Integrated Hydrocracking Process for Olefin Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated hydrocracking and steam pyrolysis processes for producing olefinic and aromatic petrochemicals from crude oil face inefficiencies, including significant equipment size and energy demands due to recycling of heavier steam cracking components, hydrogen loss as methane, and dilution of desired products, leading to suboptimal hydrogen balances and product yields.
Innovation Solution
The process involves treating crude oil and residual liquids in a first hydrocracking zone to produce a hydrogen-rich effluent, separating it into various streams for further processing in steam cracker units and dehydrogenation units, and thermally cracking the liquid phase to produce a slurry intermediate product, optimizing the production of LPG streams which are then used to increase the yield of olefinic and aromatic petrochemicals, with careful control over hydrocracking severity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If heavier steam cracking components are recycled to increase olefin yield, then product yield improves, but equipment size and energy demand increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and separates heavier steam cracking components (C5+) from the recycle stream and directs them to a hydrocracker unit for conversion to lighter hydrocarbons. This prevents the energy-intensive recycling of heavy components while maintaining olefin yield through controlled conversion to lighter feedstocks suitable for steam cracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the process into distinct units: a steam cracker for light hydrocarbons, a hydrocracker for heavy components, and separate product recovery sections. This segmentation allows optimized processing of different feedstock ranges, reducing overall energy demand by matching each component to its most efficient processing route.
2Productivity
If heavier steam cracking components are recycled to increase olefin yield, then product yield improves, but equipment size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts heavier components from the steam cracker feed and routes them to a separate hydrocracking unit, eliminating the need for oversized equipment in the steam cracker to handle heavy feeds. This reduces steam cracker equipment size while maintaining olefin production through the hydrocracking conversion path.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrocracker unit serves multiple functions: converting heavy steam cracker components, processing vacuum gas oil, and producing lighter hydrocarbon feeds for the steam cracker. This multi-functionality consolidates equipment requirements and reduces overall plant size compared to dedicated units for each function.
3Productivity
If crude oil is directly hydrocracked to produce liquid hydrocarbon feed for steam cracking, then processing efficiency improves, but hydrogen loss as methane increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts hydrocracking parameters (temperature, pressure, catalyst type) to optimize the product distribution toward LPG and naphtha ranges with minimal methane formation. By controlling reaction severity and using appropriate catalysts, hydrogen consumption is minimized while maintaining high processing efficiency and desired product yields.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs different catalysts in different hydrocracking zones: a first catalyst for initial hydrocracking and a second catalyst with different properties for subsequent processing. This local differentiation of catalyst quality optimizes product distribution at each stage, minimizing unwanted methane formation while maintaining processing efficiency.
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 reduces equipment size and energy demand, enhances carbon efficiency, and increases the conversion of crude oil to valuable LPG, achieving higher yields of olefinic and aromatic petrochemicals while minimizing hydrogen consumption and methane production.
Implementation Method 1
treating the feedstock comprising crude oil and a residual liquid product in a first hydrocracking zone in the presence of hydrogen under conditions effective to produce a first effluent having an increased hydrogen content
Implementation Method 2
the hydroprocessed effluent is thermally cracked in the presence of steam to produce a mixed product stream
Implementation Method 3
separating the first effluent into a LPG comprising stream and a liquid phase stream
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to an integrated hydrocracking process for production of olefinic and aromatic petrochemicals from a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising crude oil. An object of the present invention is to provide an integrated hydrocracking process for production of olefinic and aromatic petrochemicals from a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising crude oil wherein the portion of the crude oil converted to LPG is increased significantly.