Hydrotreated Stream Hydrogenation for Sulfur Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing facilities designed for specific product grades often fail to produce higher quality hydrotreated oils, and impurities interfere with purification processes, necessitating a method to enhance and upgrade hydrotreated streams for improved lubricant properties.
Innovation Solution
A process involving hydrogenation of hydrotreated streams with low sulfur content to produce high-quality lubricants, including the integration of a reactor zone with fluid transfer devices, heat exchangers, and hydrogenation reaction vessels to achieve a product stream with reduced sulfur levels and increased saturated hydrocarbon content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If high severity hydroprocessing is used to produce highly saturated oils, then sulfur content is reduced and product quality is improved, but manufacturing facilities designed for certain grades cannot produce higher quality products and impurities interfere with purification processes
Solution Approach 1:
The process is divided into two distinct zones: a hydrotreatment zone for initial processing and a hydrogenation reaction zone for final purification. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally, with the hydrogenation zone specifically targeting sulfur removal to produce higher quality products free from impurities that would interfere with purification processes
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful sulfur impurities are extracted and removed from the hydrotreated stream through the hydrogenation reaction zone. The process specifically targets and removes sulfur content from no more than about 300 ppm down to no more than about 5 ppm, extracting the harmful factor that prevents production of higher quality products
2Manufacturing precision
If existing lube manufacturing units are used, then production capacity is maintained, but they cannot produce higher grade products with lower sulfur and higher saturate content
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrogenation reaction zone is designed with multi-functionality to handle various feedstocks including traditional waste lubricating oils and non-traditional hydrocarbon sources. The zone can process different feedstock types while consistently producing higher grade products with lower sulfur and higher saturate content, making the facility adaptable to changing feedstock availability
Solution Approach 2:
The process changes key parameters including reducing sulfur content from no more than about 300 ppm to no more than about 5 ppm, and increasing saturate content to produce higher grade products. These parameter changes enable existing units to transition from producing standard grade lubricants to higher API Grade III products
3Productivity
If hydrotreated streams are produced without further hydrogenation, then processing time is reduced, but sulfur content remains above 5 ppm and product quality does not meet higher API grade standards
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrotreatment zone performs preliminary processing to reduce sulfur content to no more than about 300 ppm before the stream enters the hydrogenation reaction zone. This preliminary action prepares the feedstock for the final hydrogenation step, ensuring that the subsequent sulfur removal to no more than about 5 ppm is achieved efficiently without excessive processing time
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
The process enhances the quality of hydrotreated streams to meet higher API grade standards, such as Group III, by reducing sulfur levels and increasing saturated hydrocarbon content, resulting in improved lubricant properties like higher viscosity index and thermal stability, and allowing for the revamping of existing units to produce higher valued products.
Implementation Method 1
hydrogenating the hydrotreated stream having no more than about 300 ppm, by weight, sulfur based on the weight of the stream in a hydrogenation reaction zone to produce a product stream having no more than about 5 ppm, by weight, sulfur
Data Source
AI summary
One exemplary embodiment can be a process for improving a hydrotreated stream for lubricating a machine. The hydrotreated stream can include an effective amount of one or more saturated hydrocarbons. Generally, the process includes hydrogenating the hydrotreated stream having no more than about 300 ppm, by weight, sulfur based on the weight of the stream in a hydrogenation reaction zone to produce a product stream having no more than about 5 ppm, by weight, sulfur.