Thermal Cracking Process for High TAN Crude Oil Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for processing highly acidic crude oils are inefficient, leading to corrosion issues, costly refining processes, and degradation of crude quality, as they often require special chemicals, complex processes, and frequent use of corrosion inhibitors, and do not effectively convert crude oil into valuable lighter hydrocarbons while minimizing metallurgy changes and corrosion inhibitor usage.
Innovation Solution
A thermal cracking process is employed to convert high TAN crude oils into lighter hydrocarbons, involving desalting, pre-fractionation, thermal reaction, and fractionation, which reduces acidity and removes catalyst poisons like heavy metals, allowing for minimal metallurgy changes and reduced corrosion inhibitor use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional refining methods are used to process highly acidic crude oil, then the crude oil can be processed, but corrosion of metal surfaces occurs requiring frequent changes of corroded parts or use of expensive refractory metals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful acidic compounds (naphthenic acids) from the crude oil through thermal cracking and fractionation processes. By separating and eliminating these acidic components before the oil enters downstream processing equipment, the corrosion problem is resolved while maintaining processing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal cracking process converts the harmful acidic compounds into lighter hydrocarbon products through controlled thermal decomposition. The naphthenic acids are broken down and separated, transforming the harmful substance into useful products while eliminating the corrosion issue.
2Reliability
If corrosion inhibitors are used to protect metal surface from corrosion, then metal surface is protected, but the process requires frequent dosing and additional chemical costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary thermal cracking and fractionation to remove acidic compounds before the crude oil contacts metal equipment. This preliminary action eliminates the need for continuous corrosion inhibitor dosing, as the harmful substances are removed upstream in the processing sequence.
3Productivity
If thermal cracking process is used to convert high boiling hydrocarbon to low boiling petroleum, then lighter hydrocarbon products are produced, but acidic compounds remain causing corrosion issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thermal cracking process into multiple stages with intermediate fractionation. The crude oil is cracked into different boiling ranges, then systematically separated into lighter and heavier fractions. This segmentation allows complete removal of acidic compounds from the lighter hydrocarbon products while maintaining production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous thermal cracking followed by continuous fractionation and separation of acidic compounds. The process maintains continuous operation to ensure complete conversion and separation, eliminating residual acidic compounds while continuously producing lighter hydrocarbon products.
4Manufacturing precision
If fractionation column is exposed to acidic crude, then separation is achieved, but costly refining process is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary thermal cracking to break down complex acidic compounds before they enter the fractionation column. This preliminary action simplifies the separation process, reducing the complexity and cost of the fractionation operation while maintaining high separation 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 process effectively destroys naphthenic acid compounds, reduces acidity, and produces cleaner feedstock for downstream units, eliminating corrosion issues and the need for frequent corrosion inhibitor dosing, while maintaining or improving crude oil quality.
Implementation Method 1
A thermal cracking process is employed to convert high TAN crude oils into lighter hydrocarbons
Implementation Method 2
desalting neat high acidic crude oil to obtain desalted crude
Implementation Method 3
separating the desalted crude in a pre-fractionator column into lighter hydrocarbon material and heavier boiling material
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The present invention relates to crude oil processing, particularly related to conversion of crude oil containing high amount of naphthenic acid compounds to lighter hydrocarbon materials with minimum capital expenditure. The invented process utilizes a novel scheme for high TAN crude oils by employing thermal cracking process to maximize the residue conversion to valuable products, which require minimum modifications in unit metallurgies and corrosion inhibitor injection schemes in refineries.