Whole Crude Fractionation and Integrated Cracking for Light Olefins

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods struggle to produce light olefins efficiently from crude oil due to the interference of heavy components in steam or catalytic cracking processes.

Innovation Solution

An integrated process involving crude oil separation into light gas, light, and heavy fractions, followed by steam cracking and steam enhanced catalytic cracking, with specific temperature and steam ratios, to produce light olefins.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If crude oil is directly subjected to steam cracking or catalytic cracking, then light olefins can be produced, but heavy components interfere with the cracking process and reduce efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight olefins production efficiencyVSAvoidheavy component interference

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The crude oil feedstock is segmented into three distinct fractions based on boiling point ranges: light gas fraction (C1-C4), light fraction (C5+), and heavy fraction. This segmentation allows each fraction to be processed in the most appropriate cracking unit, preventing heavy components from interfering with steam cracking while maximizing light olefins yield from each fraction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The heavy fraction stream is extracted and separated from the light gas and light fractions before cracking. By removing heavy components that would interfere with the cracking process, the remaining lighter fractions can be efficiently converted to light olefins without contamination or deactivation issues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If crude oil is separated into multiple fractions before cracking, then heavy component interference is reduced, but process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheavy component interferenceVSAvoidseparation and cracking process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The separation unit serves multiple functions: it acts as a fractionation column that separates crude oil into three distinct streams, a preprocessing unit that prepares feeds for both steam cracking and catalytic cracking, and a control point that optimizes the composition of feeds to each cracking unit. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines steam cracking and catalytic cracking processes in an integrated configuration where both processes receive separated fractions from the same separation unit and their effluents are combined in the product separator. This merging allows synergistic operation where each process complements the other in converting different fractions to light olefins

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 effectively converts crude oil into light olefins by overcoming the challenges of heavy components, enhancing yield and efficiency in producing ethylene, propylene, and butylene.

Implementation Method 1

separate the hydrocarbon feed into at least a light gas fraction stream comprising C1-C4 alkanes, a light fraction stream comprising C5+ alkanes, and a heavy fraction stream, wherein the temperature cut between the light fraction stream and the heavy fraction stream is from 280° C. to 320° C.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFractionation: Fractionation

Implementation Method 2

passing the light gas fraction stream to a steam cracker to steam crack at least a portion of the light gas fraction stream and produce a steam cracked effluent stream

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSteam cracking: Pyrolysis

Implementation Method 3

introducing the light fraction stream and the heavy fraction stream to a steam enhanced catalytic cracker (SECC) in the presence of steam to catalytically crack at least a portion of the light fraction stream and the heavy fraction stream and produce a catalytically cracked effluent stream

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCatalytic cracking: Catalysis

Data Source

PatentUS12391890B2Integrated process for conversion of whole crude to light olefins

Publication Date: 2025.08.19 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

Light olefins may be produced from a hydrocarbon feed by a method that includes separating the hydrocarbon feed into at least a light gas fraction stream comprising C1-C4 alkanes, a light fraction stream comprising C5+ alkanes, and a heavy fraction stream. The temperature cut between the light fraction stream and the heavy fraction stream may be at 280° C. to 320° C. The method may further include steam cracking at least a portion of the light gas fraction stream to produce a steam cracked effluent stream and catalytically cracking at least a portion of the light fraction stream and the heavy fraction stream in a steam enhanced catalytic cracker (SECC) to produce a catalytically cracked effluent stream. The steam cracked effluent stream and the catalytically cracked effluent stream may be sent to a product separator to produce the light olefins.