First Stage Is Thermal Or Catalytic Cracking Patents (Class 208/67)
  • Patent number: 7867381
    Abstract: A feedstream to an FCC unit is treated to remove or reduce the content of polynuclear aromatics and nitrogen-containing compounds by contacting the feedstream with an adsorbent compound selected from attapulgus clay, alumina, silica gel and activated carbon in a fixed bed or slurry column and separating the treated feedstream that is lower in the undesired compounds from the adsorbent material. The adsorbent can be mixed with a solvent for the undesired compounds and stripped for re-use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Omer Refa Koseoglu
  • Patent number: 7846323
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a method for producing an isoparaffinic product useful as jet fuel from a renewable feedstock. The method may also include co-producing a jet fuel and a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fraction from a renewable feedstock. The method includes hydrotreating the renewable feedstock to produce a hydrotreating unit heavy fraction that includes n-paraffins and hydroisomerizing the hydrotreating unit heavy fraction to produce a hydroizomerizing unit heavy fraction that includes isoparaffins. The method also includes recycling the hydroisomerizing unit heavy fraction through the hydroisomerization unit to produce an isoparaffinic product that may be fractionated into a jet fuel and an LPG fraction. The present invention also relates to a jet fuel produced from a renewable feedstock having improved cold flow properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Syntroleum Corporation
    Inventors: Ramin Abhari, Lynn Tomlinson, Peter Havlik, Nathan Jannasch
  • Patent number: 7837879
    Abstract: Ultrafiltration may be effectively used to produce visbreaker feeds of improved quality which enable the visbreaker to be operated at higher severity with higher yields of distillable products. A heavy oil feed stream is separated by ultrafiltration or membrane separation into a permeate fraction and a retentate fraction by contacting the heavy oil feed with the first side of a porous membrane separation element in a membrane separation zone. The permeate fraction, comprised of materials which pass selectively through the porous membrane element, is retrieved and at least a portion of it is subjected to visbreaking with the improved liquid yield, especially of lighter distillate fractions. The retentate fraction can be retrieved from the first side of the porous membrane and can also be subjected to visbreaking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company
    Inventors: Daniel P. Leta, Leo D. Brown
  • Patent number: 7837859
    Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for upgrading steam cracked tars. The invention also relates to a steam cracking process and apparatus for reducing the yields of tars produced from steam cracking while increasing yields of higher value products, heating, in the presence of steam, cooled steam cracker tar containing asphaltenes, to a temperature, e.g., above about 300° C., which is sufficient to convert at least a portion of the steam cracked tar to lower boiling molecules. The resulting heat and steam-treated tar can be separated into gas oil, fuel oil and tar streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Y. Ou, Glenn A. Heeter
  • Patent number: 7820032
    Abstract: The main distinctive feature of the method lies in the fact that the hydrocarbon material is affected through primary and principal excitation by means of electromagnetic vibrations. The primary influence upon the hydrocarbon material is carried out prior to its feeding for thermal cracking, while the, principal influence is fulfilled in the rectifying column. For the method to be implemented, the primary excitation source in the installation is realized in a form of an electromagnetic oscillator, and the rectifying column is realized with possibility of resonance excitation provided, being the main exciter of the hydrocarbon material. The invention makes it possible to increase the percentage of output of lighter fractions, as well as to raise the quality of processing of raw materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Inventor: Nikolai Gennadievich Shlyachtin
  • Patent number: 7815791
    Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for steam cracking heavy feeds, including steam cracked tars. The invention heats a steam cracked tar feed to provide a depolymerized steam cracked tar containing lower boiling molecules than the steam cracked tar feed, hydrogenates the depolymerized steam cracked tar using a hydrogenating catalyst, e.g., a downward flow fixed bed hydrotreater, to provide a hydrogenated steam cracked tar. At least a portion of the hydrogenated steam cracked tar is steam cracked in a steam cracking furnace comprising a convection zone and a radiant zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventor: Paul F. Keusenkothen
  • Patent number: 7815792
    Abstract: A process and catalyst for the selective hydrodesulfurization of a naphtha containing olefins. The process produces a naphtha stream having a reduced concentration of sulfur while maintaining the maximum concentration of olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Lorenz J. Bauer, Suheil F. Abdo, Laura E. Leonard, Peter Kokayeff
