LCO Hydroprocessing for Aromatic Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for aromatic products like benzene, toluene, and xylene exceeds the supply of naphtha, leading to inefficiencies in conventional production methods, particularly due to high hydrogen consumption and catalyst poisoning issues with LCO from FCC processes, which cannot keep up with stringent quality standards and environmental regulations.
Innovation Solution
A method involving hydroprocessing of aromatic compound-containing oil fractions, followed by fluidized catalytic cracking using a catalyst circulation fluidized-bed reactor with a spherical catalyst, and transalkylation to produce high-concentration, high-value-added aromatic products, including benzene, toluene, and xylene, while recovering olefins like ethylene and propylene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If LCO from FCC is used as feedstock for aromatic production, then aromatic production capacity increases, but hydrogen consumption increases and catalyst poisoning occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary hydroprocessing treatment to LCO before it enters the aromatic production process. This preliminary action removes catalyst poisoning components (sulfur, nitrogen) and saturates aromatic rings, preventing downstream hydrogen consumption issues and catalyst deactivation while maintaining aromatic production capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hydroprocessing unit as an intermediary step between LCO production and aromatic synthesis. This intermediary unit acts as a buffer that cleans and prepares the feedstock, eliminating harmful components without requiring excessive hydrogen in the main aromatic production process
2Adaptability or versatility
If LCO is used instead of naphtha, then feedstock supply flexibility improves, but production process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a multi-functional integrated process where the hydroprocessing unit serves dual purposes: it prepares LCO for aromatic production while also producing olefin byproducts. This universal approach handles feedstock flexibility without proportionally increasing process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the hydroprocessing function with the aromatic production function into an integrated system. By combining these functions, the process handles LCO feedstock flexibility while avoiding separate complex treatment trains, thus reducing overall process complexity
3Productivity
If conventional naphtha cracking is used, then aromatic production is efficient, but supply security deteriorates due to naphtha shortage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the feedstock parameter from naphtha to LCO, fundamentally altering the input material while maintaining aromatic production efficiency. This parameter change secures supply by using alternative feedstocks that are less subject to market shortages
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the aromatic production process that accepts LCO instead of naphtha. By copying the core aromatic synthesis functionality while adapting the feedstock, the process maintains efficiency while improving supply security through feedstock diversification
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 significantly increases the production of high-value aromatic products like xylene and propylene, maximizes the added value of final products by selectively producing and reprocessing low-value products, and reduces hydrogen consumption and catalyst poisoning, thus addressing supply and quality challenges.
Implementation Method 1
hydroprocessing an aromatic compound-containing oil fraction in the presence of a catalyst to partially saturate components
Implementation Method 2
fluidized catalytic cracking the components partially saturated in step (a) using a catalyst circulation fluidized-bed reactor capable of continuously regenerating an inactivated catalyst in the presence of a cracking catalyst
Data Source
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing aromatic products (benzene/toluene/xylene) and olefinic products from an aromatic-compound-containing oil fraction, whereby it is possible to substitute naphtha as a feedstock for aromatic production and so make stable supply and demand, and it is possible to substantially increase the yield of high-added-value olefinic and high-added-value aromatic components, by providing a method for manufacturing olefinic and aromatic products from light cycle oil comprising a hydrogen-processing reaction step, a catalytic cracking step, an separation step and a transalkylation step, and optionally also comprising a recirculation step.