Abstract: A system and process for upgrading hydrocarbons such as heavy oils includes a 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.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 27, 2009
Date of Patent:
November 8, 2011
Assignee:
Westinghouse Plasma Corporation
Inventors:
Shyam V. Dighe, Mark Anthony Montemurro, Richard Dale Bower, Aleksandr Gorodetsky, Mark F. Darr, Ivan A. Martorell
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.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 29, 2007
Date of Patent:
December 15, 2009
Assignee:
Westinghouse Plasma Corporation
Inventors:
Shyam V. Dighe, Mark Anthony Montemurro, Richard Dale Bower, Aleksandr Gorodetsky, Mark F. Darr, Ivan A. Martorell