Abstract: A process and apparatus provides for blending a heavy naphtha stream with a diesel stream to increase the yield of diesel. The diesel stream is recovered separately from a kerosene stream to leave the kerosene stream undiminished. The blended diesel provides a valuable composition.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling a hydrocracker and fractionator reaction loop is disclosed. The method and system utilizes a sidedraw tray within the fractionator distillation zone upon which liquid is collected. This liquid is withdrawn as a sidedraw stream. The withdrawal of the liquid from the sidedraw tray is controlled based on the level of liquid on the sidedraw tray rather than at a set or determined flow rate. The sidedraw stream is separated into a first stream and a product stream. Unlike other processes where the flow rate of the product stream is set and the internal reflux flow rate varies, the method involves fixing the flow rate of the first stream that is returned to the distillation zone of the fractionators with the flow rate of the product stream being set so as to control the liquid level on the sidedraw tray.

Abstract: A method for recovering base oil from waste lubricating oil by separating base oil range constituents from a waste lubricating oil mixture, thereafter separating higher quality base oil constituents and lower quality base oil constituents from the base oil recovered from the waste lubricating oil mixture and thereafter treating the lower quality base oil constituents to produce marketable base oil. The total base oil produced from a waste lubricating oil mixture by this process is greater than the quantity producible by previous processes using only base oil separation from the waste lubricating oil mixture or processes which use only treatment of the base oil recovered from the waste lubricating oil mixture to produce the product base oil.

Abstract: A process and apparatus provides for blending a heavy naphtha stream with a diesel stream to increase the yield of diesel. The diesel stream is recovered separately from a kerosene stream to leave the kerosene stream undiminished. The blended diesel provides a valuable composition.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of a gas oil fraction comprising the steps of: (a) providing a stream of a first hydrocarbon product of which a major portion of the hydrocarbons have a boiling point in the range of from 370-540° C. and a stream of a second hydrocarbon product of which a major portion of the hydrocarbons have a boiling point of less than 370° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for joint production of low octane gasoline and high octane gasoline. In the process of oil or light oil rectification, the extraction points of the distillates therein are finely divided, and the temperature ranges for extraction of fractions are narrowed down. Each of the low and high octane components having a high content in the range from C6-C12 (which may be extended to C5-C14 where necessary) is then separately extracted. After that, low octane components are combined into compression ignition low octane gasoline products, while high octane components are combined into high octane gasoline products. The remaining fractions are respectively added as supplementing agents into the low octane gasoline products or high octane gasoline products dependent on their octane ratings. Low octane gasoline is used in compression ignition gasoline engines, while high octane gasoline is used in spark ignition gasoline engines.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for recovering product from catalytically converted product streams. Gaseous unstabilized naphtha from an overhead receiver from a main fractionation column is compressed in a compressor. Liquid unstabilized naphtha from the overhead receiver and liquid naphtha fraction from the compressor are sent to a naphtha splitter column upstream of a primary absorber. Consequently, less naphtha is circulated in the gas recovery system.

Abstract: A method for recovering base oil from waste lubricating oil by separating base oil range constituents from a waste lubricating oil mixture, thereafter separating higher quality base oil constituents and lower quality base oil constituents from the base oil recovered from the waste lubricating oil mixture and thereafter treating the lower quality base oil constituents to produce marketable base oil. The total base oil produced from a waste lubricating oil mixture by this process is greater than the quantity producible by previous processes using only base oil separation from the waste lubricating oil mixture or processes which use only treatment of the base oil recovered from the waste lubricating oil mixture to produce the product base oil.

Abstract: A process 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, flashing the mixture to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase which collect as bottoms and removing the liquid phase, separating and cracking the vapor phase, and cooling the product effluent, wherein the bottoms are maintained under conditions to effect at least partial visbreaking. The visbroken bottoms may be steam stripped to recover the visbroken molecules while avoiding entrainment of the bottoms liquid. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.

Abstract: A process for decoking of a process that cracks hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid and coke precursors, wherein steam is added to the feedstock to form a mixture which is thereafter separated into a vapor phase and a liquid phase by flashing in a flash/separation vessel, separating and cracking the vapor phase, and recovering cracked product. Coking of internal surfaces in and proximally downstream of the vessel is controlled by interrupting the feed flow, purging the vessel with steam, introducing an air/steam mixture to at least partially combust the coke, and resuming the feed flow when sufficient coke has been removed. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.

