Soaking Patents (Class 208/131)
  • Publication number: 20130199967
    Abstract: The invention relates to a coking drum, especially for petroleum coke production, which has an approximately cylindrical basic body and also at least one inlet opening and outlet opening, a shut-off valve (1, 1?) being arranged at the outlet opening and/or inlet opening. The coking drum is characterized in that there is provided, at approximately the same height as the shut-off valve (1, 1?), at least one input opening (19, 19?) for feeding residual materials, especially from a vacuum distillation process upstream of the coking, into the coking drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Z & J Technologies GmbH
    Inventor: Z & J Technologies GmbH
  • Patent number: 8496805
    Abstract: Petroleum cokes derived from extra-heavy crude sources can be made more amenable to quenching by adding water or a water/light oil mixture to the coker feed downstream of the furnace. The coke product resulting from this addition of normally volatile liquids to the hot coker feed is still relatively dense but is more friable and usually is in a compact, relatively free-flowing, granular form. The coke is more amenable to uniform quenching in the drum and so can be cut and discharged with a reduced risk of eruptions and a reduced risk of fires in the coke pit or when the coke is subsequently handled and transported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Craig Y. Sabottke, Fritz A. Bernatz, Eric W. Fryatt, Christopher P. Eppig, Jordan K. Lambert
  • Patent number: 8491779
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the pretreatment of heavy oils using a catalytic hydrotreating process prior to introduction to a refinery. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of an HDM reactor and an HDS reactor in order to improve the characteristics of the heavy oil, such that when the oil is introduced into the refinery, the refinery can achieve improved throughputs, increased catalysts life, increased life cycles, and a reduction in overall operation costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Raheel Shafi, Esam Z. Hamad, Stephane Cyrille Kressmann, Julio Hasselmeyer Moses
  • Publication number: 20130153466
    Abstract: Coke drum assembly is provided with a vessel having a body portion defining an interior, a central axis, and having a lower portion including a sidewall, and at least one feed inlet coupled with the lower portion in fluid communication with the interior of the vessel. The at least one feed inlet is directed toward the central axis of the vessel, and angled upwardly at a feed inlet angle relative to the central axis. At a location opposite the feed inlet, the side wall of the lower portion is angled upwardly at an opposing wall angle relative to the central axis, wherein the feed inlet angle is less than or equal to the opposing wall angle. Method also is provided for delayed coking using the coke drum assembly disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventor: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
  • Patent number: 8445547
    Abstract: Liquefied petroleum coke (LPC) comprises diesel engine fuel grade petroleum coke that is produced by subjecting crude oil refinery feedstock to de-salting, coking, micronization, de-ashing, and slurrification processes to reduce impurities such as metallic components and make the LPC suitable for use in internal combustion engines, such as diesel engine systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Inventors: Alfred Jorgensen, Roger J. Swenson
  • Patent number: 8419931
    Abstract: The current invention provides an improved petroleum coking process wherein the risk of silicone poisoning of units downstream of the coke drums is eliminated. The method of the current invention controls the foam layer within the coke drum by injection of a non-silicone anti-foam agent, preferably a tire oil. In another embodiment, the current invention provides a controlled foaming method which increases the liquid production from the coke drum. In the controlled foaming method, an anti-foam agent is cyclically injected into the drum early in the coke drum fill cycle. The cyclic injections manage the foam layer without inducing the induction phase in the coke feedstock, thereby increasing the total volume of feedstock received by the coke drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: The University of Tulsa
    Inventor: Michael Volk, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8420875
    Abstract: The conversion of waste plastics material to hydrocarbon fuel products, particularly transportation fuels. The waste plastics material can be obtained from any suitable source, such as a municipal solid waste facility and from agricultural and horticultural activity. The plastics material feed, which can contain from about 10 to about 50 wt. % dirt, is reduced to an effective size, then dried, if needed, to a moisture level of 2 wt. % and less, then screened to removed dirt, then densified into nuggets of at least about 10 lb/ft3, then pyrolyzed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Rational Energies, LLC
    Inventors: Ian Mackay, Karl Greden
  • Patent number: 8394257
    Abstract: A reactor process added to a coking process to modify the quantity or yield of a coking process product and/or modify certain characteristics or properties of coking process products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Inventor: Roger G. Etter
