Oxidative Hydrocarbon Upgrading via Immiscible Acid Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing heteroatom contaminants like sulfur, nitrogen, and phosphorus from hydrocarbon streams are inefficient, particularly for heavy crude oils, leading to environmental hazards and increased costs due to the difficulty in eliminating sterically hindered sulfur compounds and the generation of oxidized waste products that are hard to dispose of.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of an oxidant and an immiscible acid to oxidize heteroatom contaminants, followed by treatment with a caustic and a selectivity promoter to remove these contaminants, thereby producing a substantially heteroatom-free hydrocarbon product, with the option to recycle the caustic and selectivity promoter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If hydrodesulfurization (HDS) is used to remove sulfur from hydrocarbon streams, then sulfur content is reduced, but energy input, hydrogen consumption, and CO2 emissions increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the treatment process by using oxidation instead of hydrodesulfurization. This involves transforming sulfur compounds through oxidation reactions rather than hydrogenation, fundamentally altering the reaction conditions and mechanisms to achieve sulfur removal with different energy and material requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful sulfur compounds into beneficial or manageable forms through oxidation. By oxidizing sulfur-containing compounds, the process transforms them into products that can be more easily separated and disposed of, while avoiding the substantial energy input and CO2 emissions associated with traditional HDS methods
2Object-affected harmful factors
If hydrodesulfurization (HDS) is used to remove sulfur from hydrocarbon streams, then sulfur content is reduced, but hydrogen consumption increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the chemical reaction pathway from hydrogenation-based HDS to oxidation-based treatment. This parameter change eliminates the need for substantial hydrogen consumption while achieving the same goal of sulfur removal, as oxidation uses oxygen or other oxidizing agents instead of hydrogen
Solution Approach 2:
The oxidation process converts sulfur compounds into oxidized forms that can be removed without requiring large quantities of hydrogen. This approach transforms the sulfur contaminants into products that are easier to handle and dispose of, while avoiding the high hydrogen consumption inherent in traditional HDS processes
3Object-affected harmful factors
If hydrodesulfurization (HDS) is used to remove sulfur from hydrocarbon streams, then sulfur content is reduced, but CO2 emissions increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the reaction chemistry from HDS to oxidation, fundamentally altering the byproducts generated. By using oxidation reactions instead of hydrogenation, the process avoids generating substantial CO2 emissions while still achieving effective sulfur removal from the hydrocarbon streams
Solution Approach 2:
The oxidation-based approach converts sulfur compounds into oxidized sulfur products that can be removed from the system, thereby eliminating the source of future CO2 emissions from sulfur combustion. This transforms the sulfur contaminant into a manageable form that prevents rather than contributes to CO2 emissions
4Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional methods are used to remove sterically hindered sulfur compounds, then some sulfur is removed, but removal efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical approach from conventional HDS to oxidation-based treatment, which proves more effective for sterically hindered sulfur compounds. The oxidation mechanism can access and transform sulfur compounds that are resistant to conventional hydrogenation methods, thereby improving removal efficiency for difficult-to-treat substrates
Solution Approach 2:
The oxidation process converts even the most recalcitrant sterically hindered sulfur compounds into oxidized forms that can be effectively removed. This approach transforms previously intractable contaminants into manageable products, achieving high removal efficiency where conventional methods fail
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 effectively decreases the total acid number and increases the API gravity of hydrocarbon streams, addressing the challenges of contaminant removal and waste management while meeting stringent environmental regulations.
Implementation Method 1
A heteroatom contaminated hydrocarbon feed stream is subjected to heteroatom oxidizing conditions to produce an oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon intermediate stream
Implementation Method 2
contacting said stream with a selectivity promoter and caustic thereby removing the heteroatom contaminants from the hydrocarbon stream
Data Source
AI summary
A method of upgrading a heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed by removing heteroatom contaminants is disclosed. The method includes contacting the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with an oxidant and an immiscible acid to oxidize the heteroatoms, contacting the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with caustic and a selectivity promoter, and removing the heteroatom contaminants from the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed. The oxidant may be used in the presence of a catalyst.