Abstract: Solvent deasphalting (SDA) in series is used to extract deasphalted oil from heavier hydrocarbons in series. Instead of stripping the pitch material of solvent in the second stage which can stick in the pitch stripper and inhibit flow, a dryer is used to vaporize solvent for recycle to the second SDA unit and produce pitch solids.

Abstract: Process for producing para-xylene are described. The processes utilize a dual raffinate approach. Two raffinate streams from the adsorption separation unit are fed to the raffinate distillation column independently to take advantage of the differing desorbent concentrations in the two raffinate streams. The process yields significant reboiler duty savings and a reduction in overall fired fuel needed.

Abstract: A process for treating an ionic liquid containing waste stream is described. If there is a liquid waste stream, the liquid waste stream is introduced into a liquid treatment zone. The ionic liquid in the liquid waste stream is neutralized. The concentration of the ionic liquid in the liquid waste stream is determined, and the allowed concentration of the ionic liquid in the liquid waste stream is determined. The concentration of the ionic liquid in the neutralized liquid waste stream is reduced to the allowed concentration, and the liquid waste stream having the allowed concentration is released. If there is a vapor waste stream, the vapor waste stream is introduced into a vapor treatment zone. The vapor waste stream is treated to form a treated vapor waste stream, and the treated vapor waste stream is released to a plant vapor treatment zone.

Abstract: Adsorbers have many purposes in chemical, gas-processing, and petrochemical plants. Adsorbers may be used to remove components from gas streams. Adsorbers may be subjected to various issues, including but not limited to moisture breakthrough, spent catalyst, too high or too low pressure drop, over or under heating, over or under cooling, too high or too low flow rates, which can affect their performance or result in a shutdown of the adsorbers. Monitoring the adsorbers and the processes using adsorbers may be performed to determine if the adsorbent bed is reaching saturation, other problems are occurring, or if equipment failures are imminent. Monitoring also helps to predict behavior or problems in different adsorbers used in the same plant or in other plants and/or processes.

Abstract: Process and apparatus ensure high on-stream reliability of a complex that requires a heat pump which is using a compound having a high boiling point, such as xylenes. When the compressor is shutdown, it can be isolated from the distillation column and receiver while the column is allowed to continue to operate with an auxiliary reboiler for constant heat input. The heat pump can be started up and heated to the normal process temperature, so that when the heavy vapor is charged to the heat pump, it does not immediately condense into liquid, causing damage to the compressor.

Abstract: A steam reboiler unit that includes turbines for reducing the pressure of various streams associated with the reboilers. The turbines generate electricity from the pressure reduction which can be recovered and utilized elsewhere in the processing unit. Data from the turbine associated with the amount of electrical power generated by the turbine is used to adjust other processing conditions to provide for a more efficient operation of the processing unit.

Abstract: A process is presented for the removal of contaminants like sulfur compounds from hydrocarbons. The sulfur compounds are removed from hydrocarbons that may be a feed to cracking units. A feed stream is treated with a clinoptilolite or a barium exchanged zeolite adsorbent to effectively remove carbon disulfides from the feed hydrocarbon. The adsorbent may be regenerated by a hydrogen stream, a hydrocarbon stream or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: A hydroprocessing catalyst or catalyst precursor has been developed. The catalyst is a crystalline transition metal tungstate material or metal sulfides derived therefrom. The hydroprocessing using the crystalline ammonia transition metal tungstate material may include hydrodenitrification, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodemetallation, hydrodesilication, hydrodearomatization, hydroisomerization, hydrotreating, hydrofining, and hydrocracking.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating a feed stream into product streams. The apparatus includes an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section. The middle section has a dividing wall separating it into two portions. A liquid barrier blocks the flow of liquid from the upper section into the middle section and allows vapor to flow from the middle section to the upper section. A vapor and liquid barrier blocks both the flow of both vapor from the lower section to the middle section and the flow of liquid from the middle section to the lower section. Vapor conduits allow vapor to flow from the lower section to each of the middle portions in varying amounts. Also processes for separating a feed stream.

Abstract: A process and apparatus of a gas-solids separator are provided in which a cap is disposed across an upstream end of swirl blades in a cyclonic separator to protect the blades from erosion by fast traveling solids.

Abstract: A hydroprocessing catalyst or catalyst precursor has been developed. The catalyst is a transition metal tungstate material or metal sulfides derived therefrom. The hydroprocessing using the crystalline ammonia transition metal tungstate material may include hydrodenitrification, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodemetallation, hydrodesilication, hydrodearomatization, hydroisomerization, hydrotreating, hydrofining, and hydrocracking.

