Abstract: A process for API GRAVITY enrichment and the reduction of naphthenic acidity of petroleum, heavy petroleum, extra-heavy oil and oil mixtures and their fractions in the presence of microwave-absorbing materials, preferentially those which absorb radiation in localized sites forming nanoreactors, pure or in mixtures such as spent hydrotreatment catalysts. The process is characterized by causing an increase in the API GRAVITY of the petroleum or its mixtures, performing the cracking of the heavier fractions present in the petroleum and reducing the concentration of naphthenic acids present in the processed petroleum. This process is also characterized by operating at a relatively low temperature and pressure with an operating range that enables a simplified union of the microwave source with a petroleum enrichment industrial reactor.

Abstract: A process to reduce acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures (1) is described, that includes sending a hydrocarbon stream to a Microwave Treatment Unit (MTU), with a fixed stream or mud bed of microwave absorbent materials, pure or in mixtures, such as coke fines, spent catalysts that have already been used in FCC units or hydrotreatment (HDT) in a refinery, or even new catalysts which may be sulfided or not, under processing conditions.

Abstract: A process for reducing the naphthenic acidity of petroleum oils or their fractions is described, said process comprising providing a hydrocarbon feed 103/203/303 having between 0.1 and 99 wt % of emulsified/dispersed water in oil, said feed containing salts and a content of naphthenic acids measured as TAN between 0.1 and 10 mg KOH/g oil; directing the said petroleum oil feed and emulsified/dispersed water towards an energy emitter device in the microwave range and submitting said feed 103/203/303 in liquid phase, under pressure between 0.7 and 4.5 MPa at temperatures between 50° C. and 350° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved reactor, which allows microwave-assisted processing of feedstocks or mixtures of hydrocarbons, and the operating system thereof, which operates under high temperatures and pressures of hydrogen or other gases, in continuous of batch mode. The invention relates to modifications in the geometric configuration of the reactor to process diverse hydrocarbon feedstocks, with or without the addition of catalysts, in the presence or absence of hydrogen or other gases, forming a system which includes a reaction vessel and associated devices, so as to to allow better transmittance of the radiation onto the feedstock to be processed and guarantee maximum absorption of the microwaves by the the reaction medium irrespective of the composition thereof.