Abstract: A method for preparing an improved slurry catalyst for the upgrade of heavy oil feedstock is provided. In one embodiment, the process comprises: sulfiding at least a metal precursor solution with at least a sulfiding agent forming a sulfided Group VIB catalyst precursor, the metal precursor solution having a pH of at least 4 and a concentration of less than 10 wt. % of Primary metal in solution; and mixing the catalyst precursor with a hydrocarbon diluent to form the slurry catalyst composition. The slurry catalyst prepared therefrom has a BET total surface area of at least 100 m2/g, a total pore volume of at least 0.5 cc/g and a polymodal pore distribution with at least 80% of pore sizes in the range of 5 to 2,000 Angstroms in diameter.

Abstract: A process for the production of a H2S-enriched H2 gas stream without the need for H2S compression is disclosed. A slip stream of rich amine from a hydroprocessing unit is reduced in pressure and stripped with a hydrogen-containing gas. The H2S content of the resulting gas stream can be readily controlled by adjusting the stripping pressure and/or hydrogen rate. The H2S-enriched H2 gas stream is suitable for the sulfidation of catalytically active metals.

Abstract: A process for preparing a slurry catalyst is provided. The slurry catalyst is prepared from at least a Group VIB metal precursor and optionally at least a Promoter metal precursor selected from Group VIII, Group IIB, Group IIA, Group IVA metals and combinations thereof. The slurry catalyst comprises a plurality of dispersed particles in a hydrocarbon medium having an average particle size ranging from 1 to 300 ?m. The slurry catalyst is then mixed with a hydrogen feed at a pressure from 1435 psig (10 MPa) to 3610 psig (25 MPa) and a temperature from 200-800° F. at 500 to 15,000 scf hydrogen per bbl of slurry catalyst for a minute to 20 hours, for the slurry catalyst to be saturated with hydrogen providing an increase of k-values in terms of HDS, HDN, and HDMCR of at least 15% compared to a slurry catalyst that is not saturated with hydrogen.

Abstract: A process for the production of a H2S-enriched H2 gas stream without the need for H2S compression is disclosed. A slip stream of rich amine from a hydroprocessing unit is reduced in pressure and stripped with a hydrogen-containing gas. The H2S content of the resulting gas stream can be readily controlled by adjusting the stripping pressure and/or hydrogen rate. The H2S-enriched H2 gas stream is suitable for the sulfidation of catalytically active metals.

Abstract: Methods for hydroprocessing heavy oil feedstocks are disclosed. A heavy oil feedstock, a hydrogen-containing gas, and a slurry catalyst are passed through a plurality of upflow reactors operating under hydrocracking conditions to convert at least a portion of the heavy oil feedstock to lower boiling hydrocarbons, forming upgraded products. At least a portion of the mixture comprising the upgraded products, unconverted heavy oil feedstock, the hydrogen-containing gas, and the slurry catalyst from an upflow reactor other than the first upflow reactor is sent back to at least one upstream upflow reactor as a recycled stream.

Abstract: An improved process for preparing a slurry catalyst for the upgrade of heavy oil feedstock is provided. In the process, high shear mixing is employed to generate an emulsion containing droplets of metal precursor in oil with droplet sizes ranging from 0.1 to 300 ?m. The emulsion is subsequently sulfided with a sulfiding agent, or in-situ in a heavy oil feedstock to form a slurry catalyst. The in-situ sulfidation in heavy oil is under sufficient condition for the heavy oil feedstock to generate the sulfiding source needed for the sulfidation.

Abstract: An improved hydroprocessing slurry catalyst is provided for the upgrade of heavy oil feedstock. The catalyst comprises dispersed particles in a hydrocarbon medium with the dispersed particles have an average particle size ranging from 1 to 300 ?m. The catalyst has a total pore volume of at least 0.5 cc/g and a polymodal pore distribution with at least 80% of pore sizes in the range of 5 to 2,000 Angstroms in diameter. The catalyst is prepared from sulfiding and dispersing a metal precursor solution in a hydrocarbon diluent, the metal precursor comprising at least a Primary metal precursor and optionally a Promoter metal precursor, the metal precursor solution having a pH of at least 4 and a concentration of less than 10 wt. % of Primary metal in solution.

