Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for thermal cracking of heavy petroleum oil, in which when a thermal cracking facility having a cracking furnace, two or more of trains each comprising two reaction vessels and one distillation tower is operated, each train is operated by repeating a cycle comprising drawing the heavy petroleum oil from the cracking furnace, feeding the drawn heavy petroleum oil into the first reaction vessel and then feeding the drawn heavy petroleum oil into the second reaction vessel, steam is directly brought in contact with the heavy petroleum oil to be thermally cracked, and gaseous cracked substances produced and steam are introduced into the distillation tower to be distilled and separated, wherein phase delay is provided for the cycle repeated in each train so that the thermal cracking facility is operated with the different initiation time of feeding to the first reaction vessel in each train.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process comprising feeding high TAN feedstreams to a steam cracker, whereby naphthenic acids in the feedstreams are substantially converted to CO, CO2, and low amounts of smaller acids (e.g., formic, acetic, propionic, and butyric acids). The feedstream is preferably a high TAN feedstream comprising crude or high TAN feedstream which has previously been subjected to a refinery process to remove resid.

Abstract: A process for cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feed is disclosed. The heavy hydrocarbon feed is passed to a first zone of a vaporization unit to separate a first vapor stream and a first liquid stream. The first liquid stream is passed to a second zone of the vaporization unit and contacted intimately with a countercurrent steam to produce a second vapor stream and a second liquid stream. The second vapor stream is contacted with a wash liquid in a rectification section to form a rectified stream. The first vapor stream and the rectified stream are cracked in the radiant section of the steam cracker to produce a cracked effluent.

Abstract: The suppression of coke adherence in a reaction vessel and cracked gas pipelines at the outlet of the reaction vessel and the prevention of plugging are designed by improving the dispersion of superheated steam inside the reaction vessel to preferable conditions, and pitch having more uniform and higher quality can be produced. A cracking process in which superheated steam is directly contacted with the heavy petroleum oil by blowing the superheated steam into the reaction vessel to be thermally cracked to oil fractions and pitch, wherein the superheated steam is blown into the reaction vessel from the bottom portion thereof so that the superheated steam generates rotational flow around the central axis of the shell of the reaction vessel.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for upgrading steam cracker tars from steam crackers. The invention also relates to a steam cracking process and apparatus for reducing yields of tars produced from steam cracking while increasing yields of higher value products by heating steam cracker tar, in the presence of hydrogen donor compounds, e.g., tetralin. The hydrogen donor compounds can be provided in a hydrogen donor-rich hydrocarbon stream, e.g., light cycle oils, or low sulfur vacuum tower bottoms. The treated tar can be separated into gas oil, fuel oil and tar streams.

Abstract: A process for cracking a hydrocarbon feedstock containing salt and/or particulate matter, wherein said hydrocarbon feedstock containing salt and/or particulate matter is partially desalted, e.g., by passing through a centrifugal separator, heated, then separated into a vapor phase and a liquid phase by flashing in a flash/separation vessel, separating and cracking the vapor phase which comprises less than about 98% of the hydrocarbon feedstock containing salt and/or particulate matter, and recovering cracked product.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are provided for cracking hydrocarbons. Hot, cracked effluent is removed to a quench header where it is pre-quenched with an oil containing crackable components, e.g., 1000° F.+ (538° C.+) boiling range bottoms taken from a vapor/liquid separator, cracking the bottoms to more valuable products, e.g., steam crack naphtha. The overhead of the separator is fed to a cracker, and then quenched with a quenching oil.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for the present invention relates to a process for upgrading tar-containing effluent from a steam cracker furnace that comprises: a) contacting a steam cracker tar-containing effluent with steam and for a time, sufficient to convert at least a portion of the steam cracker tar to a mixture comprising lower boiling molecules and the steam cracker tar-containing effluent; and b) separating the mixture from step a) into i) at least one tar-lean product; and ii) a tar-rich product having a final boiling above the final boiling point of the at least one tar-lean product.

