Abstract: Systems for dehydrogenating an alkane are provided. An exemplary system includes a furnace and further includes alkane heating chambers, regeneration mixture heating chambers, and two groups of reaction chambers, all located within the furnace. The alkane heating chambers and regeneration mixture heating chambers can preheat an alkane feed and a regeneration mixture feed, respectively. The two groups of reaction chambers can be switchably coupled to an alkane feed and a regeneration mixture feed such that an alkane can flow through one group of reaction chambers while a regeneration mixture flows through the other group of reaction chambers. Processes for dehydrogenating an alkane are also provided.

Abstract: A water recovery process for a steam assisted gravity drainage system for a heavy oil recovery facility, the process comprising a flash drum and a flash drum heat exchanger/condenser, wherein the water recovery process receives hot water produced by a facility at a temperature above the water atmospheric boiling point and cools it to a temperature below the water atmospheric boiling point before transferring it to the remaining section of the water recovery process.

Abstract: A modular distillation apparatus including at least one heat exchanger that preheats contaminated liquids: a heater that heats the contaminated liquid from the heat exchanger; an evaporator condenser adapted o boil the contaminated liquid coming out of the heater to produce water vapor and contaminant concentrate, and condenser the water vapor into distilled water; a vacuum chamber capable of operating at below atmospheric pressure, the vacuum chamber housing the evaporator condenser and including at least one partition to separate the distilled water from the contaminate concentrate; a vapor compressor operably associated with the vacuum chamber to receive water vapor from the evaporator condenser in the vacuum chamber and pump the water vapor at pressure back through the evaporator condenser, wherein the heat exchanger recovers sensible heat from outgoing condensed distilled water and contaminant concentrate recycled from the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for treating the effluent from a hydrocarbon pyrolysis unit without employing a primary fractionator. The method comprises passing the gaseous effluent to at least one primary heat exchanger, thereby cooling the gaseous effluent and generating high pressure steam, and then cooling the gaseous effluent to a temperature at which tar, formed by reactions among constituents of the effluent, condenses. The gaseous effluent and the condensed tar are fed to at least one knock-out drum, whereby the tar is separated from the gaseous effluent. The gaseous effluent is then further cooled to condense a pyrolysis gasoline fraction from the effluent and to reduce the temperature of the effluent to a point at which it can be compressed efficiently. The condensed pyrolysis gasoline fraction is separated from the effluent and then distilled so as to reduce its final boiling point.

Abstract: A separation apparatus for removing particulate material from a flash zone gas oil stream produced in a delayed coking unit. The apparatus of the invention employs cyclonic separation to remove particulate material from the flash zone gas oil stream. The stream can then be further processed, for example by passing the stream to a fixed bed catalytic hydroprocessing unit and then to a fluidized bed catalytic cracking unit, or to other processing units, thereby enhancing the value of the flash zone gas oil stream.

Abstract: A Fuel Fractionation System (FFS) and associated methods to generate and store a fuel for internal combustion engines is provided. FFS provides a distillation column assembly to distill liquid fuel to form a volatile light fraction secondary fuel. The distillation column assembly includes a vaporization module to vaporize a feed fuel in the distillation column and includes a condensation module to condense heavy fraction components of the vaporized feed fuel. FFS also provides a controller positioned to control the vaporization of feed fuel in the distillation column to thereby control the separation of the feed fuel into light fraction fuel and heavy fraction fuel components, and positioned to control the condensation of the heavy fraction components so that fuel exiting a light fraction output port in the distillation column is substantially light fraction fuel components by volume.

Abstract: Incoming wastewater is preheated in a heat exchanger before delivery to a flash chamber through an orifice for flashing into water vapor rising into an upper section of the flash chamber which also has a bottom section into which liquid waste oil or other contaminants settles. Rise of such water vapor into the upper chamber section is induced by a vacuum established therein by a vacuum pump withdrawing the water vapor in a superheated and compressed condition for cooling within a condenser from which the incoming wastewater is delivered to a heat exchanger for preheating. The water vapor during rise into the upper section of the flash chamber is filtered to extract contaminates therefrom while liquefied water vapor thereafter formed therein is collected before the remaining water vapor is cooled into the condensate for collection within a distillate tank from which it is withdrawn for overboard discharge after being monitored for oil content.