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: This ethylbenzene process involves contacting, in an alkylation zone, a first benzene recycle stream and an ethylene feed stream with an alkylation catalyst to form ethylbenzene. In a transalkylation zone, a polyethylbenzene recycle stream and a second benzene recycle stream are contacted with a transalkylation catalyst to form additional ethylbenzene. The effluents are passed into a benzene distillation column. From the benzene distillation column, a first benzene recycle stream is removed as overhead; a second benzene recycle stream is removed as a side draw; and a bottoms stream comprising polyethylbenzene, ethylbenzene, and flux oil is removed from an end. The bottoms stream is passed to a dividing wall distillation column where the polyethylbenzene recycle stream is removed from an intermediate point; an ethylbenzene product stream is removed from a first end, and a heavy oil stream is removed from a second end.

Abstract: Methods of separating components of a mixture, such as crude oil, are disclosed which increase the yield of individual components while decreasing the yield of residue. In one method, a heated mixture is fed to a column, a vapor stream is withdrawn from the column and separated, and a portion of the vapor stream is recycled back to the column. In another method, a mixture is separated into streams composed substantially of components having light, intermediate or heavy molecular weight and/or low, intermediate or high boiling point, respectively, and the streams are fed into the column at different positions. In both methods, individual light, intermediate and/or heavy molecular weight and/or low, intermediate and/or high boiling point component streams are then selectively withdrawn from the column.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for stripping a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising: heating the feedstock forming a vapor stream and a liquid stream, separating the vapor stream from the liquid stream and then stripping the liquid stream with a counter-current flow of a gas.

Abstract: An extractive distillation tower 4 supplied with a feedstock containing butadiene and a solvent and for distilling the feedstock to separate and purify the butadiene.

Abstract: A process for the dehydration and/or desalination and simultaneous fractionation of a petroleum deposit effluent containing oil, associated gas and water which can be saline, which process comprises:(a) at least one step for separating the liquid and gaseous phases at the pressure P1 for removal of the gas, producing a gaseous fraction G1, on the one hand, which is removed and a liquid fraction L1, on the other hand, which is sent to step(b) at least one step for separating, at least partly, the two liquid phases mixed in the liquid fraction L1, the aqueous phase being partly removed and the oil phase containing a quantity of residual aqueous phase being sent to step (c);(c) at least one distillation step carried out at a pressure P2 which is less than, or at the most equal to, the pressure P1 in step (a), in a distillation zone C1, said distillation being carried out in the presence of the oil phase coming from step (b), said zone C1 comprising an internal heat exchange zone and a boiling zone, and enabling

Abstract: An integrated three-column process for recovering hydrocarbon distillate products from a hydroprocessing or hydrocracking reactor effluent stream and a hydrocarbon distillate product recovery train are disclosed. According to the present recovery process, an effluent stream from the cracking reactor is cooled and separated into light and heavy phase streams. The heavy phase stream is depressurized and stripped of light end components in a steam stripping column. The light phase stream is further cooled to separate a liquid stream which is combined with the light ends from the stripper and fed to a debutanizer. A C.sub.4 -rich light end stream taken overhead from the debutanizer is condensed to produce LPG product stream(s). A C.sub.4 -lean heavy end stream removed from the bottoms of the debutanizer is combined with a heavy end bottoms stream from the stripper and fed to a fractionator for fractionation into product distillate streams such as light and heavy naphtha, jet fuel, diesel oil, and the like.

Abstract: A thermomechanically integrated distillation column and method for the separation of ethylene from ethane and other close-boiling light hydrocarbons. The column has a plurality of sections operated at successively lower pressures from a high pressure subcritical section to a superatmosphere bottoms product zone. Bottoms liquid from the high pressure and intermediate sections are flashed in respective cooling loops to about the pressure of the section of next lower pressure, vaporized in heat exchange with an overhead condensing zone and introduced to the top stage of next lower pressure section. Vapor from the intermediate sections and the bottoms product zone are compressed in respective compression loops and fed to the bottom stage of the section of the next higher pressure. External refrigerant can be supplied to the overhead condensing zone for trim as needed for control purposes.