  • Patent number: 8372265
    Abstract: Undesirable gas oil components are selectively cracked or coked in a coking vessel by injecting an additive into the vapors of traditional coking processes in the coking vessel prior to fractionation. The additive contains catalyst(s), seeding agent(s), excess reactant(s), quenching agent(s), carrier(s), or any combination thereof to modify reaction kinetics to preferentially crack or coke these undesirable components that typically have a high propensity to coke. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also provide methods to control the (1) coke crystalline structure and (2) the quantity and quality of volatile combustible materials (VCMs) in the resulting coke. That is, by varying the quantity and quality of the catalyst, seeding agent, and/or excess reactant the process may affect the quality and quantity of the coke produced, particularly with respect to the crystalline structure (or morphology) of the coke and the quantity & quality of the VCMs in the coke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Inventor: Roger G. Etter
  • Patent number: 8372264
    Abstract: Heavy gas oil components, coking process recycle, and heavier hydrocarbons in the delayed coking process are cracked in the coking vessel by injecting a catalytic additive into the vapors above the gas/liquid-solid interface in the coke drum during the coking cycle. The additive comprises cracking catalyst(s) and quenching agent(s), alone or in combination with seeding agent(s), excess reactant(s), carrier fluid(s), or any combination thereof to modify reaction kinetics to preferentially crack these components. The quenching effect of the additive can be effectively used to condense the highest boiling point compounds of the traditional recycle onto the catalyst(s), thereby focusing the catalyst exposure to these target reactants. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can also provide methods to (1) reduce coke production, (2) reduce fuel gas production, and (3) increase liquids production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Inventor: Roger G. Etter
  • Patent number: 8361310
    Abstract: Gas oil components, coking process recycle, and heavier hydrocarbons are cracked or coked in the coking vessel by injecting an additive into the vapors of traditional coking processes in the coking vessel. The additive contains catalyst(s), seeding agent(s), excess reactant(s), quenching agent(s), carrier(s), or any combination thereof to modify reaction kinetics to preferentially crack or coke these components. Modifications of the catalysts in the additive improve performance for certain desired outcomes. One exemplary embodiment of the present invention uses the olefin production capabilities from newly developed catalysts to increase the production of light olefins (e.g. ethylene, propylenes, butylenes, pentenes) for alkylation process unit feed, the production of oxygenates, and petrochemical feedstocks, such as plastics manufacture. Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is the use of the olefin production from newly developed catalysts to improve the coker naphtha quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Inventors: Roger G. Etter, Augusto Quinones
  • Patent number: 8349169
    Abstract: A control system for performing a global-decoke of a tube furnace comprising a plurality of passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Inventor: Leslie D. Osborne, III
  • Publication number: 20120285862
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for improving the production of coke having a high volatile combustible material content are disclosed. The process may include, for example: heating a coker feedstock to a coking temperature to produce a heated coker feedstock; contacting the heated coker feedstock with a quench medium to reduce a temperature of the heated coker feedstock and produce a quenched feedstock; feeding the quenched feedstock to a coking drum; subjecting the quenched feedstock to thermal cracking in the coking drum to (a) crack a portion of the quenched feedstock to produce a cracked vapor product, and (b) produce a coke product having a volatile combustible material (VCM) concentration in the range from about 13% to about 50% by weight, as measured by ASTM D3175.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Ahmad Faegh, John C. Collins, Virendra Manral, Gary Reisen
  • Patent number: 8206574
    Abstract: A reactor process added to a coking process to modify the quantity or yield of a coking process product and/or modify certain characteristics or properties of coking process products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Inventor: Roger G. Etter
  • Patent number: 8197668
    Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for upgrading steam cracker tars from steam crackers. The invention also relates to a steam cracking process and apparatus for reducing yields of tars produced from steam cracking while increasing yields of higher value products by heating steam cracker tar, in the presence of hydrogen donor compounds, e.g., tetralin. The hydrogen donor compounds can be provided in a hydrogen donor-rich hydrocarbon stream, e.g., light cycle oils, or low sulfur vacuum tower bottoms. The treated tar can be separated into gas oil, fuel oil and tar streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Y. Ou, Glenn A. Heeter, Paul F. Keusenkothen, James N. McCoy, Judith Hey, legal representative
  • Patent number: 8177964
    Abstract: A process of delayed coking with modified feedstock is described maximising the volume of diesel oil and minimising the volume of coke produced by means of feedstock which comprises, in a first embodiment of the invention: the bottom product (8) of the vacuum distillation tower (6), known in the prior art as vacuum residuum, and a fraction (7?) of heavy vacuum gas oil (7) obtained in the aforesaid vacuum distillation. In a second embodiment of the present invention the bottom residuum (5) proceeding from the atmospheric distillation tower (2), known in the prior art as atmospheric residuum, is employed as feedstock of a Delayed Coking Unit (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.—Petrobras
    Inventors: Gloria Maria Gomes Soares, Natalie Jorge Goncalves, Francisco Carlos Da Costa Barros, Sergio Cunha De Lucena, Aline Voigt Nadolni, Sergio Nunes Da Costa
  • Patent number: 8168061
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the selective conversion of vacuum gas oil. The vacuum gas oil is treated in a two step process. The first is thermal conversion and the second is catalytic cracking of the products of thermal conversion. The product slate can be varied by changing the conditions in the thermal and catalytic cracking steps as well as by changing the catalyst in the cracking step. The combined products from thermal and catalytic cracking are separated in a divided wall fractionator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Martin L. Gorbaty, Bruce R. Cook, David T. Ferrughelli, Jason B. English, Steven S. Lowenthal
  • Patent number: 8163168
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the selective conversion of hydrocarbon feed having a Conradson Carbon Residue content of 0 to 6 wt %, based on the hydrocarbon feed. The hydrocarbon feed is treated in a two-step process. The first is thermal conversion and the second is catalytic cracking of the products of the thermal conversion. The present invention results in a process for increasing the distillate production from a hydrocarbon feedstream for a fluid catalytic cracking unit. The resulting product slate from the present invention can be further varied by changing the conditions in the thermal and catalytic cracking steps as well as by changing the catalyst in the cracking step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Martin L. Gorbaty, Bruce R. Cook, David T. Ferrughelli, Jason B. English, Steven S. Lowenthal
  • Patent number: 8147676
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved delayed coking process. A coker feed, such as a vacuum resid, is treated with (i) a metal-containing agent and (ii) an oxidizing agent. The feed is treated with the oxidizing agent at an oxidizing temperature. The oxidized feed is then pre-heated to coking temperatures and conducted to a coking vessel for a coking time to allow volatiles to evolve and to produce a substantially free-flowing coke. A metals-containing composition is added to the feed at at least one of the following points in the process: prior to the heating of the feed to coking temperatures, during such heating, and/or after such heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Michael Siskin, David T. Ferrughelli, Martin L. Gorbaty, Simon R. Kelemen, Leo D. Brown
  • Patent number: 8105479
    Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for the present invention relates to a process for upgrading tar-containing effluent from a steam cracker furnace that comprises: a) contacting a steam cracker tar-containing effluent with steam and for a time, sufficient to convert at least a portion of the steam cracker tar to a mixture comprising lower boiling molecules and the steam cracker tar-containing effluent; and b) separating the mixture from step a) into i) at least one tar-lean product; and ii) a tar-rich product having a final boiling above the final boiling point of the at least one tar-lean product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Y. Ou, Glenn A. Heeter
  • Patent number: 7976695
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for possibly producing pipeline-ready heavy oil from substantially non-pumpable oil feeds. The methods and apparatus may be designed to produce such pipeline-ready heavy oils in the production field. Such methods and apparatus may involve thermal soaking of liquid hydrocarbonaceous inputs in thermal environments (2) to generate, though chemical reaction, an increased distillate amount as compared with conventional boiling technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: University of Wyoming Research Corporation
    Inventor: Lee E. Brecher
  • Patent number: 7964173
    Abstract: The present invention provides feedstock compositions for use of the production of an activated carbon for electric double layer capacitor electrodes or the production of needle coke, comprising a first heavy oil with an initial boiling point of 300° C. or higher, an asphalten content of 12 percent by mass or less, a saturate content of 50 percent by mass or more and a sulfur content of 0.3 percent by mass or less, produced as a residue resulting from vacuum-distillation of a petroleum-based oil and a second heavy oil with an initial boiling point of 150° C. or higher and a sulfur content of 0.5 percent by mass or less, produced by subjecting a hydrocarbon oil to fluidized catalytic cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignees: Nippon Oil Corporation, Nippon Petroleum Refining Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Oyama, Kazuhisa Nakanishi, Tamotsu Tano, Keiji Higashi, Ippei Fujinaga, Hiromitsu Hashisaka, Kiwamu Takeshita, Masaki Fujii, Hideki Ono
  • Patent number: 7959888
    Abstract: The present invention provides a raw coke having such a structure that the graphitized product resulting from graphitization of the raw coke at a temperature of 2800° C. under an inactive gas atmosphere will have ratios of the crystallite size to the lattice constant of 360 or less in the (002) plane and 1500 or less in the (110) plane, as a raw coke providing active carbon produced by alkali-activating the raw coke, which is reduced in remaining alkali content and can simplify washing operation because washing liquid can easily pass through the activated carbon, or as a raw coke for the production of needle coke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignees: Nippon Oil Corporation, Nippon Petroleum Refining Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Oyama, Kazuhisa Nakanishi, Tamotsu Tano, Keiji Higashi, Ippei Fujinaga, Hiromitsu Hashisaka, Toshitaka Fujii, Takashi Noro, Akio Sakamoto, Kiwamu Takeshita, Keizou Ikai, Masaki Fujii, Hideki Ono
  • Patent number: 7922896
    Abstract: A method for reducing furnace fouling in a delayed coking process comprising (a) supplying at least one feed to a delayed coking unit comprised of coker furnace, at least two coke drums and a coker fractionator, (b) increasing the aromaticity of the feed to produce a modified stream by combining with the feed upstream of the coker furnace at least one added stream selected from the group consisting of an aromatic gas oil, a hydrotreated aromatic gas oil and combinations thereof, (c) introducing the modified feed stream into the coker furnace, d) heating the modified feed stream to a coking temperature in the coker furnace to produce a heated modified stream, and e) transferring the heated modified stream from the coker furnace to a coke drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Bruce A. Newman, Keith D. Alexander, Gary C. Hughes, James R. Roth
  • Patent number: 7914668
    Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal conversion process for continuously producing hydrocarbon vapor and continuously removing a free-flowing coke. The coke, such as a shot coke, can be withdrawn continuously via, e.g., a staged lock hopper system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company
    Inventors: Michael Siskin, Christopher P. Eppig, Glen E. Phillips, Te-Hung Chen, Charles J. Mart
  • Patent number: 7905990
    Abstract: A rapid thermal conversion process for efficiently converting wood, other biomass materials, and other carbonaceous feedstock (including hydrocarbons) into high yields of valuable liquid product, e.g., bio-oil, on a large scale production. Biomass material, e.g., wood, is feed to a conversion system where the biomass material is mixed with an upward stream of hot heat carriers, e.g., sand, that thermally convert the biomass into a hot vapor stream. The hot vapor stream is rapidly quenched with quench media in one or more condensing chambers located downstream of the conversion system. The rapid quenching condenses the vapor stream into liquid product, which is collected from the condensing chambers as a valuable liquid product. The liquid product may itself be used as the quench media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Ensyn Renewables, Inc.
    Inventor: Barry Freel
  • Patent number: 7871510
    Abstract: This invention relates to a high-pressure ultrafiltration process to produce an improved coker feed for producing a substantially free-flowing coke, preferably free-flowing shot coke from an atmospheric and/or vacuum resid feedstock. The process of this invention utilizes a high-pressure ultrafiltration process to produce an intermediate product stream with improved the Conradson Carbon Residue (CCR) content which is utilized in either an improved delayed coking or a fluid coking process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Daniel P. Leta, Leo D. Brown, Michael Siskin
  • Patent number: 7871511
    Abstract: A method for altering coke morphology in a delayed coking process of heavy oil is provided. An effective amount of one or more oil dispersible or oil soluble polynuclear aromatic compounds, or functionalized lignin, is added or contacted with the resid or heavy oil at a point before or after the step of heating the heavy oil to coking temperatures. The addition of additives facilitates the formation of shot coke and inhibits the formation of sponge coke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Michael Siskin, Leo D. Brown
  • Publication number: 20110005968
    Abstract: This invention relates to coking process additives and, related processes, such as upgrading heavy hydrocarbons, producing petroleum coke and lighter hydrocarbon products, and/or thermally cracking heavy hydrocarbons. The additive includes an anionic clay to increase a liquid product yield. Suitable anionic clays may include hydrotalcite materials and hydrotalcite-like materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC.
    Inventors: Sudhakar Chakka, Bang Xu
  • Patent number: 7862707
    Abstract: A process for converting feedstock into liquid hydrocarbon fuel condensate includes the steps of providing an unconventional feedstock for producing liquid hydrocarbon fuel, providing a heated heat transfer medium flowing through at least one thermal reaction zone under substantially carbon rejection process conditions and placing the feedstock onto the heated heat transfer medium flow so that the feedstock substantially rides on the flow surface of the heated heat transfer medium without substantially any mixing of the feedstock with the heat transfer medium, vaporizing at least a portion of the feedstock to form vapours while the feedstock is in the thermal reaction zones by heat transfer to the feedstock from the heat transfer medium and condensing the vapours into a liquid hydrocarbon fuel condensate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Inventors: David Rendina, Edward G. Hauptmann
  • Publication number: 20100326880
    Abstract: This invention relates to a hydrocarbon conversion process additive and related processes, such as upgrading a heavy hydrocarbon material and making sponge coke. The hydrocarbon conversion process additive works with thermal processes, catalytic processes, or thermal-catalytic processes. The hydrocarbon process conversion additive includes lignin or macromolecular substructures of lignin like para-coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol, or sinapyl alcohol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC.
    Inventors: Sudhakar Chakka, Bang Xu
  • Patent number: 7846324
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for upgrading tar using a heat exchanger in series with a vapor/liquid separator to separate tar into a heavy tar asphaltenic material and a deasphalted tar material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Subramanian Annamalai, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Alok Srivastava, James N. McCoy
  • Patent number: 7828959
    Abstract: A delayed coking process and apparatus which greatly shorten the required duration of the alternating drum fill and decoking cycles and eliminate the need to perform drum quenching, draining, unheading, hydraulic decoking, reheading, pressure testing, and warming procedures in the decoking cycle. In the inventive system, the decoking cycle preferably comprises simply a steamout stage and a coke product draining procedure. The coke product produced in the coking drums is a hot, solid, flowable material from which heat can be recovered for preheating the coker feed and/or producing steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Inventor: Kazem Ganji
  • Patent number: 7803268
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a plant for producing low 15 temperature coke, in which granular coal and possibly further solids are heated to a temperature of 700 to 1050° C. in a fluidized-bed reactor (2) by means of an oxygen-containing gas. To improve the utilization of energy it is proposed to introduce a first gas or gas mixture from below through at least one gas supply tube (3) into a mixing chamber region (8) of the reactor (2), the gas supply tube (3) being at least partly surrounded by a stationary annular fluidized bed (6) which is fluidized by supplying fluidizing gas. The gas velocities of the first gas or gas mixture and of the fluidizing gas for the annular fluidized bed (6) are adjusted such that the Particle-Froude-Numbers in the gas supply tube (3) are between 1 and 100, in the annular fluidized bed (6) between 0.02 and 2 and in the 25 mixing chamber (8) between 0.3 and 30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventors: Andreas Orth, Martin Hirsch, Peter Weber
  • Patent number: 7803627
    Abstract: Process for evaluating the coke and/or bitumen yield and quality of a plurality of refinery feedstocks, by (i) providing a plurality of refinery feedstocks, (ii) placing a sample of each of the plurality of refinery feedstocks on a heating device, (iii) heating each sample under vacuum to a temperature in the range 300° C. to 420° C. using the respective heating device while measuring the weight loss of the sample, and then (iv) (a) measuring the bitumen quality of the vacuum residues formed, and/or (b)(i) heating the vacuum residues to a temperature in the range 450° C. to 600° C. using the heating device, while measuring the weight loss of the sample, and then (ii) measuring the coke quality of the products formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: BP Oil International Limited
    Inventor: Michael Graham Hodges
  • Patent number: 7794586
    Abstract: A method for upgrading the viscoelastic properties of a heavy oil by altering its elastic modulus. An effective amount of one or more elastic modulus lowering agents are used, wherein preferred elastic modulus lowering agents include mineral and organic acids and bases, preferably strong bases, such as hydroxides of metals selected from the alkali and alkaline-earth metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Michael Siskin
  • Patent number: 7794587
    Abstract: A method for altering coke morphology in a delayed coking process of heavy oil is provided. An effective amount of oil dispersible or oil soluble metal salts of aromatic sulfonic acids and/or polysulfonic acids is added or contacted with the resid or heavy oil at a point before or after the step of heating the heavy oil to coking temperatures. The addition of additives facilitates the formation of shot coke and inhibits the formation of sponge coke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Michael Siskin, Leo D. Brown, Cornelius H. Brons
  • Publication number: 20100215567
    Abstract: The amorphous carbon material for the negative electrode of a lithium ion secondary battery of the invention has a true density of 1.800-2.165 g/cm3, but has a true density of 2.255 g/cm3 or greater when subjected to graphitizing in an inert gas atmosphere at a temperature of 3000° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: NIPPON OIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio Sakamoto, Kiwamu Takeshita, Masaki Fujii, Tamotsu Tano, Takashi Oyama
  • Patent number: 7744743
    Abstract: A feedstream comprising tar is fed to a solvent deasphalter wherein it is contacted with a deasphalting solvent or fluid to produce a composition comprising a mixture or slurry of solvent containing a soluble portion of the tar, and a heavy tar fraction comprising the insoluble portion of the tar. These fractions may be separated in the deasphalter apparatus, such as by gravity settling wherein the heavy tar fraction is taken off as bottoms, and the solvent-soluble fraction taken as overflow or overheads with the solvent. The overflow or overheads is sent to a solvent recovery unit, such as a distillation apparatus, wherein solvent is recovered as overheads and a deasphalted tar fraction is taken off as a sidestream or bottoms. The solvent or a portion thereof, recovered as overheads, may be then be recycled to the solvent deasphalter, or in a preferred embodiment, at least a portion of the solvent is steam cracked to produce a product comprising light olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: James N. McCoy, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Alok Srivastava
  • Patent number: 7736470
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and mechanisms for laterally dispensing fluid to a coke drum in a predictable and maintainable manner that alleviates thermal stress. In one embodiment, the methods and mechanisms utilize a split piping system to dispense fluid through two or more inlets into a spool that is connected to a coke drum and a coke drum bottom deheader valve. A combination of block valves and clean out ports provides a more effective means to clean the lines and allows fluid to be laterally dispensed in a controllable and predictable manner. The fluid is preferably introduced to the spool in opposing directions toward a central vertical axis of the spool at equal but opposing angles ranging from minus thirty (?30) to thirty (30) degrees relative to a horizontal line laterally bisecting the spool. Alternatively, however, fluid can be introduced to the spool tangentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Te-Hung Chen, Christopher P. Eppig, Timothy M. Healy, Scott F. Massenzio, Robert W. Mosley, Rutton D. Patel
  • Patent number: 7727382
    Abstract: A method for producing and removing coke which has bulk morphology such that at least about 30 volume percent is free-flowing under the force of gravity or hydrostatic forces from a delayed coker drum. At the completion of the fill cycle, the coker drum, filled with hot coke, is cooled by steaming and then flooding it with water, thereby producing a coke/water mixture. The coke/water mixture is released from the coke drum through one or more drum closure/discharge throttling systems near the bottom of the coker drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Steven W. Sparks, Te-Hung Chen, Christopher P. Eppig, Michael Siskin
  • Patent number: 7714178
    Abstract: A method of producing high value products: kerosene including cosmetic kerosene, white oils, high value paraffin and purified liquid fuels, from polyolefin waste material and polyolefins, comprising (a) thermally or catalytically decomposing polyolefin waste material or polyolefins to yield vapor products; (b) condensing vapor products of thermal or catalytic decomposition of polyolefin waste material or polyolefins, to yield a first mixture; (c) catalytically hydrogenating said first mixture to reduce olefinic double bonds and acetylenic triple bonds to yield a second mixture; and (d) fractionally distilling said second mixture to yield one or more of the following: a kerosene fraction having a boiling range below 180° C., a cosmetic kerosene fraction having a boiling range of between 180 and 275° C., a white oil fraction having a boiling range of between 270 and 400° C., or a paraffin fraction having a boiling range above 400° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Clariter Poland SP. Z O.O.
