Suspension System Patents (Class 208/127)
  • Patent number: 11230678
    Abstract: An integrated method and an integrated device for heavy oil contact lightening and coke gasification are provided. The integrated method uses a coupled reactor including a cracking section and a gasification section, and the integrated method includes: feeding a heavy oil material into the cracking section to implement a cracking reaction, to obtain a light oil gas and a carbon-deposited contact agent; passing the carbon-deposited contact agent into the gasification section, so as to implement a gasification reaction, to obtain a regenerated contact agent and a syngas; and discharging the light oil gas and the ascended and incorporated syngas from the cracking section, to perform a gas-solid separation, so that the carbon-deposited contact agent carried is separated and returned to the cracking section, and a purified oil gas is obtained at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM-BEIJING
    Inventors: Xingying Lan, Yuming Zhang, Jinsen Gao, Chengxiu Wang, Xiaogang Shi
  • Patent number: 11230674
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an integrated method and apparatus for catalytic cracking of heavy oil and production of syngas. A cracking-gasification coupled reactor having a cracking section and a gasification section is used as a reactor in the method. A heavy oil feedstock is fed into a cracking section to contact with a bed material in a fluidized state that contains a cracking catalyst, a catalytic cracking reaction is conducted under atmospheric pressure to obtain light oil-gas and coke. The coke is carried downward by the bed material into a gasification section to conduct a gasification reaction to generate syngas; the syngas goes upward into the cracking section to merge with the light oil-gas, and is guided out from the coupled reactor and enter a gas-solid separation system. Oil-gas fractionation is performed to a purified oil-gas product output from the gas-solid separation system to collect light oil and syngas products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM-BEIJING
    Inventors: Xingying Lan, Yuming Zhang, Jinsen Gao, Chengxiu Wang
  • Patent number: 11230677
    Abstract: A method for heavy oil lightening and synthesis gas production and a device thereof are provided, where the method uses a cracking/gasification coupled reactor, which internally has a cracking section and a gasification section that communicate with each other, and includes the following steps: feeding a heavy oil material into the cracking section to implement a cracking reaction, to produce a light oil gas and a coke; the coke being carried by the coke powders and descending into the gasification section to implement a gasification reaction, to produce a synthesis gas; at least performing a first stage gas-solid separation, collecting coke powder particles and dividing them into two parts; performing an oil and gas fractionation on a purified oil and gas product output by the gas-solid separation system, and collecting a light oil product and a synthesis gas product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM-BEIJING
    Inventors: Jinsen Gao, Yuming Zhang, Xingying Lan, Chengxiu Wang, Xiaogang Shi
  • Patent number: 11090630
    Abstract: Process for further use of a water-containing carbon raw material comprising the treatment of the carbon raw material with carbon dioxide or water vapor or a mixture thereof at elevated temperature and the admixing of the thus obtained carbon material with an acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Peter Rudolf, Matthias Schwab, Waldemar Bartuli
  • Patent number: 10927305
    Abstract: A system includes a heat exchange system and a power generation system. The heat exchange system includes first, second, and third heat exchangers each operable as a continuous source of heat from a delayed coking plant. The first and second heat exchangers heat first and second fluid streams to produce heated first and second fluid streams, respectively. The heated second fluid stream has a lower temperature and a greater quantity of heat than the heated first fluid stream. The third heat exchanger heats a third fluid stream to produce a heated third fluid stream that includes the heated first fluid stream and a hot fluid stream. The heated third fluid stream has a lower temperature than the heated first fluid stream. The power generation system generates power using heat from the heated second and third fluid streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Mahmoud Bahy Mahmoud Noureldin, Hani Mohammed Al Saed
  • Patent number: 10814333
    Abstract: Provided is a pulverizing apparatus (100) including a pulverization chamber (110) provided with a plurality of stationary blades (111) on an inner peripheral surface, a rotary shaft (120) rotatably supported by the pulverization chamber (110), a plurality of rotary plates (130) fixed to the rotary shaft (120) and separated with intervals in the horizontal direction, and having a plurality of a rotary blades (131) on an outer peripheral surface, tip ends of the rotary blades (131) having space of 0.3 to 0.5 mm between tip ends of the stationary blades (111), a paper powder feed port (140) to which paper powder is fed, a rotation driving unit (150) which rotates the rotary shaft (120) so that a peripheral speed of the tip ends of the rotary blades (131) is 19 to 30 m/sec, and a screen (160) arranged inside the pulverization chamber (110) having mesh openings of 130 to 400 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: ECO RESEARCH INSTITUTE LTD.