Abstract: A description is given of a process for the fractionation of oil and gas on a petroleum deposit effluent, including:(a) a stage wherein the liquid and gaseous phases are separated at the gas evacuation pressure P1, producing a gaseous fraction G1, on the one hand, which is evacuated, and a liquid fraction L1, on the other hand, which is constituted at least partially of oil, sending the liquid fraction L1 to stage (b);(b) at least one distillation stage carried out at a pressure P2 which is less than or at least equal to the pressure P1 in stage (a), in a distillation zone C1 which has an internal heat exchange zone and a reboiling zone, and which permits a gaseous fraction G2 to be recovered, on the one hand, and a liquid fraction L2 to be recovered, on the other hand, which is sent to the internal exchange zone, then evacuated; and(c) at least one recompression stage at the pressure P1 of at least a part of the gaseous fraction G2 which is at least partly mixed with the gaseous fraction G2 and evacuated.

Abstract: A process for removing and recovering specific constituents from a waste stream at higher temperatures than the boiling point of the specific waste within a compound of chemicals and inert materials forming ninety-five (95%) percent of the waste stream in the United States. In the process, the waste is moved at a specified retention time, through a heat zone, thus increasing the temperature of the waste stream. There is further provided a means to separate certain components in that waste stream, whereby the components are vaporized and are released in a gaseous state, either from a liquid or a solid within the waste stream. The gaseous components are then transferred in the gaseous state through a flow of an inert medium, such as nitrogen gas, to inhibit combustion of the components, or to prevent the combination of oxidation, or oxygen being used as a catalyst to form even more hazardous compounds.

Abstract: A process for removing and recovering specific constituents from a waste stream at higher temperatures than the boiling point of the specific constituents. In the process, the waste is moved at a specified retention time, through a heat zone, thus increasing the temperature of the waste stream. There is further provided a means to separate certain components in that waste stream whereby the components are evaporated and are released in a gaseous state, either from a liquid or a solid within the waste stream. The gaseous components are then transferred in the gaseous state through a flow of an inert medium, such as nitrogen gas, to inhibit combustion of the components, or to prevent the combination of oxidation, or oxygen being used as a catalyst to form even more hazardous compounds.

Abstract: A distillation tower (1) has a plurality of liquid sidestream lines (5, 6, 7) and a multi-stage sidestream stripper (13) which includes a respective stripping section (14, 15, 16) for each sidestream line housed in a common, upright, cylindrical shell (28) which allows vapor to pass freely from each stage to the one above. Partial vaporization of each sidestream is achieved by applying a vacuum to the top of the stripper shell (point 21) and/or introducing strip gas at the bottom (point 20). Because the vapor passes serially through the stripping sections from the bottom of the stripper (13) to the top, the need to supply strip gas separately to the stripping sections and/or apply vacuum individually is avoided. The separation between the sidestream products is improved by including, in each stage, a rectification zone (22, 23, 24) positioned above the stripping section.

Abstract: A process for the production of alkylaromatic hydrocarbons uses a working fluid to reduce the costs of separating an unreacted aromatic feed substrate from aromatic hydrocarbon products. Unreacted aromatic substrate is combined with a light hydrocarbon, such as propane, to form a combined effluent stream. The combined effluent stream enters a flash separator where unreacted aromatic substrate is lifted overhead with the light hydrocarbon while heavier aromatic products are recovered below. The aromatic substrate and light hydrocarbon are easily separated in a simple separation zone. Lifting the aromatic substrate with the working fluid reduces the volume of aromatic substrate that remains with the aromatic product so that the more energy intensive separation of the aromatic substrate and aromatic product is performed on a reduced volume of material.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon material of the starting product is separated in an extractive distillation column in which an N-substituted morpholine whose substituents do not have more than seven carbon atoms is used as a selective solvent. The overhead product comes down as a top product of the extractive distillation and is fed through a coalescer in which the sump product comes down with a solvent content of 20 to 75% by weight at a temperature of 20.degree. to 70.degree. C. and subsequent to that is fed into a separating vessel. There it is separated into a heavier and lighter phase. After that the heavier phase is conducted into an extractive distillation column and the lighter phase into the overhead product distillation column.