Abstract: In one aspect, the inventive process comprises a process for pyrolyzing a hydrocarbon feedstock containing nonvolatiles in a regenerative pyrolysis reactor system. The process comprises: (a) heating the nonvolatile-containing hydrocarbon feedstock upstream of a regenerative pyrolysis reactor system to a temperature sufficient to form a vapor phase that is essentially free of nonvolatiles and a liquid phase containing the nonvolatiles; (b) separating said vapor phase from said liquid phase; (c) feeding the separated vapor phase and methane to the pyrolysis reactor system; and (d) converting the methane and separated vapor phase in said pyrolysis reactor system to form a pyrolysis product. In another aspect, the invention includes a separation process that feeds multiple pyrolysis reactors.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feedstock. The process of the present invention provides for the preparation of a partially upgraded feedstock exhibiting reduced viscosity and increased API gravity. This process reduces the viscosity of the feedstock in order to permit pipeline transport of the upgraded feedstock with little or no addition of diluents. The method for upgrading a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock comprises introducing a particulate heat carrier into an upflow reactor, introducing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock into the upflow reactor at a location above that of the particulate heat carrier, allowing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock to interact with the heat carrier to produce a product stream, separating the product stream from the particulate heat carrier, regenerating the particulate heat carrier, and collecting a gaseous and liquid product from the product stream.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process wherein a feedstock or stream comprising steam cracker tar is passed to a vacuum pipestill. A deasphalted cut of tar is obtained as an overhead (or sidestream) and a heavy tar asphaltenic product is obtained as bottoms. In preferred embodiments, at least a portion of the bottoms product is sent to a partial oxidation unit (POX) wherein syn gas may be obtained as a product, and/or at least a portion of the bottoms product is used to produce a light product stream in a coker unit, such as coker naphtha and/or or coker gas oil. In another preferred embodiment at least a portion of the overheads product is added to refinery fuel oil pools and in yet another preferred embodiment at least a portion of the overheads product is mixed with locally combusted materials to lower soot make. Two or more of the aforementioned preferred embodiments may be combined.

Abstract: A process for making lower olefins from a wide boiling range hydrocarbon feed by use of a combination of one or more vapor/liquid separation devices, and then pyrolytically cracking the vapor phase in separate sets of pyrolysis radiant tubes, thereby producing a higher level of lower olefin product.

Abstract: A process is described for producing deasphalted steam cracker tar comprising feeding steam cracker tar to a vacuum pipestill (VPS) including a flash zone separated from a zone comprising trays by at least one annular entrainment ring and obtaining as an overheads a deasphalted tar product and as a bottoms an asphaltenic heavy tar product. Also according to the invention, there is a system for the upgrading of tar comprising said VPS with at least one annular entrainment ring.

Abstract: A process (or steam cracking a hydrocarbon feedstock containing olefins to provide increased light olefins in the steam cracked effluent, the process comprising passing a first hydrocarbon feedstock containing one or more olefins through a reactor containing a crystalline silicate to produce an intermediate effluent with an olefin content of lower molecular weight than that of the feedstock, fractionating the intermediate effluent to provide a lower carbon fraction and a higher carbon fraction, and passing the higher carbon fraction, as a second hydrocarbon feedstock, through a stream cracker to produce a steam cracked effluent.

Abstract: A contactor/separator is formed from a vessel; an inlet for receiving a vapor/liquid mixture; an inlet for receiving a superheated vapor; a hub located within the vessel, the hub including a plurality of vanes for imparting a centrifugal motion to the vapor/liquid mixture or the superheated vapor; an outlet in a bottom of the vessel for removing liquid; and an outlet for removing vapor from the vessel. A method is also provided for heating and separating liquid and vapor from a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising introducing a hydrocarbon feedstock into a contactor/separator: introducing a superheated vapor into the contactor/separator such that it contacts and vaporizes a portion of the feedstock within the contactor/separator; separating unvaporized feedstock from vaporized feedstock in the contactor/separator; removing the vaporized feedstock and the superheated vapor through a first outlet; and removing the unvaporized feedstock through a second outlet.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for cracking a hydrocarbon feed in a steam cracking furnace by withdrawing a resid-rich stream from a resid knockout vessel and recycling the resid-rich stream through a convection heating section of the furnace.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for upgrading heavy hydrocarbons such as asphaltenes to lighter oil and gas components is disclosed. The process provides a reaction environment that promotes fast and selective cracking of heavy hydrocarbons, while minimizing coke formation and fouling and enhancing product yields.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing one or more hydrocarbons are provided. One or more hydrocarbons can be selectively separated to provide one or more heavy deasphalted oils. At least a portion of the heavy deasphalted oil can be thermally cracked to provide one or more lighter hydrocarbon products.