Abstract: A process for preparing a slurry catalyst for the upgrade of heavy oil feedstock is provided. The process employs a pressure leach solution obtained from a metal recovery process as part of the metal precursor feed. In one embodiment, the process comprises: sulfiding a pressure leach solution having at least a Group VIB metal precursor compound in solution forming a catalyst precursor, and mixing the sulfided catalyst precursor with a hydrocarbon diluent to form the slurry catalyst. In another embodiment, the pressure leach solution is mixed with a hydrocarbon diluent under high shear mixing conditions to form an emulsion, which emulsion can be sulfided in-situ upon contact with a heavy oil feedstock in the heavy oil upgrade process.

Abstract: A compressor comprising a shell, a compression mechanism disposed within the shell, a drive shaft for operating the compression mechanism, and a motor for driving the drive shaft. A terminal is secured to the shell for delivering electric current to at least one of the compression mechanism and the motor. A terminal block is engaged with the terminal, and a wire carries the electric current from the terminal and the terminal block. A wire retainer located relative to the compression mechanism supports the wire in a predetermined orientation within the shell.

Abstract: An improved slurry catalyst feed system for heavy oil upgraded is provided. The catalyst feed system comprises a fresh slurry catalyst and a deoiled spent catalyst, with the deoiled spent catalyst being present in an amount of at least 10% the catalyst feed system. The deoiled spent catalyst is a slurry catalyst that has been used in a hydroprocessing operation resulting in than 80% but more than 10% of original catalytic activity, and containing less than 10 wt. % soluble hydrocarbons as unconverted heavy oil feed. The deoiled spent catalyst is slurried in a hydrocarbon medium as dispersed particles prior to being fed to the heavy oil upgrade system.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for the hydroconversion of hydrocarbon feedstock with a hydrogen gas at elevated temperature and pressure with the use of a catalyst. The apparatus is a reactor vessel with a grid plate distributor for improved gas liquid distribution. The distributor comprises a grid plate and a bubble cap assembly with a plurality of tubular risers extending through the grid plate. Each tubular riser has an upper section above the grid plate and a lower section below the grid plate, the lower section terminated with an open bottom end for ingress of the hydrogen gas and hydrocarbon feedstock, the upper section having a closed top terminated with a housing cap. Each tubular riser has at least a vertical slot and a least a laterally placed opening sufficiently sized such that in operation, the liquid level in the zone below the grid plate is above the vertical slot and below the laterally placed opening.

Abstract: An improved process to make a slurry catalyst for the upgrade of heavy oil feedstock is provided. In the process, at least a metal precursor feedstock is portioned and fed in any of the stages: the promotion stage; the sulfidation stage; or the transformation stage of a water-based catalyst precursor to a slurry catalyst. In one embodiment, the promoter metal precursor feedstock is split into portions, the first portion is for the sulfiding step, the second portion is for the promotion step; and optionally the third portion is to be added to the transformation step in the mixing of the sulfided promoted catalyst precursor with a hydrocarbon diluent to form the slurry catalyst. In another embodiment, the Primary metal precursor feedstock is split into portions.

Abstract: A system for collecting viewing data (or viewing habits) and automatically measuring the size of an audience viewing or watching a broadcast at any particular time is provided. In the system, a remote control device may be adapted to collect and manage the collection of the viewing data on television audiences, including requests for the data from third parties. The data may be collected using a remote control device and then transmitted to a remote computer where it may be stored and accumulated, so that over time, the viewing habits of the User may be identified. The remote control device may also be used to allow a User to interact with the television to order a product, monetize advertising, participate in an auction and/or rate a television program.