  • Patent number: 7815790
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process of producing an upgraded product stream from the products of a resid visbreaking process to produce an improved feedstream for refinery and petrochemical hydrocarbon conversion units. This process utilizes an ultrafiltration process for upgrading select visbreaking process product streams to produce a conversion unit feedstream with improved properties for maximizing the conversion unit's throughput, total conversion, run-time, and overall product value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Daniel P. Leta, Leo D. Brown, David T. Ferrughelli, Stephen M. Cundy, MaryKathryn Lee, Copper E. Haith, Eric B. Sirota
  • Patent number: 7803265
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for converting distillate to gasoline-range hydrocarbons using a two-stage catalyst system including a first catalyst containing platinum, palladium, or platinum and palladium, and an acidic support, and a second catalyst containing iridium and an inorganic oxide support, and optionally nickel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Tushar V. Choudhary, Paul F. Meier, Edward L. Sughrue, II, Walter E. Alvarez
  • Patent number: 7767075
    Abstract: Systems and methods of reducing refinery carbon dioxide emissions by increasing synthesis gas production in a fluid catalytic cracking unit having a reactor and a regenerator are disclosed. In one example, a method comprises separating spent catalyst from a hydrocarbon product in the reactor, the spent catalyst having trapped hydrocarbon thereon. The method further comprises reacting an additional feed with the spent catalyst in the reactor to deposit additional coke on the spent catalyst, defining a gas product. The method further separating the gas product and the trapped hydrocarbon from the spent catalyst with a stripping gas. The method further comprises removing coke from the spent catalyst in the regenerator, thereby increasing the amount of synthesis gas production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignees: UOP LLC, BP Corporation North America Inc.
    Inventor: Brian W. Hedrick
  • Patent number: 7763165
    Abstract: Processing schemes and arrangements are provided for the processing a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock via hydrocarbon cracking processing with selected hydrocarbon fractions being obtained via fractionation-based product recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Michael A. Schultz
  • Patent number: 7744747
    Abstract: A method for thermally cracking a feed composed of whole crude oil and/or natural gas condensate using a partitioned vaporizer to gasify the feed before cracking same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventor: Richard B. Halsey
  • Publication number: 20100147744
    Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a fluid catalytic cracking unit. The fluid catalytic cracking unit can include a first riser, a second riser, and a disengagement zone. The first riser can be adapted to receive a first feed terminating at a first reaction vessel having a first volume. The second riser may be adapted to receive a second feed terminating at a second reaction vessel having a second volume. Generally, the first volume is greater than the second volume. What is more, the disengagement zone can be for receiving a first mixture including at least one catalyst and one or more products from the first reaction vessel, and a second mixture including at least one catalyst and one or more products from the second reaction vessel. Typically, the first mixture is isolated from the second mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Paolo Palmas, Robert Mehlberg
  • Patent number: 7736491
    Abstract: A process for the fluid catalytic cracking of mixed hydrocarbon feeds from different sources is described, such as feeds A and B of different crackability, the process being especially directed to obtaining light fractions such as LPG and comprising injecting feed A in the base of the riser reactive section and feed B, of lower crackability, at a height between 10% and 80% of the riser, with feed B comprising between 5% and 50% of the total processed feed. The process requires that the feeds present differences in the contaminant content, improved dispersion of feeds A and B and feed B injection temperature same or higher than that of feed A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. - Petrobras
    Inventors: Claudia Maria de Lacerda Alvarenga Baptista, Henrique Soares Cerqueira, Emanuel Freire Sandes
  • Patent number: 7718050
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for FCC pretreatment by mild hydrocracking of a hydrocarbon feedstock that comprises a vacuum distillate fraction or a deasphalted oil or else a mixture of these two fractions, said primary feedstock, to produce gas oil and an effluent having an initial boiling point of more than 320° C., said effluent (FCC feedstock) then being subjected to a catalytic cracking, process in which at least 85% by weight of said primary feedstock ends above 375° C. and at least 95% by weight of said primary feedstock ends below 650° C., whereby the mild hydrocracking is performed under an absolute pressure of 2 to 12 MPa and at a temperature of between 300 and 500° C., characterized in that the hydrocarbon feedstock also comprises a lighter hydrocarbon fraction, a so-called secondary feedstock, of which at least 50% by weight ends below 375° C. and at least 80% ends above 200° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Christophe Gueret, Thierry Chapus, Damien Hudebine