Abstract: A processing scheme and arrangement for enhanced olefin production involves cooling or treating an olefin cracking reactor effluent stream by contacting the olefin cracking reactor effluent stream with a quench oil stream in a single contact cooler contact zone to produce a cooled vapor stream and to form a heated quench oil stream. A pressure differential across the single contact cooler is less than about 3.5 kPa. The heated quench oil stream can be subsequently cooled and returned to the single contact cooler.

Abstract: Embodiments of a nozzle reactor of the type useable to inject a first material feed stock and a second material feed stock to cause interaction between the first material feed stock and second material feed stock are described herein. According to one embodiment, the nozzle reactor includes a reactor body having a reactor body passage with an injection end and an ejection end. The nozzle reactor also includes a first material injector having a first material injection passage and being mounted in the nozzle reactor in material injecting communication with the injection end of the reactor body. The first material injection passage can have an enlarged volume injection section, an enlarged volume ejection section, and a reduced volume mid-section intermediate the enlarged volume injection section and the enlarged volume ejection section. The first material injection passage can also have a material injection end and a material ejection end in injecting communication with the reactor body passage.

Abstract: A cracking furnace having a firebox provided with cracking coils is described. The cracking coils have at least one inlet, at least one inlet section, at least one outlet and at least one outlet section, and burners, and the parts of the coils are shielded. A process for cracking hydrocarbon feeds, and making use of a furnace with the thermal shielding are also described.

Abstract: Methods and systems for cracking hydrocarbon material in a nozzle reactor and processing any un-cracked hydrocarbon material passing through the nozzle reactor. The nozzle reactor used may have a configuration whereby cracking material is injected into the nozzle reactor at a high velocity, including supersonic speed. The hydrocarbon material is injected into the nozzle reactor and intersects with the cracking material to crack hydrocarbon material. Any hydrocarbon material that pass through the nozzle reactor un-cracked can be re-injected into the nozzle reactor. An increase in the concentration and amount of un-cracked hydrocarbons injected into the nozzle reactor may increase the overall conversion of hydrocarbons into lighter hydrocarbons.

Abstract: In one aspect, the inventive process comprises a process for pyrolyzing a hydrocarbon feedstock containing nonvolatiles in a regenerative pyrolysis reactor system. The inventive process comprises: (a) heating the nonvolatile-containing hydrocarbon feedstock upstream of a regenerative pyrolysis reactor system to a temperature sufficient to form a vapor phase that is essentially free of nonvolatiles and a liquid phase containing the nonvolatiles; (b) separating said vapor phase from said liquid phase; (c) feeding the separated vapor phase to the pyrolysis reactor system; and (d) converting the separated vapor phase in said pyrolysis reactor system to form a pyrolysis product.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for separating a heavy hydrocarbon stream to produce at least one permeate product stream and at least one retentate product stream. The process utilizes an ultrafiltration process to designed to maximize the quality of the permeate and retenate product streams as well as process embodiments which improve permeate production quantities as well as improve the quality of the product streams obtained by the separations process. In preferred embodiments, the process includes configuration and operational parameters to maximize permeate yield and selectivity.

