Abstract: A process for making mesophase and/or isotropic pitch. An aromatic rich liquid is charged at high temperature and pressure to a first thermal polymerization reactor to produce an isotropic pitch rich liquid which is flashed. Residual liquid is charged to a second thermal reactor to produce mesophase pitch. The reactors can be either tubular reactors or CSTRs.

Abstract: A process for producing mesophase pitch using a long tube reactor is disclosed. An aromatic rich feed, preferably a petroleum pitch having a softening point above 100° C., is preheated to a temperature above its softening point and mixed with a vapor, preferably steam, in a long tubular reactor under intense mixing conditions, preferably fully developed turbulent flow such as mist annular flow, with a residence time at least an order of magnitude less than prior art processes and preferably less than 10 seconds. Preferably the reactor is heated by electric resistance or induction heating or by immersion in a heated fluid or in a fired heater. Mesophase pitch with a high coking value and a surprisingly low quinolone insoluble content is produced. The byproducts of thermal polymerization and thermal dealkylation have less than 50% as much olefin and diene content as compared to similar byproducts from prior art processes.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for making isotropic pitch are disclosed. A tubular reactor operating at high velocity and pressure converts aromatic rich liquid feed to pitch within minutes. Reactor is heated by electric resistance or inductance, a salt or molten metal bath, or fired heater. Reactor effluent flashes and isotropic pitch recovered from the flash drum. Softening point is affected by flash drum pressure or stripping steam. Unconverted feed may be recycled. Process makes little gasoline, simple condensation of flash drum vapor may produce gas oil and gasoline fractions. Isotropic pitch is made in a single step with a coking value of 50 to 55 wt %. Time and temperature in the reactor convert at least 20 wt % of feed and any recycle material present to isotropic pitch. Pressure is preferably above 500 psig, to suppress mesophase formation and produce isotropic pitch with less than 0.5 wt % mesophase.

Abstract: The present invention provides a way to process heavier hydrocarbons in a relatively low cost and low pressure process using a combination of superheated steam and at least one reaction gas to i) promote oxidation and thermal reaction of heavier hydrocarbons, while simultaneously ii) removing volatile components with a steam stripping process.

Abstract: A process for producing pitch from pitch precursors, such as wood tar, coal tar or petroleum fractions is disclosed. Direct contact heat exchange of the pitch precursor with molten metal, preferably maintained as a metal continuous bath, heats the pitch precursor to a temperature sufficient to induce thermal polymerization reactions and produce a pitch product.

Abstract: A process for fractionating crude pitch by direct contact heating with molten metal is disclosed. The crude pitch, which may contain water, contaminants and/or distillables is heated by direct contact heat exchange with molten metal, preferably maintained as a metal continuous bath, operating at a temperature of 100 to 600° C. The molten metal heating zone is maintained at a temperature and pressure sufficient to vaporize a desired amount of contaminants or volatile material from crude pitch to produce pitch product having a desired softening point. New pitch materials, having a softening point above those achievable by conventional techniques, are also produced.

Abstract: A process for heating thermally unstable or difficult to heat liquid feeds, e.g., used lubricating oil (ULO) to dehydrate and/or recover distillable components therefrom, is disclosed. The liquid feed is heated by direct contact heat exchange with molten salt, preferably maintained as a bath, operating at a temperature above the boiling point of water and below 600 C. The liquid feed is heated and typically at least partially vaporized in, or above, or by contact with the molten salt to produce a heated liquid. When ULO contaminated with water is the feed, the vapor product of the process will comprise water vapor and/or distillable hydrocarbons. ULO additive decomposition products, such as carbon, may be removed as a solid, semi-solid or liquid residual phase from contact with the molten salt.

Abstract: The present invention provides a way to increase the softening point of heavier hydrocarbons in a relatively low cost and low pressure process using superheated steam to i) increase the carbon yield of the heavier hydrocarbons, while simultaneously ii) removing volatile components with a steam stripping process.

Abstract: A process for heating thermally unstable or difficult to heat liquid feeds, e.g., used lubricating oil (ULO) to dehydrate and/or recover distillable components therefrom, is disclosed. The liquid feed is heated by direct contact heat exchange with molten metal, preferably maintained as a bath, operating at a temperature above the boiling point of water and below 600 C. The liquid feed is heated and typically at least partially vaporized in, or above, or by contact with the molten metal to produce a heated liquid. When ULO contaminated with water is the feed, the vapor product of the process will comprise water vapor and/or distillable hydrocarbons. ULO additive decomposition products, such as carbon, may be removed as a solid, semi-solid or liquid residual phase from contact with the molten metal.

Abstract: A process for removing mercury from a feed of coal, heavy oil or other mercury contaminated material is disclosed. The feed is thermally decomposed, preferably within, or above, a molten metal bath under reducing conditions, to produce a vapor product and non-vapor decomposition products, such as carbon, which dissolve in the molten metal bath. Mercury, primarily in the form of elemental metal vapor, is removed with the vapor product, cooled and passed over a mercury adsorbent to recover mercury from the gas. The decomposition products are burned, e.g., by at least periodic oxidation of the molten metal bath. Preferably a HyMelt® reactor, with a bath of molten iron, operating at superatmospheric pressure, thermally decomposes the feed. The process permits efficient mercury removal and recovery from coal using conventional adsorbents, such as activated carbon.