Abstract: An improved coker fractionator system which permits withdrawing, from selected ports in the fractionator, streams of selected boiling point ranges for recovery of thermal energy and for altering the liquid vapor loading within the column for more efficient fractionation within the column. The system includes the provision of one or more ports in a fractionation column between the light coker gas oil draw and the heavy coker gas oil draw connected to either a thermal energy recovery pump-around system or a recycle system for returning a stream to the coker furnace feed stream.

Abstract: The treating apparatus and method of the present invention improve the efficiency and reliability of flash treating crude oil by including a recycled oil pumping loop that takes crude oil from a flashing section of a vessel and feeds it to either the inlet of a treater section or through a heater into a connecting pipe between the treater section and the flashing section, thereby eliminating the need of a fired heater in the flashing section.

Abstract: A distillation system for recovery of volatile components of contaminated liquids used in an industrial process includes a tube assembly including outer tubes to which hot bottoms liquids are supplied and inner tubes to which process liquids are supplied for transfer of heat from the bottoms to the process liquids. From the tube assembly the two liquids are discharged into the still through separate, elongated, parallel discharge pipes. The process liquids discharge pipe is positioned above the bottoms liquids discharge pipe and an elongated, metal, angle plate is positioned as an inverted V between the two discharge pipes. Efficiency is improved over prior systems wherein process liquids are added to the still without being preheated by the bottoms fluids, and without the unique still intake manifold.

Abstract: A method for rectification includes steps of supplying raw materials to a rectifying column from a raw material feed pipe; returning a refluent fluid from a refluxing pipe to the column; leading a hold-up liquid from a bottom tank having a higher surface to a bottom tank having a lower surface of a liquid in a bottom portion of the column; heating the hold-up in each of bottom tanks; exchanging heat by bringing a vapor produced by heating the bottoms into counter-current contact with the reluent liquid returned to the rectifying column on plates arranged in the rectifying column, taking out a vapor from the top of the rectifying column, and taking out bottoms from the bottom tank.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for recovering a diesel-quality fuel from produced crude oil is described. The diesel-quality fuel is produced by flashing the crude feedstock at high temperatures and recovering the diesel quality fuel as a liquid from a refluxing exchanger. Process efficiency is enhanced by heat integration. The process is particularly applicable to remote locations, both onshore and offshore, where conventional fuel supplies are inadequate or not available.

Abstract: A finished oil product is recovered from crude or waste oil contaminated with water and the like by heating the waste oil in a tank with a heating flame which may be gas or oil fired. The waste oil is heated until vapors including light ends and the desired finished oil product are produced from the waste oil within the tank. The vapors are introduced into the heating flame so that additional heat is developed by such afterburning to heat the waste oil in the tank. The finished oil product as recovered from the waste oil is discharged from the tank by a suitable outlet pipe arrangement.

Abstract: The invention is a pyrolysis furnace for cracking heavy oils to olefins. The furnace includes a convection zone and a radiation zone. In parallel streams, the heavy stream and a stream diluent are heated in the convection zone to the point of partial thermal cracking while in the other stream a lighter oil and steam are cracked to produce olefins. The hot, olefinic light stream is then mixed with the heated heavy stream and further cracked in the radiation zone.

Abstract: In the past, it has proven difficult to separate dirt and water from petroleum emulsions of the type found, e.g. in settling ponds. A relatively simple apparatus for effecting such separation includes a sifter or screening device for removing large solid impurities from the emulsion, a preheater for reducing the viscosity of the emulsion, a centrifuge or filter for separating most of the dirt particles from the emulsion, a settling tank for receiving the emulsion from the dirt separator, and an evaporator for separating most of the water from the petroleum. The dirt removed in the dirt separator with residual oil attached thereto is mixed with a fuel oil and burned to create the heat necessary to evaporate the water. The petroleum separated in the evaporator is cycled through the preheater for heating incoming dirty petroleum emulsion. The evaporator contains trays carrying a plurality of rows of tubes. The water-containing emulsion is fed into the uppermost tray into heat exchange contact with the tubes.

Abstract: An improved catalytic process for converting an olefinic feedstock comprising ethylene and C.sub.3.sup.+ olefins to heavier liquid hydrocarbon product comprising the steps of:(a) prefractionating the olefinic feedstock to obtain a gaseous stream rich in ethylene and a liquid stream containing C.sub.3.sup.