Abstract: Systems and processes for producing one or more olefins. A feed containing 90% by weight or more C4 and higher hydrocarbons can be cracked at conditions sufficient to provide an olefinic mixture and an aromatic mixture. The olefinic mixture can comprise 90% by weight or more C1 to C3 hydrocarbons. The aromatic mixture can comprise 90% by weight or more C4 and higher hydrocarbons and one or more aromatics. The aromatic mixture can be contacted with one or more solvents to selectively separate at least a portion of the one or more aromatics therefrom to provide an aromatic-rich mixture and an aromatic-lean mixture. At least a portion of the aromatic-lean mixture can be recycled to the feed prior to cracking.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process of producing an upgraded product stream from steam cracker tar feedstream suitable for use in refinery or chemical plant processes or for utilization in fuel oil sales or blending. This process utilizes an ultrafiltration process for separating the steam cracker tar constituents resulting in a high recovery, low-energy process with improved separation and product properties.

Abstract: A contactor/separator is formed from a vessel; an inlet for receiving a vapor/liquid mixture; an inlet for receiving a superheated vapor; a hub located within the vessel, the hub including a plurality of vanes for imparting a centrifugal motion to the vapor/liquid mixture or the superheated vapor; an outlet in a bottom of the vessel for removing liquid; and an outlet for removing vapor from the vessel. A method is also provided for heating and separating liquid and vapor from a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising introducing a hydrocarbon feedstock into a contactor/separator: introducing a superheated vapor into the contactor/separator such that it contacts and vaporizes a portion of the feedstock within the contactor/separator; separating unvaporized feedstock from vaporized feedstock in the contactor/separator; removing the vaporized feedstock and the superheated vapor through a first outlet; and removing the unvaporized feedstock through a second outlet.

Abstract: Provided are a catalyst for hydrocarbon steam cracking for light olefin production and a method for preparing the same. The catalyst is a simple KMgPO4 catalyst, a supported KMgPO4 catalyst, or a KMgPO4-sintered catalyst. The supported KMgPO4 catalyst is prepared by impregnating a carrier with an aqueous solution of a KMgPO4 precursor and the KMgPO4-sintered catalyst is prepared by mixing a KMgPO4 powder or a KMgPO4 precursor powder with metal oxide followed by sintering. Provided is also a method for producing light olefins such as ethylene and propylene by steam cracking in the presence of the catalyst. When the catalyst comprising KMgSO4 as a catalytic component is used in olefin production, the yield of olefins is increased and the amount of cokes deposited on the catalyst is reduced.

Abstract: A method for utilizing a feed comprising condensate and crude oil for an olefin production plant is disclosed. The feed is subjected to vaporization and separated into vaporous hydrocarbons and liquid hydrocarbons. The vaporous hydrocarbons stream is thermally cracked in the plant. The liquid hydrocarbons are recovered.

Abstract: A high-flux membrane, especially a sieving membrane, is used to separate a naphtha feedstock into a retentate fraction having a reduced concentration of normal paraffins for an enhanced reforming feed and a permeate fraction having an increased concentration of normal paraffins for an enhanced cracking feed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for upgrading tar using a heat exchanger in series with a vapor/liquid separator to separate tar into a heavy tar asphaltenic material and a deasphalted tar material.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for cracking a hydrocarbon feed in a steam cracking furnace by withdrawing a resid-rich stream from a resid knockout vessel and recycling the resid-rich stream through a convection heating section of the furnace.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for steam-cracking naphtha, according to which a charge of hydrocarbons containing a portion of paraffinic naphtha, which is modified by adding a combination of a first component containing a portion of gasoline and a second component containing a portion of at least one hydrocarbonated refinery gas, and a paraffin-rich change containing at least one paraffin selected among propane, butane, or a mixture thereof are fed through a steam cracker in the presence of vapor. Also disclosed is a hydrocarbon composition suitable for steam cracking, containing a portion of a paraffinic naphtha, which is modified by adding a combination of a first component containing a portion of gasoline and a second component containing a portion of at least one hydrocarbonated refinery gas and a paraffin-rich charge containing at least one paraffin selected among propane, butane, or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: A process for making lower olefins from a heavy hydrocarbon feed by use of a combination of thermal cracking and vapor-liquid separation, and, then, pyrolytically cracking the light fraction of the thermally-cracked heavy hydrocarbon feed to thereby produce a lower olefin product.

