Liquid Recirculating Reactor for Heavy Oil Upgrading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heavy oil upgrading via hydroprocessing using large extrudate catalyst pellets is inefficient, and upflow reactors with bubble column technology struggle to maintain the desired dispersed bubble flow regime, limiting reactor volume utilization and heavy oil upgrading efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Employing a liquid recirculating reactor with a high liquid to gas ratio to maintain a dispersed bubble flow regime, which allows for more even flow patterns and increased liquid upgrading capacity, using a slurry catalyst and hydrogen-rich gas to upgrade heavy oils.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If upflow reactors with bubble column technology are used for heavy oil upgrading, then slurry catalyst can be employed, but the dispersed bubble flow regime cannot be maintained, limiting reactor volume utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operating parameters by maintaining a high liquid-to-gas ratio (specifically liquid velocity to gas velocity ratio uL/uG ≥ 0.2) to sustain the dispersed bubble flow regime. This parameter control enables the reactor to handle both slurry catalyst and high gas rates effectively, resolving the contradiction between catalyst adaptability and reactor productivity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional slurry bubble columns are used, then slurry catalyst is employed, but bubble coalescence occurs creating uneven flow patterns, reducing performance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention maintains specific flow regime parameters by controlling the liquid-to-gas velocity ratio to be at least 0.2, which prevents bubble coalescence and maintains dispersed bubble flow patterns. This parameter control ensures uniform flow distribution while allowing slurry catalyst usage, resolving the contradiction between catalyst adaptability and flow pattern reliability.
3Productivity
If higher gas rates are handled, then more heavy oil can be upgraded, but dispersed bubble flow regime becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The invention controls the liquid-to-gas velocity ratio parameter to maintain dispersed bubble flow stability even at higher gas rates. By keeping uL/uG ≥ 0.2, the system can handle increased heavy oil upgrading capacity while maintaining flow regime stability, resolving the contradiction between productivity and flow regime stability.
4Ease of manufacture
If large extrudate catalyst pellets are used, then conventional hydroprocessing is performed, but upgrading efficiency is relatively inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the catalyst form from large extrudate pellets to finely divided slurry catalyst particles, creating local quality improvement in the catalyst phase. This enables much higher upgrading efficiency while the high liquid-to-gas ratio maintains the dispersed flow regime necessary for effective slurry catalyst utilization, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and upgrading 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
The liquid recirculating reactor effectively handles higher gas rates and fresh liquid feed rates, maintaining dispersed bubble flow and achieving high heavy oil conversion rates, up to 99%, compared to conventional slurry bubble columns.
Implementation Method 1
The liquid recirculating reactor of this invention employs a dispersed bubble flow regime, which requires a high liquid to gas ratio
Implementation Method 2
a dispersed bubble flow regime results in more even flow patterns, increasing the amount of liquid that can be upgraded in a single reactor
Implementation Method 3
upgrading heavy oils admixed with a catalyst composition in a slurry using a liquid circulating reactor
Implementation Method 4
heavy oil upgrading via hydroprocessing uses relatively inefficient large extrudate catalyst pellets to support the reactions
Data Source
AI summary
The instant invention relates to an upflow for upgrading heavy oil feed stock and a method for upgrading heavy oil feed stock employing an upflow reactor and with a slurry catalyst. In one embodiment, the upflow reactor is a liquid recirculating reactor, which is operated in manner corresponding to a dispersed bubble flow regime, which requires a high liquid to gas ratio. A dispersed bubble flow regime results in more even flow patterns, increasing the amount of liquid, i.e., heavy oil feed stock that can be upgraded in a single reactor.