Abstract: A method of and system for recovering a solvent from a mixture of solvent and hydrocarbons, the system comprising at least two evaporation flasks successively fed with a charge consisting of said mixture to be separated, at least one steam generator performing the condensation of the solvent, a circuit for conveying the evaporated solvent and connecting the flasks to the generator and a circuit of an intermediate fluid in gaseous phase including a compressor for raising the condensation temperature of this fluid, the latter circuit connecting the generator to heat exchangers arranged upstream of each flask.

Abstract: A temperature control process is disclosed for a hydrocarbon conversion process wherein a feedstock is heated in a furnace and is partly converting in a first reactor, the effluent from the first reactor is cooled in a first heat exchanger and by adding a quench, then the cooled effluent is converted in a second reactor, and the effluent from the second reactor is cooled in a second heat exchanger. Part of the pre-furnace feedstock is used as coolant for the two heat exchangers, the amount of coolant being controlled by a first bypass valve for a line bypassing both heat exchangers and by a second bypass valve for a line bypassing only the second heat exchanger. The inlet temperature for the second reactor is controlled while maximizing the pre-furnace feedstock temperature by adjusting the valve for quench and the two bypass valves.

Abstract: In a method for reprocessing aqueous, oily and greasy cleaning solutions by separating oil and grease out of the solution in an oil separator, a mixture of oil, grease and cleaning solution separated in the oil separator is subjected to vaporization for the purpose of thickening it, the hot water vapor thereby resulting is used to heat the oil separator and the condensed water resulting from the vapor is fed back to the cleaning solution for its regeneration. An apparatus for performing this method is characterized in that the oil separator is enclosed by an outer casing, in the bottom region of which the separated cleaning solution containing oil and grease is collected and vaporized, the hot vapor thereby resulting being utilized to heat the cleaning fluid in the oil separator. A condensate collecting tray is provided between the bottom region of the outer casing and a bottom wall of the oil separator and condensed water flows from this tray back into the cleaning solution.

Abstract: A fluid recovery system for removing water and solid contaminants from a fluid such a lubricant oil, coolant, and lubricating oils and the like for manufacturing operations is disclosed. A cylindrical vacuum vessel is provided with a centrally disposed cylindrical heating unit and a heat exchanger coil surrounding the heating unit, within the confines of the vacuum vessel. A water condensation trapping cover seal arrangement is provided for the top of the vessel. A cylindrical filter is disposed in surrounding relationship to the heating unit.

Abstract: In a continuous process for the extraction of crude refinery stock from oil-bearing sand, miscella produced earlier in the process is returned and mixed with oil-bearing sand to provide a feed slurry which, after heating, is separated into two streams, one of which is comprised predominantly of the coarser sand particles in the feed sand and miscella and the other of which contains most of the fine sand particles in the feed slurry. Miscella extracted by hot solvent from one of these streams is recycled to produce at least part of the miscella returned to produce the feed mix, and the other stream is processed to remove at least most of the sand and yield a miscella which is then distilled to separate the solvent for recycle to the extraction stages. Generally stated, a decantation step involving countercurrent extraction of the feed slurry will be used with sands which are comprised largely of fine particles.

Abstract: A process and system for producing and utilizing to advantage vapors and gases from a hydrocarbon feedstock such as crushed oil shale, a coal and shale mixture, or straight coal. A prime mover driven by steam generated in the system produces electrical energy for supplying electrical power to the microwave oven employed. The prime mover is steam driven, such steam being supplied by a boiler. The boiler is, in turn, provided with a series of heat sources taking the form of the hot, spent shale, and/or coke from the coal, passing through such oven as well as perhaps portions of condensate or residue and portions or all of the gases generated in the system. The system thus reduces and in some cases may even eliminate power requirements otherwise imposed on an external electrical power source. Principally, however, the system generates sufficient energy as to be a major supplement to the energy requirement of an external power source.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for extracting an organic liquid from an organic liquid solute/solvent mixture. The mixture is contacted with a fluid extractant which is at a temperature and pressure to render the extractant a solvent for the solute but not for the solvent. The resulting fluid extract of the solute is then depressurized to give a still feed which is distilled to form still overhead vapors and liquid still bottoms. The enthalpy required to effect this distillation is provided by compressing the still overhead vapors to heat them and indirectly to heat the still feed. The process is particularly suitable for separating mixtures which form azeotropes, e.g., oxygenated hydrocarbon/water mixtures. The energy required in this process is much less than that required to separate such mixtures by conventional distillation techniques.