Abstract: A process for cracking heavy hydrocarbon comprising heating the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, mixing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock with a fluid and/or a primary dilution steam stream to form a mixture, flashing the mixture to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase, separating and cracking the vapor phase, and cooling the product effluent in a transfer line exchanger, wherein the amount of the fluid and/or the primary dilution steam stream mixed with the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock is varied in accordance with at least one selected operating parameter of the process, such as the temperature of the flash stream before entering the flash/separator vessel.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for steam cracking heavy feeds, including steam cracked tars. The invention heats a steam cracked tar feed to provide a depolymerized steam cracked tar containing lower boiling molecules than the steam cracked tar feed, hydrogenates the depolymerized steam cracked tar using a hydrogenating catalyst, e.g., a downward flow fixed bed hydrotreater, to provide a hydrogenated steam cracked tar. At least a portion of the hydrogenated steam cracked tar is steam cracked in a steam cracking furnace comprising a convection zone and a radiant zone.

Abstract: A process is provided for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid comprising: heating the feedstock, mixing the heated feedstock with a fluid and/or a primary dilution steam stream to form a mixture, optionally further heating the mixture, flashing the mixture within a flash/separation vessel to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase, partially condensing the vapor phase by contacting with a condenser within the vessel, to condense at least some coke precursors within the vapor while providing condensates which add to the liquid phase, removing the vapor phase of reduced coke precursors content as overhead and the liquid phase as bottoms, heating the vapor phase, cracking the vapor phase in a radiant section of a pyrolysis furnace to produce an effluent comprising olefins, and quenching the effluent and recovering cracked product therefrom. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the production of olefins wherein a synthetic naphtha is passed to a steam cracker. The synthetic naphtha is derived from the fractionation of a Fischer-Tropsch product stream. The Fischer-Tropsch product stream may be separated into a lighter fraction and a heavy fraction and the heavy fraction may be hydrotreated prior to fractionation. Optionally the synthetic naphtha may be hydrogenated to produce a saturated synthetic naphtha which can then be subsequently passed to the steam cracker.

Abstract: Heavy hydrocarbons are upgraded more efficiently to lighter, more valuable, hydrocarbons with lower amounts of solid carbonaceous by-products in supercritical water using two heating stages, the first stage at a temperature up to about 775K and the second stage at a temperature from about 870K to about 1075K. The temperature is preferably raised from the first temperature to the second temperature by internal combustion using oxygen.

Abstract: A method for thermally cracking a feed composed of whole crude oil and/or natural gas condensate using a partitioned vaporizer to gasify the feed before cracking same.

Abstract: A process for independently and concurrently cracking at least two different hydrocarbon feedstocks to olefins. The process is carried out in a furnace for cracking hydrocarbon feed which has at least a first and second independent radiant cracking zone to produce a first cracked product and second cracked product that are separately withdrawn from the furnace.

Abstract: A process for making lower olefins from a heavy hydrocarbon feed by use of a combination of two vapor-liquid separation devices, and, then, pyrolytically cracking the light fraction of the heavy hydrocarbon feed to thereby produce a lower olefin product.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of making an olefin from a dialkyl ether comprising (a) introducing an ether having a formula CxH2x+1CyH2y+1 into a thermal or catalytic cracking unit processing a hydrocarbon feedstock; and (b) decomposing at least a portion of the ether to form an olefin having a formula CxH2x and/or CyH2y and an alcohol having a formula CxH2x+1 and/or CyH2y+1OH, wherein x and y independently range from about 1 to about 30. This invention also relates to a method of reducing coking in a thermal or catalytic cracking unit comprising (a) introducing an ether, having a formula CxH2x+1OCyH2y+1, into the cracking unit processing a hydrocarbon feedstock in an amount effective to reduce coke formation relative to processing the hydrocarbon feedstock in the absence of the ether, wherein x and y independently range from about 1 to about 30.

