Hydroprocessing Reactor Integration for Heavy Crude Upgrading
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Solution Overview
Problem
The processing of heavy crude oil in oil refineries is limited by its high impurity content, which can lead to inefficiencies and stability issues, including flooding in atmospheric distillation units and high energy consumption, due to unreacted hydrogen and impurities like sulfur and vanadium.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for upgrading and separating hydrocarbons using a hydroprocessing process that involves preheating the hydrocarbon, removing impurities with a catalyst and hydrogen, and separating gases and liquids in a multi-stage process to reduce pressure and temperature, optimizing the removal of impurities and unreacted hydrogen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If heavy crude oil is introduced into an existing oil refining process without separate processing, then the throughput of heavy crude oil is extremely limited, but the impurity content causes inefficiency and process stability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing hydroprocessing treatment on heavy crude oil before introducing it into the existing oil refining process. The heavy crude oil undergoes preheating, hydroprocessing reaction to remove impurities (sulfur, nickel, vanadium, asphaltene, organic acid), and gas-liquid separation in advance, converting it into upgraded feedstock that can be stably processed in subsequent refining operations without causing flooding or stability issues.
2Loss of energy
If a gas-liquid separator is installed to recycle unreacted hydrogen, then hydrogen recycling is achieved, but crude oil vapor flows in the air along with the gas flow and additional decompression process is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the gas-liquid separation function with the hydroprocessing reaction system by integrating the separator directly into the hydroprocessing unit. The separator is positioned to receive effluent directly from the hydroprocessing reactor, allowing unreacted hydrogen to be recycled back to the reactor inlet while liquid hydrocarbon products proceed to downstream processing. This integration eliminates the need for separate decompression equipment and prevents crude oil vapor from mixing with atmospheric air.
3Temperature
If the feedstream is warmed to a temperature close to the atmospheric distillation column temperature by passing through a fired heater, then the feedstream temperature is appropriate for distillation, but a large amount of energy is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by preheating the heavy crude oil feedstream within the hydroprocessing unit using heat exchangers that utilize hot process streams (such as heated hydrocarbon effluent or reactor outlet streams) as the heating medium. This preheating occurs before the feed enters the atmospheric distillation column, reducing the additional heating required in the fired heater and thereby lowering overall energy consumption while maintaining the necessary feedstream temperature for efficient distillation.
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 enhances impurity removal rates, prevents flooding, and improves energy efficiency by stabilizing the hydrocarbon refining process and allowing for increased throughput of heavy crude oil, while minimizing the size of atmospheric distillation apparatuses.
Implementation Method 1
removing non-hydrocarbon impurities from the hydrocarbon using a hydroprocessing catalyst and hydrogen gas
Implementation Method 2
removing non-hydrocarbon impurities from the hydrocarbon using a hydroprocessing catalyst and hydrogen gas
Implementation Method 3
separating gas from liquid hydrocarbon discharged from the reactor by reducing a pressure and a temperature in at least one stage
Implementation Method 4
separating gas from liquid hydrocarbon discharged from the reactor by reducing a pressure and a temperature in at least one stage
Implementation Method 5
the feedstream may be warmed to a temperature close to a temperature measured when the feedstream is inserted into the atmospheric distillation column by passing through a fired heater
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for upgrading and separating hydrocarbon are provided. The method may include preheating hydrocarbon containing impurities, removing non-hydrocarbon impurities from the hydrocarbon using a hydroprocessing catalyst and hydrogen gas after inserting the preheated hydrocarbon into a reactor, and separating gas from liquid.