  • Publication number: 20100076096
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of alkylate and middle distillate, the process comprising: (a) catalytically cracking a first hydrocarbon feedstock by contacting the feedstock with a cracking catalyst comprising a shape-selective additive at a temperature in the range of from 450 to 650° C. within a riser or downcomer reaction zone to yield a first cracked product comprising middle distillate and a spent cracking catalyst; (b) regenerating the spent cracking catalyst to yield a regenerated cracking catalyst; (c) contacting, within a second reaction zone, at least part of the regenerated cracking catalyst obtained in step (b) with a second hydrocarbon feedstock at a temperature in the range of from 500 to 800° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventors: Hans Peter Alexander Calis, Georghios Agamemnonons Hadjigeorge, Weijian Mo, Easwar Santhosh Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 7655826
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of making an olefin from a dialkyl ether comprising (a) introducing an ether having a formula CxH2x+1CyH2y+1 into a thermal or catalytic cracking unit processing a hydrocarbon feedstock; and (b) decomposing at least a portion of the ether to form an olefin having a formula CxH2x and/or CyH2y and an alcohol having a formula CxH2x+1 and/or CyH2y+1OH, wherein x and y independently range from about 1 to about 30. This invention also relates to a method of reducing coking in a thermal or catalytic cracking unit comprising (a) introducing an ether, having a formula CxH2x+1OCyH2y+1, into the cracking unit processing a hydrocarbon feedstock in an amount effective to reduce coke formation relative to processing the hydrocarbon feedstock in the absence of the ether, wherein x and y independently range from about 1 to about 30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Charles M. Yarbrough, Vijay Swarup, Patrick Joseph Maher, Albert Y Hu, Michael Walter Bedell
  • Publication number: 20090294328
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing hydrocarbons are provided. A hydrocarbon containing one or more asphaltenes and one or more non-asphaltenes can be mixed with a solvent. The ratio of the solvent to the hydrocarbon can be about 2:1 to about 10:1. The asphaltenes can be selectively separated from the non-asphaltenes. A portion of the asphaltenes can be vaporized in the presence of gasified hydrocarbons and combustion gas. A portion of the asphaltenes can be cracked at a temperature sufficient to provide a cracked gas. Liquid asphaltenes, solid asphaltenes, or both can be deposited onto one or more solids to provide one or more hydrocarbon containing solids. The cracked gas can be selectively separated from the hydrocarbon containing solids. A portion of the hydrocarbon containing solids can be combusted to provide the combustion gas. The hydrocarbon containing solids can be gasified to provide the gasified hydrocarbons and to regenerate the solids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: Kellogg Brown & Root LLC
    Inventor: Rashid Iqbal
  • Patent number: 7626062
    Abstract: A system and method for recycling plastics. The system and method recover materials such as hydrocarbon gases, liquid hydrocarbon distillates, various polymers and/or monomers used to produce the original plastics. The system and method allow about one unit of input of energy input to the plastic recycler to be used to create one or more gaseous components and one or more liquid distillate components from a plastic that is being recycled. The one or more gaseous components and one or more liquid distillate components produce about one corresponding unit of useable output energy recovered from the recycling of the plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Inventor: William E. Carner
  • Publication number: 20090288985
    Abstract: A process for producing light olefins and aromatics, which comprises reacting a feedstock with a catalytic cracking catalyst in at least two reaction zones, wherein the reaction temperature of at least one reaction zone downstream of the first reaction zone is higher than that of the first reaction zone and its weight hourly space velocity is lower than that of the first reaction zone. The spent catalyst is separated from the reaction product vapor, regenerated and then returned to the reactor. The reaction product vapor is separated to obtain the desired products, light olefins and aromatics. This process efficiently produces light olefins such as propylene, ethylene, etc. from heavy feedstocks, wherein the yield of propylene exceeds 20% by weight, and produces aromatics such as toluene, xylene, etc. at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventors: Jun Long, Zhijian Da, Dadong Li, Xieqing Wang, