Hydrovisbreaking Process with Dissolved Hydrogen
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydrovisbreaking processes for reducing the viscosity of heavy residua are limited by asphaltene condensation, require large reaction vessels, and necessitate gas recycle systems, increasing capital costs and cutter stock consumption.
Innovation Solution
The process involves dissolving hydrogen in the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock and flashing it to create a single-phase hydrogen-enriched feed, which stabilizes free radicals and reduces coke formation, allowing for smaller reactors and eliminating the need for gas recycle systems, thereby minimizing capital investment and cutter stock usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional hydrovisbreaking processes use liquid-gas two-phase unit operations, then hydrogenation can occur to reduce viscosity, but large reaction vessels and gas recycle systems are required, increasing capital investment and processing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of hydrogen from gas to dissolved state in the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock. By dissolving hydrogen in the feedstock before cracking, the process eliminates the need for complex liquid-gas two-phase unit operations, large reaction vessels, and gas recycle systems while maintaining the hydrogenation function needed for viscosity reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of hydrogen from gaseous to dissolved in liquid phase. This parameter change allows hydrogen to be uniformly distributed in the feedstock without requiring complex gas-liquid contact equipment, thereby simplifying the device complexity while achieving the desired hydrogenation effect.
2Productivity
If severe cracking conditions are used to generate sufficient lighter products, then distillate yield increases, but asphaltene condensation into heavier materials occurs, causing instability in resulting fuel oil
Solution Approach 1:
Dissolved hydrogen acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the cracking process and asphaltene stability. The hydrogen stabilizes free radicals formed during cracking, preventing asphaltene condensation into coke and heavier materials, thereby maintaining fuel oil stability even under severe cracking conditions that produce high distillate yield.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of free radical formation during cracking (which leads to asphaltene condensation and instability) into a beneficial effect. By having dissolved hydrogen available, the free radicals are stabilized through hydrogenation, turning what would be a harmful side reaction into a controlled process that maintains product stability while achieving high productivity.
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 product yield quality, reduces reactor size, and decreases capital costs by stabilizing free radicals during cracking reactions, achieving improved hydrovisbreaking efficiency without the need for extensive gas recycling or external cutter stocks.
Implementation Method 1
dissolving hydrogen in the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock
Implementation Method 2
flashing it to create a single-phase hydrogen-enriched feed
Implementation Method 3
dissolved hydrogen in the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock enhances conventional hydrovisbreaking processes by stabilizing free radicals formed during the cracking reactions
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
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AI summary
An improved hydrovisbreaking process for reducing the viscosity of a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock is provided. A substantially single-phase hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrocarbon feedstock is obtained by mixing the feedstock with hydrogen gas and flashing off the excess hydrogen gas. Comparatively smaller reactor vessels can be used without a gas recycle system, thus reducing the capital cost of hydrovisbreaking process. Further the need for cutter stocks can be minimized or eliminated.