    Inventor: Takamichi Matsushita
  • Patent number: 10400795
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to separating solid particles from an airflow in a gas turbine engine. A separator includes a plurality of vortex chambers arranged about a longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, each vortex chamber having a clean air outlet at a first end, a dirty outlet at a second end, and an air inlet transverse to the vortex chamber located at the first end. The separator also includes a sealable collection chamber in fluid communication with the dirty outlet of the each of the plurality of vortex chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joshua Tyler Mook, Christopher Williams
  • Patent number: 10363497
    Abstract: A method and chemical delivery system and device are provided. One method useful in the present invention includes contacting a non-aqueous hydrazine solution with a carrier gas and/or vacuum and delivering a gas stream comprising hydrazine to a critical process or application. One chemical delivery system and device useful in the present invention includes a non-aqueous hydrazine solution having a vapor phase that is in contact with a process carrier gas and/or vacuum. One device useful in the present invention includes a chamber for containing a liquid comprising at least one volatile process chemical, such as a non-aqueous hydrazine solution, a hydrogen peroxide solution, or another suitable process chemical, in fluid communication with a permeable or semi-permeable membrane from which the volatile process chemical can be drawn using a carrier gas and/or vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: RASIRC, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Spiegelman, Christopher M. Ramos
  • Patent number: 10138177
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated process to convert crude oil into petrochemical products comprising crude oil distillation, aromatic ring opening, and olefins synthesis, which process comprises subjecting a hydrocarbon feed to aromatic ring opening to produce LPG and subjecting the LPG produced in the integrated process to olefins synthesis. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a process installation to convert crude oil into petrochemical products comprising a crude distillation unit comprising an inlet for crude oil and at least one outlet for kerosene and/or gasoil; an aromatic ring opening unit comprising an inlet for a hydrocarbon feed to aromatic ring opening and an outlet for LPG; and a unit for the olefins synthesis comprising an inlet for LPG produced by the integrated petrochemical process installation and an outlet for olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignees: SAUDI BASIC INDUSTRIES CORPORATION, SABIC GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Andrew Mark Ward, Ravichander Narayanaswamy, Vijayanand Rajagopalan, Arno Johannes Maria Oprins, Egidius Jacoba Maria Schaerlaeckens, Raul Velasco Pelaez
  • Patent number: 10093860
    Abstract: A process for treating waste comprising Mixed Plastic Waste is disclosed. The process includes feeding the waste to a pyrolysis reactor, pyrolysing the waste in the pyrolysis reactor to produce a fuel and using the fuel to run a generator to produce electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Recycling Technologies Ltd
    Inventor: Adrian Edward Griffiths
  • Patent number: 10068674
    Abstract: The invention relates to a jet spouted bed reactor, comprising a cylindrical area, a gas injection pipe at the base of the cylindrical area, and a transition area, connecting the upper end of the pipe to the base of the cylindrical area, this transition area having a convex profile in a plane extending through the axis (YY?) of flow of a fluid in the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Meryl Brothier, Dominique Moulinier, Philippe Rodriguez, Carine Ablitzer
  • Patent number: 10058813
    Abstract: Device for oil separation and removal from a working fluid of an organic Rankine cycle plant, said plant having at least a supply pump (6), at least a heat exchanger (1,16), an expansion turbine (5), a condenser (4), wherein the device is provided with a separator (2) and collection means (3), located between the evaporator (1) and the condenser (4) or between the evaporator (1) and a regenerator (16) of the organic Rankine cycle plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: TURBODEN SRL
    Inventors: Roberto Bini, Roberto Bertanzi
  • Patent number: 9909068
    Abstract: The invention relates to processes for producing anode grade coke from whole crude oil. The invention is accomplished by first deasphalting a feedstock, followed by processing resulting DAO and asphalt fractions. The DAO fraction is hydrotreated or hydrocracked, resulting in removal of sulfur and hydrocarbons, which boil at temperatures over 370° C., and gasifying the asphalt portion in one embodiment. This embodiment includes subjecting hydrotreated and/or unconverted DAO fractions to delayed coking. In an alternate embodiment, rather than gasifying the asphalt portion, it is subjected to delayed coking in a separate reaction chamber. Any coke produced via delayed coking can be gasified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventor: Omer Refa Koseoglu
  • Patent number: 9719021
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feedstock that utilizes a short residence pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that cracks and chemically upgrades the feedstock. The method for upgrading a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock comprises introducing a particulate heat carrier into an upflow reactor, introducing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock into the upflow reactor at a location above that of the particulate heat carrier so that a loading ratio of the particulate heat carrier to feedstock is from about 15:1 to about 200:1, allowing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock to interact with the heat carrier with a residence time of less than about 1 second, to produce a product stream, separating the product stream from the particulate heat carrier, regenerating the particulate heat carrier, and collecting a gaseous and liquid product from the product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Ivanhoe HTL Petroleum Ltd.
    Inventors: Barry Freel, Robert G. Graham
  • Patent number: 9708552
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a moving bed catalyst regenerator (1) comprising a vessel (2) extending in a vertical direction, said vessel being divided into at least two regeneration zones extending along the vertical height of said vessel, in which particles of catalyst move under gravity, in which each regeneration zone comprises, in succession and in the order in which the catalysts move: a) a combustion section (CO); b) an oxychlorination section (O) disposed below the combustion section and comprising means for bringing catalyst from the combustion section (CO) to the oxychlorination section (O); c) a calcining section (CA) disposed below the oxychlorination section; characterized in that the regeneration zones are separated from each other by a separation means which is impermeable to catalysts and to gases in a manner such that the catalysts of each of the zones are capable of being regenerated under different operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Frederic Bazer-Bachi, Eric Lemaire, Fabian Lambert
  • Patent number: 9708551
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a moving bed catalyst regenerator (1) comprising a vessel (2) extending in a vertical direction, said vessel being divided into at least two regeneration zones extending along the vertical height of said vessel, in which particles of catalyst move under gravity, the regenerator being configured such that each regeneration zone is capable of separately regenerating a different composition of catalyst and in which each regeneration zone comprises, in succession and in the order in which the catalysts move: a) a combustion section (CO); b) an oxychlorination section (O) disposed below the combustion section and comprising means for bringing catalyst from the combustion section (CO) to the oxychlorination section (O); c) a calcining section (CA) disposed below the oxychlorination section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: IFP Energies Nouvelles
    Inventors: Frederic Bazer-Bachi, Eric Lemaire, Fabian Lambert
  • Patent number: 9637686
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for improving a heavy hydrocarbon, such as mined bitumen, to a lighter more fluid product and, more specifically, to a hydrocarbon product that is refinery-ready and that meets pipeline transport criteria without requiring the addition of diluent. The invention is suitable for enhancing recovery from mined Canadian bitumen, but has general application for processing any heavy hydrocarbon, converting the heavy hydrocarbon to a product that is more suitable for pipeline transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: CANADIAN NATURAL RESOURCES LIMITED
    Inventors: Darius Simon John Remesat, Alvaro Blanco
  • Patent number: 9327260
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process and system for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing vacuum resid comprising: (a) subjecting a vacuum resid to a first thermal conversion in a thermal conversion reactor (such as delayed coker, fluid coker, Flexicoker™, visbreaker and catalytic hydrovisbreaker) where at least 30 wt % of the vacuum resid is converted to material boiling below 1050° F. (566° C.); (b) introducing said thermally converted resid to a vapor/liquid separator, said separator being integrated into a steam cracking furnace, to form a vapor phase and liquid phase; (c) passing said vapor phase to the radiant furnace in said steam cracking furnace; and (d) recovering at least 30 wt % olefins from the material exiting the radiant furnace (based upon the weight of the total hydrocarbon material exiting the radiant furnace).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: S. Mark Davis, Richard C. Stell, Jiunn-Shyan Liou, Stephen H. Brown, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Arthur R. Di Nicolantonio, John J. Waldrop
  • Patent number: 9279089
    Abstract: A device for converting a fuel including solid components, known as a solid fuel, into a gaseous fuel, includes a pyrolysis zone (2) for pyrolyzing solid fuel, having pyrolysis elements that are capable of decomposing the solid fuel into a pyrolysis gas and into a solid pyrolysis residue, known as coke, and a combustion zone (3), which is distinct from the pyrolysis zone (2), for burning the pyrolysis gas and having combustion elements (31, 32, 33). The device also includes elements for circulating pyrolysis gas from the pyrolysis zone (2) to the combustion zone (3), which is surrounded by the pyrolysis zone (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: S3D
    Inventors: Li Chen, Anthony Kerihuel, Luc Gerun
  • Patent number: 9073806
    Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a fluid catalytic cracking system. The system can include a reaction zone, in turn including a reactor receiving, a fluidizing stream, a fuel gas stream, a fluidizable catalyst, a stream having an effective amount of oxygen for combusting the fuel gas stream, and a feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Robert L. Mehlberg
  • Patent number: 9056297
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cracking a hydrocarbon feed containing resid, comprising: heating a hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid; passing said heated hydrocarbon feedstock to a vapor/liquid separator; flashing said heated hydrocarbon feedstock in said vapor/liquid separator to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase containing said resid; passing at least a portion of said resid-containing liquid phase from said vapor/liquid separator to a thermal conversion reactor operating at 649° C. or more, wherein the thermal conversion reactor contains coke particles; and converting at least a portion of said resid into olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: S. Mark Davis, Larry L. Iaccino, Richard C. Stell, Steven E. Silverberg, Jiunn-Shyan Liou, Howard Freund
  • Publication number: 20150123039
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary disc device (1) in a rotary fluidised bed, the outer edge of said disc rotating inside, and faster than, the fluidised bed, thereby allowing: the rotation speed of the fluidised bed to be accelerated, solid particles and/or micro-droplets to be supplied to the fluidised bed or to the free central area, and different annular areas of the fluidised bed to be separated. The invention also relates to methods for transforming solid particles or micro-droplets on contact with the fluids flowing through the rotary fluidised bed or for transforming fluids on contact with solids in suspension in the rotary fluidised bed, using said device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: Axel De Broqueville
  • Patent number: 9005428
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feedstock that utilizes a short residence pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that cracks and chemically upgrades the feedstock. The process of the present invention provides for the preparation of a partially upgraded feedstock exhibiting reduced viscosity and increased API gravity. This process selectively removes metals, salts, water and nitrogen from the feedstock, while at the same time maximizes the yield of the liquid product, and minimizes coke and gas production. Furthermore, this process reduces the viscosity of the feedstock in order to permit pipeline transport, if desired, of the upgraded feedstock with little or no addition of diluents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ivanhoe HTL Petroleum Ltd.
    Inventors: Barry Freel, Robert G. Graham
  • Patent number: 8658025
    Abstract: Biomass is used as a co-feed for a heavy petroleum oil coking process to improve the operation of the coking process and to utilize biomaterial for the production of transportation fuels. The coking process may be a delayed coking process or a fluidized bed coking process and in each case, the presence of the biomass will decrease the coke drying time so reducing coke handling problems in the unit besides forming a superior coke product. In the case of a fluidized bed coking process using a gasifier for the coke, the addition of an alkali metal salt improves the operation of the gasifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Michael Siskin, Glen E. Phillips, Simon R. Kelemen, Walter Weissman
  • Publication number: 20130231238
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a refractory material, said material comprising: (i) at least 20 wt. % of a first grain mode stabilized zirconia based upon the total weight of said material, said first grain mode having a D50 grain size in the range of from 5 to 2000 ?m, said stabilized zirconia including a matrix oxide stabilizer; (ii) at least 1 wt. % of a second grain mode having a D50 grain size in the range of from 0.01 ?m up to not greater than one-fourth the D50 grain size of said first grain mode zirconia, based upon the total weight of said material; and (iii) at least 1 wt. % of a preservative component within at least one of said first grain mode stabilized zirconia, said second grain mode stabilized zirconia, and an optional another grain mode; wherein after sintering, said material has porosity at 20° C. in the range of from 5 to 45 vol %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: ChangMin CHUN, Frank Hershkowitz
  • Patent number: 8435452
    Abstract: A circulating fluid bed reactor such as that used in fluid coking processes has a circular dense bed reaction section above the reactor base where the fluidizing gas is injected and a plurality of frusto-conical baffles in the dense bed reaction section, each of which depends downwardly and radially inwards from the reactor wall to a lower, inner edge defining a central aperture. The baffles are preferably provided with downcomers which permit downward flow of solids and upward flow of gas through the baffles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: John T. Wyatt, Jr., E. Nicholas Jones, Alvin U. Chen, Clay R. Sutton, Timothy M. Healy, Ronald Suryo, Len Lampert, Jonathan Miller
  • Patent number: 8377287
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy petroleum oils of high viscosity and low API gravity that are typically not suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents. The method comprises introducing a particulate heat carrier into an up-flow reactor, introducing the feedstock at a location above the entry of the particulate heat carrier, allowing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock to interact with the heat carrier for a short time, separating the vapors of the product stream from the particulate heat carrier and liquid and byproduct solid matter, collecting a gaseous and liquid product mixture comprising a mixture of a light fraction and a heavy fraction from the product stream, and using a vacuum tower to separate the light fraction as a substantially bottomless product and the heavy fraction from the product mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ivanhoe Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Graham, Barry Freel
  • Patent number: 8361311
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cracking a hydrocarbon feed containing resid, comprising: heating a hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid; passing said heated hydrocarbon feedstock to a vapor/liquid separator; flashing said heated hydrocarbon feedstock in said vapor/liquid separator to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase containing said resid; passing at least a portion of said resid-containing liquid phase from said vapor/liquid separator to a thermal conversion reactor operating at 649° C. or more, wherein the thermal conversion reactor contains coke particles; and converting at least a portion of said resid into olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: S. Mark Davis, Larry Lee Iaccino, Richard C. Stell, Steven E. Silverberg, Jiunn-Shyan Liou, Howard Freund
  • Patent number: 8183423
    Abstract: This invention is about a cracking technology of waste rubber, and the content of this technology is as following: the rubber mass with the catalyst were added in the cracking chamber and the cracking process of the raw material is finished. The main contents and weight percentage of catalyzer are as following: the aluminosilicate is from 35 to 50, the active alumina is from 15 to 30, the zinc oxide is from 10 to 20, the active argil is from 5 to 15, the kaoline is from 5 to 15, the weight ratio of catalyst and rubber is 2-7:1000; The cracking temperature is from 350 to 450° C. The rubber mass crack comparative downright in low temperature by using this combinatorial catalyst, that's because the temperature is controlled between 350 and 450° C., which commendably control the cracking process of the carbon chain of rubber. Moreover, more low carbon chain products can be gained for the symmetrical cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Inventor: Bin Niu
  • Patent number: 8101066
    Abstract: An improved fluidized coking process wherein an effective amount of a basic material, preferably an alkali or alkaline-earth metal-containing compound, is added to the coking zone to mitigate agglomeration of the coke during the coking of a heavy hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to produce lower boiling products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Michael Siskin, Simon R. Kelemen, Christopher P. Eppig
  • Patent number: 8062503
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feedstock that utilizes a short residence pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that cracks and chemically upgrades the feedstock. The process of the present invention provides for the preparation of a partially upgraded feedstock exhibiting reduced viscosity and increased API gravity. This process selectively removes metals, salts, water and nitrogen from the feedstock, while at the same time maximizes the yield of the liquid product, and minimizes coke and gas production. Furthermore, this process reduces the viscosity of the feedstock in order to permit pipeline transport, if desired, of the upgraded feedstock with little or no addition of diluents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ivanhoe Energy Inc.
    Inventors: Barry Freel, Robert G. Graham
  • Patent number: 8057641
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for effective pyrolysis of a biomass utilizing rapid heat transfer from a solid heat carrier or catalyst. Particularly, various embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatuses which incorporate progressive temperature quenching and rapid disengagement of the heat carrier material and reaction product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Kior Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Bartek, Ronald Lee Cordle
  • Patent number: 7824540
    Abstract: Process for upgrading a liquid hydrocarbon feed comprising the steps of (a) preparing a slurry comprising the hydrocarbon feed having a boiling range above 350° C. and solid particles comprising a rehydratable material, (b) thermally treating said slurry at a temperature in the range of 250 to 550° C., (c) optionally separating the thermally treated slurry into (I) a lower boiling fraction and (ii) a higher boiling fraction containing the solid particles and formed coke, if any, and (d) separating the solid particles and formed coke, if any, from the thermally treated slurry resulting from step b) or the higher boiling fraction of step c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Paul O'Connor, Erik Jeroen Laheij, Dennis Stamires, Michael F. Brady, Francisco René Mas Cabre, Oscar René Chamberlain Pravia, Henrique Soares Cerqueira, Fabió Lopes De Azevedo
  • Patent number: 7820034
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for partially upgraded heavy oil diluent production. A crude heavy oil and/or bitumen feed is supplied to an FCC unit having a low activity catalyst and low conversion number. A distillate fraction is supplied for use as diluent to end users. The distillate fraction and FCC unit gas oil products can be supplied to a hydrotreater for upgrading and collected as a synthetic crude product stream. An asphaltene fraction can be supplied to a gasifier for the recovery of power, steam and hydrogen, which can be supplied to the hydrotreater or otherwise within the process or exported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Kellogg Brown & Root LLC
    Inventor: Gerard Bruha
  • Patent number: 7744753
    Abstract: A process for upgrading unconventional or heavy oils such as, tar sands, shale oil, or bitumen. This process may include a coking scheme in which oil-containing solids, of suitable size, are fed directly into the riser of an FCC unit. Contacting a hot stream of solids causes vaporization and produces a gaseous product stream. The gaseous product may be separated out in a separating vessel and coked or unconverted oil-containing solids may be transferred to a gasifier for combustion at high temperatures to remove the coke and residual oil. Syngas from the gasifier may be converted to hydrogen using a water gas shift reaction. The hydrogen may be used for hydroprocessing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Gavin P. Towler
  • Publication number: 20090288991
    Abstract: An asphalt mastic is prepared by combining spent activated carbon, that has not been regenerated, with liquid asphalt to achieve a composition that is useful for a variety of applications for which asphalt is used, including aggregate compositions and roofing materials. The activated carbon can also serve as a foaming initiator for the production of foamed asphalt. Still further, the activated carbon can be used as coking unit feedstock and as a quencher for a delayed coking unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: Stanley E. Ellis
    Inventors: John E. Partanen, Stanley W. Ellis, Travis F. Ellis
  • Patent number: 7576136
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for producing an emulsified aqueous hydrocarbon solution comprising, providing a liquid hydrocarbon stream at a particular temperature and a separate water stream, mixing the water stream with a surfactant at a predetermined ratio, raising the pressure of the hydrocarbon stream to a pressure greater than the vapor pressure of steam at the temperature, spraying the water into the hydrocarbon stream at a pressure greater than that of the hydrocarbon stream in a pre-mix chamber; and passing the pressurized hydrocarbon-water mixture through a static mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: GE Betz, Inc.
    Inventors: Wiley L. Parker, Alan E. Goliaszewski, Collin W. Cross
  • Patent number: 7572362
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy petroleum oils of high viscosity and low API gravity that are typically not suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents. It utilizes a short residence-time pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that result in a rapid pyrolytic distillation with coke formation. Both physical and chemical changes taking place lead to an overall molecular weight reduction in the liquid product and rejection of certain components with the byproduct coke. The liquid product is upgraded primarily because of its substantially reduced viscosity, increased API gravity, and the content of middle and light distillate fractions. While maximizing the overall liquid yield, the improvements in viscosity and API gravity can render the liquid product suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Ivanhoe Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry Freel, Jerry F. Kriz, Doug Clarke
  • Patent number: 7572365
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy petroleum oils of high viscosity and low API gravity that are typically not suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents. It utilizes a short residence-time pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that result in a rapid pyrolytic distillation with coke formation. Both physical and chemical changes taking place lead to an overall molecular weight reduction in the liquid product and rejection of certain components with the byproduct coke. The liquid product is upgraded primarily because of its substantially reduced viscosity, increased API gravity, and the content of middle and light distillate fractions. While maximizing the overall liquid yield, the improvements in viscosity and API gravity can render the liquid product suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Ivanhoe Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry Freel, Jerry F. Kriz, Doug Clarke
  • Patent number: 7419585
    Abstract: A process for upgrading a residua feedstock using a short vapor contact time thermal process unit comprised of a horizontal moving bed of fluidized hot particles. The residua feedstock is preferably atomized so that the Sauter mean diameter of the residua feedstock entering the reactor is less than about 2500 ?m. One or more horizontally disposed screws is preferably used to fluidize a bed of hot particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Peter S. Maa, Craig Y. Sabottke
  • Patent number: 7368052
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for discharging and transferring upwardly fluidized particles from a dense fluidizing layer forming section to a high-velocity transferring section having a diameter which is smaller than that of the dense fluidizing fluidized layer forming section, wherein at least one intermediate cylindrical section is provided between the dense fluidizing fluidized layer forming section and the high-velocity transferring section. The process can decrease the degree of changes in the amount of particles to be discharged from the dense fluidizing layer forming section and transferred by the riser, thereby proving a stable and uniform transfer of the fluidized particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Nippon Mitsubishi Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Yoneichi Ikeda, Yuichiro Fujiyama
  • Patent number: 7160437
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the source of fouling in petroleum thermal conversion process units. More particularly, the invention distinguishes whether fouling occurs due to feed entrainment of small feed droplets or vapor phase condensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Leo D. Brown, Peter S. Maa, William N. Olmstead, Michael Siskin
  • Patent number: 7112311
    Abstract: A cooling method of a hydrotreating plant having a desulfurization section (1) including a furnace (12) for heating liquid to be processed, reactors (14, 15) for hydrotreating sulfur to generate hydrogen sulfide, a hydrogen sulfide absorber (19) for absorbing the hydrogen sulfide generated in the reactors (14, 15), and a compressor (21) for compressing and transferring fluid from the hydrogen sulfide absorber (19) toward the reactors (14, 15), the cooling method comprising the steps of gradually depressurizing the hydrotreating plant at the desulfurization section (1) to a pressure level at which reactor material does not embrittle and gas does not leak due to difference of mechanical thermal expansion in the plant after stopping supply of the liquid to be processed, operating the compressor (21) approximately at the maximum rotation number, and completely extinguishing burners (12A, 12B) in the furnace (12) during plant shutdown operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignees: Nippon Petroleum Refining Co., Ltd., Softard Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yoshizumi, Hidekatsu Honda, Masayuki Shoji, Toshihiko Nasu, Katsuhiko Kawakami, Junichi Takano
  • Patent number: 7033486
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for increasing the capacity for processing residua and obtaining higher yields of liquids having an average boiling point equal to or less than about 510° C. A residual feedstock is introduced with recycled product asphaltenes into a short vapor contact time thermal process unit wherein the vaporized product is sent to a fractionator zone to produce a 510° C.? fraction and a 510° C.+ fraction. The 510° C.+ fraction is sent to a solvent extraction zone to produce an asphaltene-rich fraction that is recycled to the short vapor contact time thermal process unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Martin L. Gorbaty, Michael Siskin, Mitchell Jacobson
  • Patent number: 6989082
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing a bottom cover on a coke drum. A support structure supports at least the coke drum. A vertical actuator has a cover end attached to the bottom cover and a support end attached to the support structure, and is arranged to move the bottom cover vertically in a removal operation of the bottom cover. A rotating actuator has a cover end attached to the bottom cover and a support end attached to the support structure, and is arranged to rotate the bottom cover in a removal operation. A frame assembly having opposing ends is provided, a pivoting end being attached to the bottom cover and a sliding end being slidably mounted. The frame assembly, the vertical actuator and the rotating actuator cooperate to remove the bottom cover in a removal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Foster Wheeler USA Corporation
    Inventors: Allen S. Malsbury, Ronald T. Myszka, Mark Y. Chen, Scott P. Slingerland
  • Patent number: 6808602
    Abstract: A coke drum bottom head removal system and method for deheading the bottom head cover of a coke drum comprises a carriage that is positionable beneath the bottom head cover, and a cart mounted to the carriage. Several clamps vertically mounted to the cart are positionable in a closed position, in which the clamps apply a compressive force that maintains substantially fluid tight engagement between the bottom head cover and bottom head flange, and an opened position, in which the clamps allow a limited spacing between the bottom head cover and the bottom head flange. A plurality of supports mounted to the cart support the bottom head cover once the fasteners coupling the bottom head cover to the bottom head flange are removed and the clamps are in the opened position. The system can be remotely operated to enhance operator safety when the bottom head cover is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Sergio Gustavo Schonfeld, Kenneth Allan Larson, Rodney Karl Hogan
  • Patent number: 6783662
    Abstract: A cavitation enhanced atomizing process comprises forming a flowing solution of the liquid to be atomized and a lower boiling cavitating liquid. This flowing solution is then contacted with a pressure reducing means, at a temperature below the bubble point of the cavitating liquid in the solution, to produce cavitation bubbles. These bubbles comprise cavitation liquid vapor and the bubble nucleation produces a two-phase fluid of the bubbles and liquid solution. The two-phase fluid is passed downstream into and through an atomizing means, such as an orifice, and into a lower pressure atomizing zone, in which the bubbles vaporize to form a spray of liquid droplets. The nucleated bubbles also grow in size as the so-formed two-phase fluid passes downstream to and through the atomizing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Dean C. Draemel, Nicholas C. Nahas, Teh C. Ho
  • Publication number: 20040108251
    Abstract: A method for processing carbonaceous material in a reactor. Carbonaceous material, such as sawdust, plant residues from forestry or agricultural processes, municipal solid waste and refuse derived fuel, is fed into the riser section (10) of a reactor (10-15) in which it is contacted with inorganic particulate material and reactor walls at an elevated temperature essentially in the absence of oxygen in order to convert the carbonaceous material at least mainly into gaseous processed products, whereby a gas phase is obtained, containing fluidization gas and processed products. According to the invention a dense suspension is formed into the riser space (10) of the reactor, containing based on the particle number 7×108 to 3×1011 particles/m3 (about 2×107-1×1010 particles/ft3), and the mass ratio between the particulate matter bringing heat into the reactor and the carbonaceous material is in the range of 1:1 to 10:1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventors: Steven Gust, Jukka-Pekka Nieminen, Jyrki Hiltunen, Pekka Knuuttila, Marko Fabritius, Pekka Jokela, Jatta Partanen
  • Patent number: 6746596
    Abstract: The process has to do with a circuit involving a fluidized bed coker reactor working in tandem with a fluidized bed coke burner. The burner is operated at a reduced temperature in the range 550° C.-630° C. Simultaneously, the coke circulation rate is increased to ensure the heat requirement of the reactor is met. It is found that sulphur emissions from the burner are significantly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignees: AEC Oil Sands, L.P., AEC Oil Sands Limited Partnership, Athabasca Oil Sands Investment Inc., Nexen Inc., Canadian Oil Sands Investments Inc., Gulf Canada Resources Limited, Imperial Oil Resources, Mocal Energy Limited, Murphy Oil Company Ltd., Petro-Canada
    Inventors: Keng H. Chung, Edward Furimsky
  • Patent number: 6743280
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for separating entrained particles from a gas in a fluidised bed reactor system and fluidised bed reactor system including a particle separator for separating entrained particles from a gas. The particles are separated from the gas flowing in a direction other than the main gas flow direction, whereby the separation is multidimensional. The gas is allowed to pass from the outside of the configuration to the inside thereof and/or vice versa, wherein the particles are separated from the gas during such a travel. The gas flow can be multileveled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: TPS Termiska Processer AB
    Inventors: Lennart Ahlgren, Erik Rensfelt