Abstract: A process for the production of alkylaromatic hydrocarbons uses a light hydrocarbon recycle to reduce the costs of separating an unreacted aromatic feed substrate from aromatic hydrocarbon products. Unreacted aromatic substrate is combined with a light hydrocarbon, such as propane, to form a combined effluent stream. The combined effluent stream enters a flash separator where unreacted aromatic substrate is lifted overhead with the light hydrocarbon while heavier aromatic products are recovered below. The aromatic substrate and light hydrocarbon are easily separated in a simple separation zone. Lifting the aromatic substrate with the light hydrocarbon reduces the volume of aromatic substrate that remains with the aromatic product so that the more energy intensive separation of the aromatic substrate and aromatic product is performed on a reduced volume of material.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are disclosed for recovering olefins, particularly C.sub.3, C.sub.4, and C.sub.5 olefins, from gaseous mixture thereof with lower-boiling components. The olefin-containing gas mixtures is compressed and cooled to yield vapor and condensate streams, the vapor stream is further cooled forming additional condensate, both condensate streams are combined and adiabatically flash evaporated, and the remaining liquid is distilled to recover the desired olefins in a liquid bottoms products. Flash vapor, and optionally the distillation vapor product, are recycled to the compression step.

Abstract: An improved method for processing the effluent of a hydrocarbon conversion zone. The invention is particularly useful in a catalytic reforming reaction, wherein practice of the invention results in an increased recovery of butane and propane. The effluent is separated into vapor and liquid components, which are then recontacted at a higher pressure. Several recontacting steps may be employed. Liquid product is then subjected to fractionation. Overhead vapor from the fractionation zone is recycled back to a recontacting step in order to recover a portion of the hydrocarbons contained therein, instead of routing the vapor to the plant fuel gas system.

Abstract: Middle phase emulsions are broken by subjecting the emulsion to a first atmospheric distillation step to remove water, followed by a second vacuum distillation step to recover oil. The residue contains the surfactant. The atmospheric distillation is generally carried out by steam distillation.

Abstract: The temperature of a crude oil provided from a crude oil preheat furnace to a crude tower is substantially minimized by controlling such temperature so as to maintain a desired minimum overflash flow in the crude tower. Also, the temperature of each of the individual coils in the preheat furnace are balanced with respect to each other. Such minimization and balancing results in substantially optimal utilization of the fuel provided to the preheat furnace which results in considerable economic savings with respect to the operation of the preheat furnace.

Abstract: A method of recovering by distillation the separate components of a hydrocarbon gas mixture comprising ethylene, ethane, propylene and propane which comprises separating the ethylene and ethane as an overhead from a propylene and propane bottom in a first distillation tower at from about 400 to about 600 psia, separating ethylene and ethane as an ethylene overhead and an ethane bottom in a second distillation tower at from about 600 to about 700 psia, and separating propylene as an overhead from a propane bottom in a third distillation tower at from about 280 to about 300 psia is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of recovering by distillation the separate components of a hydrocarbon gas mixture comprising ethylene, ethane, propylene and propane which comprises separating the ethylene as an overhead from an ethane, propylene and propane bottom in a first distillation tower at from about 500 to about 650 psia, separating ethane as an overhead from a propylene and propane bottom in a second distillation tower at from about 390 to about 520 psia, and separating propylene as an overhead from a propane bottom in a third distillation tower at from about 100 to about 170 psia is disclosed.A method of separating ethylene and ethane from propylene and propane in a first distillation tower at from about 400 to about 600 psia, separating the overhead product from the first tower in a second tower at from about 600 to about 700 psia to produce ethylene and ethane products, and separating a propylene/propane mixture in a third tower at from about 100 to about 170 psia is disclosed.

Abstract: A process and system for vaporizing heavy oil prior to thermal cracking in a TRC system having low residence time on the order of 0.05 to 2 seconds, and at a temperature between 1300.degree. and 2500.degree. F.