Abstract: A continuous, hot vapor injection process and apparatus is provided for recovering lube oil base stocks from used lubricating oil containing distillable liquid hydrocarbons and water. Also disclosed is an asphalt blend composition containing an asphalt component and the bottoms from the above process.

Abstract: A high pressure two-zone molten iron gasification process for converting solid, liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon feeds into separate substantially hydrogen-rich and carbon monoxide-rich streams at 2 to 200 atmospheres pressure by feeding hydrocarbons into the molten iron in a first zone (4) in which hydrogen-rich gas is formed and then circulating the molten iron into contact with an oxygen containing gas in a second zone (5) in which carbon monoxyide-rich gas is formed. The carbon level in the circulating molten iron is carefully controlled above 0.3 wt. % to minimize formation of FeO. Hydrogen sulfide and other volatile sulfur compounds are removed from the separate gas streams via scrubbing in downstream equipment (12 and 16).

Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide is produced by charging a sulfur containing feed to a molten metal bath containing over 3 wt. % dissolved carbon. Allowing dissolved carbon levels to build up in the bath, preferably by controlling oxygen addition to ensure a large inventory of dissolved carbon, creates a reducing “atmosphere” in the molten metal bath which allows most of the feed sulfur to be converted to H2S, which can be converted to elemental sulfur using a Claus unit or similar technology. Oxygen addition, to burn carbon from the bath, preferably occurs at a different time or place in the bath than the time or place of sulfur containing feed addition.

Abstract: A process for recovering and purifying vanadium found in petroleum coke is disclosed. Coke containing V and sulfur is charged to a molten metal bath and dissolved to form a molten metal bath with dissolved carbon, dissolved V metal and dissolved sulfur. At least a majority of the dissolved sulfur is released as H2S by maintaining reducing conditions in the bed, by maintaining a high concentration of dissolved carbon or addition of steam or hydrogen rich hydrocarbon such as methane or some combination of these approaches.

Abstract: An asphalt blend composition containing an asphalt component and a bottoms fraction from a used motor vaporization process of the above process, and a pavement composition comprising aggregate and the asphalt blend composition. The process comprises directly contacting used lubricating oil with a heated vapor, e.g., steam, under conditions which at least partially decompose the organo-metallic component and provide a desired volume of pumpable bottoms containing organo-metallic compound decomposition products and an overhead comprising gases and distillatable hydrocarbons, with no substantial carryover of metals into the overhead. The process may be carried out under conditions which minimize decomposition of high molecular weight additives such as VI improvers.

Abstract: Sequential processing of hydrogen rich and hydrogen deficient feeds (14 and 16) in a heat balanced, single molten metal bath (40) to produce both 90+ mole % hydrogen (90) and one or more lower purity vapor streams (140) is disclosed. The molten metal bath is heated by oxygen addition (18) to burn dissolved carbon from the bath and then cooled by sequential addition of two feeds with differing hydrogen contents. Preferably a 98% hydrogen product with a pressure of at least 2 atm., absolute is obtained, along with a lower purity hydrogen containing stream and a separate carbon oxides flue gas stream.

Abstract: A continuous process for recovering vanadium values from petroleum coke is disclosed. A vanadium containing coke is charged to a molten metal bath to which oxygen containing gas is added in an amount sufficient to heat balance the process and produce off gas. The carbon in the coke dissolves in the molten metal bath as does the vanadium content of the coke. A majority, and preferably all, of the net addition of vanadium to the process is removed in the form of “dust” from the molten metal bath.

Abstract: A process for recovering and purifying vanadium found in petroleum coke is disclosed. Coke containing V and other metals such as Ni is charged to a molten metal bath and dissolved to form a molten metal bath with dissolved carbon, dissolved V metal and dissolved Ni. Oxygen containing gas is added in an amount sufficient to heat balance the process and produce off gas. At least periodically the conditions in the bed are made more severely oxidizing so that a portion of the molten vanadium metal is oxidized to form slag. Oxidation is limited so that a majority of the Ni dissolved in the bath remains as dissolved elemental Ni metal. Oxidized vanadium species are continuously or intermittently withdrawn from the slag layer, by dust formation or by tapping the slag layer.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of vanadium from a petroleum coke or heavy hydrocarbon feed comprising dissolving the feed in a molten metal bath to which oxygen containing gas is added to maintain heat balance and bum off carbon. Preferably the feed is added via a high pressure nozzle as a coke/steam mixture discharged down into a molten metal bath. Preferably the net gas make from the molten metal reactor is quenched and/or cooled to permit dust recovery, with recycle of dust to the molten metal reactor. An iron/vanadium product is withdrawn from the molten metal reactor as a product.

Abstract: A process in which a high-purity, high-pressure hydrogen-rich gas stream and a high-purity, high-pressure carbon monoxide-rich gas stream are simultaneously produced separately and continuously using a molten metal gasifier that contains at least two zones, thereby avoiding the need to separate or compress the gases in down-stream equipment.