Abstract: Hydrocarbons are preheated, particularly for a hydrodesulfurization process by first heating the hydrocarbon stream to produce a vapor and a liquid stream, thereafter superheating at least some of the vapor phase and mixing the superheated vapor phase with the liquid phase to generate the hydrocarbon feedstream at the desired temperature. By this procedure only the evaporated hydrocarbons are subjected to a high temperature, but not the heavier hydrocarbons.

Abstract: An entire crude oil stream is preheated by various sources of heat and brought to final temperature by a furnace. At this highest temperature, the stream is flashed into two portions, the heavier portion used only as a source of sensible heat for conservation. The vaporized fractions have their heat recycled into the crude oil stream and are then fractionated to extract a product of desired boiling range, flash point, and vapor pressure. The fractionation column is heated by the heavier, separated portion of the stream and refluxed by heat exchange with the crude oil stream.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process and apparatus for the fractionation of close boiling components of a multi-component system and comprised of at least two fractionation columns having a plurality of equilibrium stages wherein the vapor from a downstream fractionation column is compressed and passed into a lower portion of a preceding fractionation column. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the compressed overhead vapor stream is passed in heat transfer relationship to a liquid stream withdrawn from the preceding fractionation column prior to introduction into the lower portion of such preceding fractionation column.

Abstract: Hydrocarbons are preheated, particularly for a hydrodesulfurization process by first heating the hydrocarbon stream to produce a vapor and a liquid stream, thereafter superheating at least some of the vapor phase and mixing the superheated vapor phase with the liquid phase to generate the hydrocarbon feedstream at the desired temperature. By this procedure only the evaporated hydrocarbons are subjected to a high temperature, but not the heavier hydrocarbons.

Abstract: In a distillation process, the heats of distillates and bottom product are recovered to preheat the feed and to generate the steam of higher than 5 kg/cm.sup.2 G which in turn may be utilized to improve the distillation efficiency.

Abstract: The invention provides an improvement in the conventional operation of a vacuum pipestill, whereby when used with, for example, an atmospheric residuum either (a) conventional yields are obtainable with less stripping steam utilization, or (b) a deeper cut into the residuum is obtainable for conventional steam utilization. Some of the gaseous mixture normally withdrawn from the top of the vacuum pipestill for washing and removal is fed into compression and recycle means and recycled to the stripping zone of the pipestill to replace, or augment, the conventionally used stripping steam.

Abstract: A used lubricating oil reclamation apparatus in which filters, heat exchangers, a vaporizer unit, pumps and other necessary equipment are all contained in a wheeled cabinet. The oil to be reclaimed is pumped through a warming heat exchanger, a first filter, a vaporizer unit, and further filters, after which appropriate additives are mixed into the decontaminated oil in a mixing tank. A vacuum is maintained on the vaporizer unit to exhaust the vapours from it via the heat exchanger and a condensate tank.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating oil shale by microwave energy for recovering heated volatile fractions thereof. The microwave oven includes a sloping feeder made of glass, pyrex, or ceramic material, which feeder is reciprocated back and forth along a declining plane so as to advance slowly but progressively oil shale deposited on the top end thereof to the discharge end of the vibrator. Means are provided to evacuate volatile fractions and to feed such gases through preheater tubes to a condenser unit. The preheater tubes are disposed in line with and through the flow of incoming materials so as to tend to regulate material descent as well as preheat the shale. An additional solids heat exchanger is employed underneath the discharge end of the vibratory feeder means so as to slow the descent of the spent shale onto its ultimate conveyor as well as taking heat therefrom and from the magnetron tubes of the oven to conduct such heat upwardly to further increase the preheating effect upon incoming shale.

Abstract: In a chemical processing plant such as a petroleum refinery, provision is made for steam boilers and heating furnaces in which the energy consumed by the boilers for generating steam exceeds the energy consumed by the heating furnaces. The steam is produced at a pressure level which is sufficient to operate at least one back-pressure turbo-alternator, then to heat the chemical process stream to a sufficiently high temperature by heat exchange with the steam recovered at the outlet of the turbo-alternator.