Pentane-Enriched Hydrocarbon Streams for Transportation Fuel
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Solution Overview
Problem
The petroleum refining industry faces challenges in utilizing pentane-rich fractions due to high Reid vapor pressure, which exceeds government specifications for natural gasoline, thereby decreasing its market value and limiting its blending into liquid transportation fuels.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a process that separates pentane-rich fractions to remove isopentane, which is then blended with an oligomerization effluent and a low olefin naphtha stream to produce a hydrocarbon product that meets regulatory specifications for gasoline, thereby offsetting the high vapor pressure of isopentane.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If natural gasoline fraction is produced from NGL fractionator, then quantity of C5 hydrocarbons is increased, but Reid vapor pressure exceeds 12 psi specification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts isopentane from the natural gasoline fraction through a deisopentanizer column. The NGL fractionator produces a pentanes plus fraction containing isopentane, which is then separated in the deisopentanizer to remove isopentane and produce a deisopentanized natural gasoline fraction with reduced vapor pressure meeting the 12 psi specification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the composition parameters of the natural gasoline fraction by removing isopentane through fractional distillation in the deisopentanizer. This parameter change reduces the Reid vapor pressure from above 12 psi to below 12 psi while maintaining the C5 hydrocarbon content for blending into gasoline.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If isopentane is removed from natural gasoline fraction, then vapor pressure is reduced below 12 psi, but market value of natural gasoline stream decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful high vapor pressure of isopentane into a beneficial product by directing the separated isopentane stream to an oligomerization unit. The isopentane is oligomerized to produce higher molecular weight hydrocarbons that are blended back into the gasoline pool, thereby utilizing the previously problematic component to enhance gasoline production while meeting vapor pressure specifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multiple product streams from the deisopentanizer: the deisopentanized natural gasoline fraction meets vapor pressure specs for direct sale or blending, while the separated isopentane stream is converted through oligomerization into additional gasoline blendstock. This multi-functional approach maximizes the value of the original NGL fraction.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If C5 olefins are oligomerized, then vapor pressure of blend component is reduced, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the deisopentanized natural gasoline fraction, the oligomerized isopentane stream, and the low olefin naphtha stream in a blending pool to produce a unified gasoline blend component. This combining approach allows the vapor pressure reduction achieved through oligomerization to be effectively utilized while integrating multiple streams into a single marketable product that meets all specifications.
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 process enhances the value of natural gasoline and isopentane streams by reducing their vapor pressure, allowing for increased blending into gasoline, thus increasing overall refinery profitability and meeting government specifications for liquid transportation fuels.
Implementation Method 1
separating the natural gas liquids feed stream in a fractionator to produce multiple fractions
Implementation Method 2
The C5 olefins fraction is oligomerized to produce an oligomerized stream with lower vapor pressure
Data Source
AI summary
Methods that increase production of a liquid transportation fuel blend component by utilizing C5 hydrocarbon streams taken from both a refinery naphtha stream and an NGL fractionator pentanes plus stream. A high vapor pressure pentane fraction from the NGL fractionator is separated to remove isopentane and produce lower vapor pressure commodity natural gasoline. A refinery naphtha stream (that is optionally an FCC naphtha stream) is separated to produce a C5 olefins stream that is then oligomerized to produce an upgraded stream having lower vapor pressure and higher octane rating, then combined with the remainder of the naphtha stream as well as the isopentane stream to produce a gasoline blend component that meets specifications for vapor pressure and octane rating.