Abstract: Hydrocarbons are preheated, particularly for a hydrodesulfurization process by first heating the hydrocarbon stream to produce a vapor and a liquid stream, thereafter superheating at least some of the vapor phase and mixing the superheated vapor phase with the liquid phase to generate the hydrocarbon feedstream at the desired temperature. By this procedure only the evaporated hydrocarbons are subjected to a high temperature, but not the heavier hydrocarbons.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a process for vaporizing liquid hydrocarbon fuels efficiently and without the formation of carbon residue on the apparatus used.The process includes simultaneously passing the liquid fuel and an inert hot gas downwardly through a plurality of vertically spaed apart regions of high surface area packing material. The liquid thinly coats the packing surface, and the sensible heat of the hot gas vaporizes this coating of liquid. Unvaporized liquid passing through one region of packing is uniformly redistributed over the top surface of the next region until all fuel has been vaporized using only the sensible heat of the hot gas stream.

Abstract: A process and system for vaporizing heavy oil prior to thermal cracking to olefins, by flashing with steam in first mixer, superheating the vapor, and flashing in second mixer the liquid from first mixer.

Abstract: A method for heating crude oil to be processed in a petrochemical installation, comprises successive heat exchangers disposed in series, each heat exchanger using pressurized steam as the heating fluid. Each exchanger has a lower exchange chamber, a liquid product supply line and a tube bundle, the steam transferring heat to liquid product flowing through the tube bundle. Each heat exchanger comprises an upper separation chamber disposed above the lower exchange chamber, the separation chamber having a gas phase outlet and a liquid phase outlet, the liquid phase outlet being disposed lower than the level at which the tube bundle extends into the separation chamber. Successive heat exchangers are connected together by a pipe communicating between the liquid phase outlet of the upper separation chamber of one of the heat exchangers and the liquid product supply line of the next heat exchanger.

Abstract: A mixture of a hydrocarbon-selective solvent -- e.g. isobutane -- and deasphalted oil is separated in a two-stage hot-separator system at progressively higher temperatures and substantially the same pressure. Resulting vaporous phases are subjected to a cold-flash separation at a lower pressure and a considerably lower temperature. The initial hot separation, in the two-stage system, is effected at a temperature from about 1.0.degree. F. to about 25.degree. F. above the critical temperature of the solvent; the second is conducted at a temperature about 30.degree. F. to about 130.degree. F. above that in the initial hot-separation. This technique is especially advantageous when integrated into a catalytic slurry process for the conversion of metal- and asphaltene-containing hydrocarbonaceous black oils.

Abstract: A process for the separation of solids containing residues from a liquid fraction containing higher boiling fractions produced in a coal hydrogenation process at elevated temperatures and pressures. The separation process involves two expansion steps, one step in an expansion engine and a subsequent expansion-evaporation step in a pressure release means and a separator chamber, whereby the higher boiling fraction is evaporated and separated from the residue fraction. The separation process in the chamber can be facilitated by creating vacuum conditions therein, or by introducing a foreign gas, preferably heat exchange with the removed hot residue fraction, to thereby reduce the partial pressure of the evaporated higher boiling fraction. The foreign gases can be steam or/and gases obtained from the hydrogenation of the coal.

Abstract: In a hydrodesulfurization process having separate naphtha and distillate hydrodesulfurization zones, volatile fractions of the distillate hydrodesulfurization effluent are recycled to the naphtha feed stream before it combines with the hydrogen stream and enters the hydrodesulfurization zone and heavy fractions separated from the naphtha hydrodesulfurization effluent are combined with a diesel fuel oil fraction separated from the distillate hydrodesulfurization effluent. Alternatively, light fractions separated from the distillate hydrodesulfurization effluent are combined with a condensed liquid stream being returned to a distillation fractionation zone separating light fractions from the naphtha hydrodesulfurization effluent.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a petroleum production stream at a remote location, e.g., offshore platform, to produce a liquid product stream having a stabilized vapor pressure, and a gas product stream having a stabilized, low dew point temperature at high pressure. The production stream is flowed through four separation stages where gas is separated from the liquid stream. The handling of the gas and condensed liquids from each of the stages is such that the present flow sequence closely simulates that of a conventional distillation tower and operates almost exactly the same except the principal driving force for vapor boil-up is pressure drop instead of reboiler heat. "Reboiler" heat is also provided in the process by heating the condensed liquid stream before it is returned to the third separation stage and this, along with the control of the pressure of the fourth stage, controls the final vapor pressure of the liquid product stream.