Abstract: A process for reducing the rate of increase in pressure drop across a furnace convection section, the furnace convection section having a temperature profile. The process includes the steps of establishing a ratio of total dilution H2O to feedstock for the system, injecting a first portion of the total dilution H2O in the form of water into the convection section of the furnace, injecting a second portion of the dilution H2O in the form of steam into the convection section of the furnace, wherein a ratio of dilution H2O in the form of water to dilution H2O in the form of steam is established and varying the temperature profile across the convection section of the furnace by adjusting periodically the ratio of dilution H2O in the form of water to dilution H2O in the form of steam. A similar technique is conducted during decoking to remove asphaltene coke starting from the lower convection section upward.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid is cracked by a process comprising: (a) heating the hydrocarbon feedstock; (b) mixing the heated hydrocarbon feedstock with steam and optionally water to form a mixture stream; (c) introducing the mixture stream to a flash/separation apparatus to form i) a vapor phase at its dew point which partially cracks and loses/or heat causing a temperature decrease and partial condensation of the vapor phase in the absence of added heat to provide coke precursors existing as uncoalesced condensate, and ii) a liquid phase; (d) removing the vapor phase as overhead and the liquid phase as bottoms from the flash/separation apparatus; (e) treating the overhead by contacting with a hydrocarbon-containing nucleating liquid substantially free of resid and comprising components boiling at a temperature of at least about 260° C. (500° F.

Abstract: A system and process for upgrading hydrocarbons such as heavy oils includes high temperature plasma reactor apparatus, in one or more vessels, into which the oils are introduced along with water, such as steam, to produce lighter hydrocarbon fractions, along with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, that flows to an additional stage where more hydrocarbons and water are introduced for further fractionating reactions facilitated by reaction of carbon monoxide and water to produce carbon dioxide and nascent, or prompt, free radicals of hydrogen. Heavy hydrocarbons upgraded can include heavy oils in the form of tar sands, oil shale, and oil residuals. The vessel or vessels can each contain a carbonaceous bed facilitating the described reactions and example embodiments include one vessel with the reactions performed in a single bed and, also, two vessels with the reactions performed in a carbonaceous bed portion in each vessel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing asphaltene-containing feed to a pyrolysis furnace by raising the final boiling point of the feed/steam mixture to the pyrolysis furnace to ensure fouling occurs lower in the convection section where the mixture of air and steam can burn off fouling deposits during decoking operations. The final boiling point of the feed stream is increased by adding a heavy essentially asphaltene-free high boiling point hydrocarbon to the feed stream before the feed stream enters the convection section of the pyrolysis furnace, whereby said fouling occurs lower in the convection section.

Abstract: A thermal cracking process that employs (1) a sinusoidal conduit in the convection section of a thermal cracking furnace, (2) a cross-over conduit, and/or (3) a transfer conduit that contains at least one bend fitting, at least one bend fitting carrying a protective layer comprising a steel carrier and carbide pellets composed of submicron hard particles cemented with a metal binder.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for reducing coking on the metal walls of a reactor cracking hydrocarbons or other organic compounds and on the metal walls of a heat exchanger placed downstream of the cracking reactor, whereby the metal surfaces coming into contact with the organic substance to be cracked are pre-treated with a water vapor stream containing at least silicon and at least a sulphur compound.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing needle coke from heavy atmospheric distillation residues having sulfur no more than 0.7 wt %, which process involves the steps of heating the feedstock to a temperature in the range of 440 to 520° C. for thermal cracking in a soaking column under pressure in the range of 1 to 10 kg/cm2 to separate the easily cokable material, separating the cracked products in a quench column and a distillation column and then subjecting the hydrocarbon fraction from the bottom of the quench column and a hydrocarbon fraction having a boiling point in the range of 380 to 480° C. from the distillation column and/or any other suitable heavier hydrocarbon streams in a definite ratio depending on certain characteristic parameters to thermal cracking in a second soaking column at a temperature of 460 to 540° C.