Abstract: A system for collecting viewing data (or viewing habits) and automatically measuring the size of an audience viewing or watching a broadcast at any particular time is provided. In the system, a remote control device may be adapted to collect and manage the collection of the viewing data on television audiences, including requests for the data from third parties. The data may be collected using a remote control device and then transmitted to a remote computer where it may be stored and accumulated, so that over time, the viewing habits of the User may be identified. The remote control device may also be used to allow a User to interact with the television to order a product, monetize advertising, participate in an auction and/or rate a television program.

Abstract: A system and method for auto-calibrating a barcode scanning tunnel to determine the orientation of one or more cameras with respect to a range finder and a conveyor belt comprises providing a scanning tunnel having a moveable surface, at least one range finder having an orientation, at least one camera having an orientation and at least one calibration object having at least one indicia disposed in a predetermined relationship to one or more features of the at least one calibration object, capturing at least one image of the at least one calibration object by the at least one camera, electronically detecting the at least one calibration object at least one indicia and the one or more object features and electronically calculating at least one component of the at least one camera orientation with respect to the moveable surface in response to information obtained from the image and the at least one calibration object at least one indicia.

Abstract: A compressor comprising a shell, a compression mechanism disposed within the shell, a drive shaft for operating the compression mechanism, and a motor for driving the drive shaft. A terminal is secured to the shell for delivering electric current to at least one of the compression mechanism and the motor. A terminal block is engaged with the terminal, and a wire carries the electric current from the terminal and the terminal block. A wire retainer located relative to the compression mechanism supports the wire in a predetermined orientation within the shell.

Abstract: A compact electrostatic particulate collector for sampling contaminants has a collection chamber defined by a titanium inner surface of a wall. A potential inducer is disposed within the chamber to create a field potential between itself and the wall of the chamber. A blower is disposed to propel air to be sampled through the chamber. At least one rinse channel is disposed to wet the inner surface of the wall of the chamber substantially 100%. The rinse channel is angled to direct a rinse liquid in a spiral direction around the inner surface of the wall. Contaminants in the air being sampled are electro statically biased into the rinse liquid on the wall and rinsed out of the chamber for collection.

Abstract: A system for automatically measuring the size of a radio or television audience at any particular time is provided. In the system, a remote computer may identify the broadcast stations to which listening devices, such as radios or televisions, are tuned. To identify the broadcast stations, the remote computer commands the listening device instructing/commanding the listening device to poll its radio receiver tuner to determine the frequency it is tuned to. This information is then transmitted from the listening device to the remote computer where it may be used to determine what broadcast station the listening device is tuned to. This data is then stored and accumulated, so that over time the listening habits of the user may be identified. The collected data may be used by broadcast stations to determine the cost of advertisements. Additionally, the system provides for the monetization of advertising by charging advertisers for downloads.

Abstract: An improved process for preparing a slurry catalyst for the upgrade of heavy oil feedstock is provided. In the process, high shear mixing is employed to generate an emulsion containing droplets of metal precursor in oil with droplet sizes ranging from 0.1 to 300 ?m. The emulsion is subsequently sulfided with a sulfiding agent, or in-situ in a heavy oil feedstock to form a slurry catalyst. The in-situ sulfidation in heavy oil is under sufficient condition for the heavy oil feedstock to generate the sulfiding source needed for the sulfidation.

Abstract: An improved process to make a slurry catalyst for the upgrade of heavy oil feedstock is provided. In the process, at least a metal precursor feedstock is portioned and fed in any of the stages: the promotion stage; the sulfidation stage; or the transformation stage of a water-based catalyst precursor to a slurry catalyst. In one embodiment, the promoter metal precursor feedstock is split into portions, the first portion is for the sulfiding step, the second portion is for the promotion step; and optionally the third portion is to be added to the transformation step in the mixing of the sulfided promoted catalyst precursor with a hydrocarbon diluent to form the slurry catalyst. In another embodiment, the Primary metal precursor feedstock is split into portions.