    Inventors: Andrzej Bylicki, Edwin Kozlowski
  • Publication number: 20100108570
    Abstract: A system and method for removing oil from the surface of coke left in refinery coke drums before it is cut out is disclosed. The process does not add time to the coking cycle, nor involve the addition of major equipment. A solvent is added to the stripping steam. The solvent could be either a hydrocarbon fraction such as a coker distillate, a light gas oil or another fraction having an end point below 450° C. The solvent-enhanced stripping steam becomes a very effective oil extraction vapor when injected into the coke drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Cody W. Nath, Bruce R. Jensen
  • Publication number: 20100031908
    Abstract: Liquefied petroleum coke (LPC) comprises diesel engine fuel grade petroleum coke that is produced by subjecting crude oil refinery feedstock to de-salting, coking, micronization, de-ashing, and slurrification processes to reduce impurities such as metallic components and make the LPC suitable for use in internal combustion engines, such as diesel engine systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Alfred Jorgensen, Roger J. Swenson
  • Patent number: 7658838
    Abstract: A delayed coking process for making substantially free-flowing coke, preferably shot coke. A coker feedstock, such as a vacuum residuum, is heated in a heating zone to coking temperatures then conducted to a coking zone wherein volatiles are collected overhead and coke is formed. At least one polymeric additive is added to the feedstock prior to it being heated in the heating zone, prior to its being conducted to the coking zone, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Michael Siskin, Leo D. Brown
  • Patent number: 7645375
    Abstract: A delayed coking process for making substantially free-flowing coke, preferably shot coke. A coker feedstock, such as a vacuum residuum, is heated in a heating zone to coking temperatures then conducted to a coking zone wherein volatiles are collected overhead and coke is formed. A low molecular weight additive is added to the feedstock prior to it being heated in the heating zone, prior to its being conducted to the coking zone, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Michael Siskin, Leo D. Brown, Christopher P. Eppig, Cornelius H. Brons
  • Publication number: 20090314685
    Abstract: A process of delayed coking with modified feedstock is described maximising the volume of diesel oil and minimising the volume of coke produced by means of feedstock which comprises, in a first embodiment of the invention: the bottom product (8) of the vacuum distillation tower (6), known in the prior art as vacuum residuum, and a fraction (7?) of heavy vacuum gas oil (7) obtained in the aforesaid vacuum distillation. In a second embodiment of the present invention the bottom residuum (5) proceeding from the atmospheric distillation tower (2), known in the prior art as atmospheric residuum, is employed as feedstock of a Delayed Coking Unit (9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: PETROLEO BRASILEIRO S.A. - PETROBRAS
    Inventors: Gloria Maria Gomez Soares, Natalie Jorge Goncalves, Francisco Carlos Da Costa Barros, Sergio Cunha De Lucena, Aline Voigt Nadolni, Sergio Nunes Da Costa
  • Publication number: 20090283447
    Abstract: A method is provided for electro-gasification of pet-coke, including the steps of providing a pet-coke material; treating the pet-coke material to obtain a treated pet-coke material having an average particle size of between about 20 and about 106 ?m; and exposing the treated pet-coke material to electro-gasification conditions to produce synthesis gas and/or hydrogen. Extraction of metals from the pet-coke is facilitated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: INTEVEP, S.A.
    Inventors: Luis Felipe D'Elia, Alejandra Lopez, Gladys Noguera
  • Publication number: 20090266742
    Abstract: A method for reducing furnace fouling in a delayed coking process comprising (a) supplying at least one feed to a delayed coking unit comprised of coker furnace, at least two coke drums and a coker fractionator, (b) increasing the aromaticity of the feed to produce a modified stream by combining with the feed upstream of the coker furnace at least one added stream selected from the group consisting of an aromatic gas oil, a hydrotreated aromatic gas oil and combinations thereof, (c) introducing the modified feed stream into the coker furnace, d) heating the modified feed stream to a coking temperature in the coker furnace to produce a heated modified stream, and e) transferring the heated modified stream from the coker furnace to a coke drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Bruce A. Newman, Keith D. Alexander, Gary C. Hughes, James R. Roth
  • Patent number: 7604730
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for reducing coking on the metal walls of a reactor cracking hydrocarbons or other organic compounds and on the metal walls of a heat exchanger placed downstream of the cracking reactor, whereby the metal surfaces coming into contact with the organic substance to be cracked are pre-treated with a water vapor stream containing at least silicon and at least a sulphur compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Arkema France
    Inventors: Francis Humblot, Claude Brun, Harry M. Woerde, Paul F. Van Den Oosterkamp