Abstract: A plant or refinery may include equipment such as condensers, regenerators, distillation columns, pumps, slide valves, or the like. Different operating methods may impact deterioration in equipment condition, thereby prolonging equipment life, extending production operating time, or providing other benefits. Mechanical or digital sensors may be used for monitoring equipment to determine whether problems are developing. Specifically, sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more system components to predict and detect slide valve hot spots. A shielded, tube skin thermocouple assembly may provide a temperature profile for a slide valve. Tomography may be used to image a slide valve. An operating condition of the plant or refinery may be adjusted to prolong equipment life or avoid equipment failure.

Abstract: A process is provided for separation of light olefins and paraffins and particular for the separation of propylene and propane comprising sending at least one olefin/paraffin stream to a distillation column and a membrane unit to produce an olefin stream comprising at least 92 mol % olefin. In an embodiment of the invention where the membrane unit is placed downstream from the column which can produce propylene streams at polymer grade of over 99.5 mol % propylene.

Abstract: A catalyst for a selective conversion of hydrocarbons. The catalyst includes a first component selected from the group consisting of Group VIII noble metals and mixtures thereof, a second component selected from the group consisting of alkali metals or alkaline-earth metals and mixtures thereof, and a third component selected from the group consisting of tin, germanium, lead, indium, gallium, thallium and mixtures thereof. The catalyst is a support formed as a spherical catalyst particle with a median diameter between 1.6 mm and 2.5 mm and an apparent bulk density between 0.6 and 0.3 g/cc. Also a process of using such a catalyst for a selective hydrocarbon conversion reaction and a process for regenerating such a catalyst by removing coke from same.

Abstract: A catalyst for a selective conversion of hydrocarbons. The catalyst includes a first component selected from the group consisting of Group VIII noble metals and mixtures thereof, a second component selected from the group consisting of alkali metals or alkaline-earth metals and mixtures thereof, and a third component selected from the group consisting of tin, germanium, lead, indium, gallium, thallium and mixtures thereof. The catalyst is a support formed as a spherical catalyst particle with an average pore diameter between 200 to 350 Angstroms, a porosity of at least 75% and an apparent bulk density between 0.60 and 0.3 g/cc. Also, a process of using such a catalyst for a selective hydrocarbon conversion reaction and a process for regenerating such a catalyst by removing coke from same.

Abstract: A plant or refinery may include equipment such as condensers, regenerators, distillation columns, pumps, slide valves, or the like. Different operating methods may impact deterioration in equipment condition, thereby prolonging equipment life, extending production operating time, or providing other benefits. Mechanical or digital sensors may be used for monitoring equipment to determine whether problems are developing. Specifically, sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more system components to predict and detect slide valve sticking. An operating condition of the plant or refinery may be adjusted to prolong equipment life or avoid equipment failure.

Abstract: A vacuum separator is used to separate a pitch stream from a slurry hydrocracking reactor upstream of the product fractionation column. The process and apparatus removes pitch from the product streams to enable easier separation of light VGO from heavy VGO in a fractionation column.

Abstract: A plant or refinery may include equipment such as condensers, regenerators, distillation columns, rotating equipment, compressors, pumps, turbines, or the like. Different operating methods may impact deterioration in equipment condition, thereby prolonging equipment life, extending production operating time, or providing other benefits. Mechanical or digital sensors may be used for monitoring equipment to determine whether problems are developing. For example, sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more system components to perform invariant mapping, monitor system operating characteristics, and/or predict pressure, volume, surges, reactor loop fouling, gas quality, or the like. An operating condition (e.g., of one or more pieces of equipment in the plant or refinery) may be adjusted to prolong equipment life or avoid equipment failure.

Abstract: The hydroprocessing reactor internals (HRI) have reduced height compared to standard HRI designs. The HRI height reduction is achieved by a more open design of a rough liquid distribution tray so that the required spaces above and below the tray for vapor flow are reduced. The hydroprocessing reactor quench zone internals comprise a collection tray, a rough liquid distribution tray, and a vapor-liquid distribution tray. Fluid mixing occurs above both the collection tray and the rough liquid distribution tray.

Abstract: A plant or refinery may include equipment such as reactors, heaters, heat exchangers, regenerators, separators, or the like. Types of heat exchangers include shell and tube, plate, plate and shell, plate fin, air cooled, wetted-surface air cooled, or the like. Operating methods may impact deterioration in equipment condition, prolong equipment life, extend production operating time, or provide other benefits. Mechanical or digital sensors may be used for monitoring equipment, and sensor data may be programmatically analyzed to identify developing problems. For example, sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more system components to detect and correct maldistribution, cross-leakage, strain, pre-leakage, thermal stresses, fouling, vibration, problems in liquid lifting, conditions that can affect air-cooled exchangers, conditions that can affect a wetted-surface air-cooled heat exchanger, or the like. An operating condition or mode may be adjusted to prolong equipment life or avoid equipment failure.