streams are inefficient, particularly for heavy crude oils, leading to environmental hazards and increased costs due to the difficulty in completely desulfurizing sterically hindered compounds and the generation of oxidized waste products that are hard to dispose of.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of an oxidant and an immiscible acid to oxidize heteroatom contaminants, followed by treatment with a caustic and a selectivity promoter to remove these contaminants, thereby producing a substantially heteroatom-free hydrocarbon product, which also increases the API gravity and decreases the total acid number.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional hydrodesulfurization methods are used to remove heteroatom contaminants, then sulfur content can be reduced, but the process generates substantial CO2 emissions and requires high energy input, high pressures, and large amounts of hydrogen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs strong oxidizing agents (such as hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, or ozone) to oxidize heteroatom contaminants (sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorus) in hydrocarbon streams. This oxidation approach replaces conventional hydrodesulfurization methods, achieving contaminant removal without requiring high pressures, large amounts of hydrogen, or generating substantial CO2 emissions. The oxidized contaminants can then be selectively removed through extraction or phase separation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If oxidation methods are used to remove heteroatom contaminants, then environmental benefits are achieved, but oxidized waste products are generated that are hard to dispose of
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a recovery and recycling system for the oxidized waste products. After oxidation of heteroatom contaminants, the oxidized products (such as sulfones, sulfoxides, nitro compounds) are separated from the hydrocarbon stream through extraction or phase separation. These separated oxidized products are then recovered and can be disposed of in controlled manner or potentially converted back to useful products, thereby addressing the disposal difficulty while maintaining environmental benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces selective extraction agents or phase separation media as intermediaries to separate oxidized heteroatom contaminants from the hydrocarbon stream. These intermediaries selectively interact with the oxidized contaminants (which have different polarity and solubility characteristics compared to original hydrocarbons), enabling efficient separation. This intermediary approach converts the disposal problem into a selective separation process, making waste management more controllable and environmentally friendly.
3Productivity
If current desulfurization processes are applied to heavy crude oils, then processing can proceed, but complete desulfurization of sterically hindered compounds is difficult achieving
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses strong oxidizing agents that can effectively oxidize sterically hindered sulfur compounds (such as dibenzothiophenes and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene) that are resistant to conventional hydrodesulfurization. The oxidation converts these recalcitrant compounds into sulfones or sulfoxides, which have different physical and chemical properties, enabling complete removal through subsequent separation processes. This oxidation approach achieves complete desulfurization even for heavy crude oils with complex, sterically hindered sulfur compounds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical state of heteroatom contaminants from reduced forms (sulfides, thiols) to oxidized forms (sulfones, sulfoxides, nitro compounds). This parameter change (oxidation state) fundamentally alters the properties of contaminants, making them more polar, less soluble in hydrocarbons, and more amenable to selective separation. This parameter transformation enables complete removal of even sterically hindered compounds that resist conventional removal methods.
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 method effectively reduces heteroatom content, increases API gravity, and decreases total acid number, addressing the inefficiencies of existing desulfurization processes while minimizing waste generation and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
A heteroatom contaminated hydrocarbon feed stream is subjected to heteroatom oxidizing conditions to produce an oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon intermediate stream
Implementation Method 2
contacting said stream with a selectivity promoter and caustic thereby removing the heteroatom contaminants from the hydrocarbon stream
Data Source
AI summary
A method of upgrading a heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed by removing heteroatom contaminants is disclosed. The method includes contacting the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with an oxidant and an immiscible acid to oxidize the heteroatoms, contacting the oxidized- heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with caustic and a selectivity promoter, and removing the heteroatom contaminants from the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed. The oxidant may be used in the presence of a catalyst.