Abstract: A modular crude oil refinery (MCOR) is designed for smaller scale deployment with a capacity to process in the range of 3,000-4,000 barrels of crude oil per day in a single production unit and with the potential to scale to over 100,000 barrels per day with linked production units. More specifically, a MCOR includes a low temperature, low pressure primary separation reactor, condensing system and recirculation systems operating in a closed loop configuration that enable the production of both heavy and light hydrocarbon products with substantially no emissions. The MCOR has the capability to receive and process crude-oil feedstocks of varying API gravity and be controlled to produce a variety of both heavy and light products including cleaner-burning bunker fuels, jet fuels, diesel fuels, gasoline fuels and asphalt binders.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for obtaining a fraction oil yield from petroleum hydrocarbons in a distillation column, wherein said distillation column comprises a fractionation stage, a vaporization section and a stripping stage from the top to the bottom of the distillation column. The method comprises preheating and sending a feedstock oil of petroleum hydrocarbons through a pressure-feeding system at a pressure of 100-1000 kPa higher than the vaporization section pressure of the distillation column, wherein said preheating is conducted in a heating furnace, wherein said heating furnace has an outlet pressure of 100-1000 kPa higher than the vaporization section absolute pressure, and an outlet temperature of 360-460° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (column) for bringing about a phase contact between a liquid phase and a gaseous phase, in particular a material exchange column, comprising: a shell, which extends along a longitudinal axis and bounds a shell space, at least a first circular tray, arranged in the shell space, for taking up the liquid phase, which extends crosswise to the longitudinal axis, whereby the at least one first tray has through openings for passage of a gaseous phase, so that the gaseous phase can come into phase contact with the liquid phase that is located on the at least one first tray. According to the invention, a large number of sealing weirs projecting from the first tray along the longitudinal axis are provided, which extend in each case along a radial direction of the at least one first tray, so that the first tray is divided into a corresponding plurality of sectors. In addition, the invention relates to an apparatus comprising such a device and a floatable carrier.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for separating evaporatable components from a heated fluid (2) are described. The heated fluid (2) is subdivided into two partial fluid streams (2t) of equal size, and the partial fluid streams (2t) are introduced in such a way at an angle of incidence (?) different from zero preferably relative to the horizontal reference plane that the partial fluid streams (2t) collide in such a way as to form a fluid bubble (2b).

Abstract: A process for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid comprising: heating the feedstock, mixing the heated feedstock with a fluid and/or a primary dilution steam stream to form a mixture, flashing the mixture to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase which collect as bottoms and removing the liquid phase, separating and cracking the vapor phase, and cooling the product effluent, wherein the bottoms are maintained under conditions to effect at least partial visbreaking. The visbroken bottoms may be steam stripped to recover the visbroken molecules while avoiding entrainment of the bottoms liquid. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.

Abstract: A process for decoking of a process that cracks hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid and coke precursors, wherein steam is added to the feedstock to form a mixture which is thereafter separated into a vapor phase and a liquid phase by flashing in a flash/separation vessel, separating and cracking the vapor phase, and recovering cracked product. Coking of internal surfaces in and proximally downstream of the vessel is controlled by interrupting the feed flow, purging the vessel with steam, introducing an air/steam mixture to at least partially combust the coke, and resuming the feed flow when sufficient coke has been removed. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid is cracked by a process comprising: (a) heating the hydrocarbon feedstock; (b) mixing the heated hydrocarbon feedstock with steam and optionally water to form a mixture stream; (c) introducing the mixture stream to a flash/separation apparatus to form i) a vapor phase at its dew point which partially cracks and loses/or heat causing a temperature decrease and partial condensation of the vapor phase in the absence of added heat to provide coke precursors existing as uncoalesced condensate, and ii) a liquid phase; (d) removing the vapor phase as overhead and the liquid phase as bottoms from the flash/separation apparatus; (e) treating the overhead by contacting with a hydrocarbon-containing nucleating liquid substantially free of resid and comprising components boiling at a temperature of at least about 260° C. (500° F.

Abstract: A transition metal salt, preferably ammonium heptamolybdate, is dissolved in water to provide a solution containing the dispersed catalyst precursor. The solution is atomized by passing it through an atomizing nozzle submerged in hot oil. The minute atomized droplets are delivered into the hot oil and the water is flashed to form steam bubbles. The precursor forms catalytic particles distributed in the oil.

Abstract: A method for removing the volatile constituents from gasoline and volatile organic chemicals from contaminated potable water when a fluid including gasoline-water mixture and when contaminated potable water is introduced into a vertical tower includes the steps of flowing the gasoline-water fluid and the water downward in a tower over and in contact with media trays stacked in courses in the tower. The media trays, either circular or square, fit closely within the tower inner wall, such trays are aluminum or molded plastic frames one inch by one inch angles one-eighth inch thick, with a plurality of one and one-half inch wide slats one-quarter of an inch thick on the top of the frame; the slats being spaced apart not less than one-half inch nor more than three-quarters of an inch.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing residual water from heavy crude oil comprising a casing, an inlet for admitting liquid crude oil into the casing so as to establish a liquid surface in the casing, an outlet passage for discharging dehydrated liquid crude oil from the casing, a heater in the casing for maintaining the liquid oil at a distillation temperature for evaporating water and light hydrocarbons, a vapor outlet for discharging a mixture of water vapor and light hydrocarbons evaporated from the crude oil, a spray device above the surface of the liquid in the casing for spraying incoming crude oil onto and in heat exchange contact with the surface of the heated oil in the casing, whereby water and light hydrocarbon vapors are distilled from incoming crude oil upon contact with the surface of the heated liquid crude oil.

Abstract: A method and device for reclaiming fluid lubricants, such as oil, which removes both solid and liquid contaminants from the fluid through efficient, adjustable filters and vacuum distillation.

Abstract: A simplified, essentially maintenance-free yet highly efficient distillation tower and method for waste oil rerefining is provided which allows direct vacuum distillation of additive-supplemented waste oils without chemical pretreatment thereof and yields a highly refined intermediate oil suitable for immediate use or final polishing, along with a valuable bottoms fraction usable in greases or asphalts, for example. The tower includes an upright, cylindrical chamber with a tangential waste oil inlet and cooperating internal baffle for creating a whirling oil flow pattern therewithin, along with means for maintaining the proper temperature conditions within the tower for maximizing vaporization and recovery of hydrocarbons from the waste oil while also preventing undesirable decomposition or cracking of the oil.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing residual water from heavy crude oil comprising a casing, an inlet for admitting liquid crude oil into the casing so as to establish a liquid surface in the casing, an outlet passage for discharging dehydrated liquid crude oil from the casing, a heater in the casing for maintaining the liquid oil at a distillation temperature for evaporating water and light hydrocarbons, a vapor outlet for discharging a mixture of water vapor and light hydrocarbons evaporated from the crude oil, a spray device above the surface of the liquid in the casing for spraying incoming crude oil onto and in heat exchange contact with the surface of the heated oil in the casing, whereby water and light hydrocarbon vapors are distilled from incoming crude oil upon contact with the surface of the heated liquid crude oil.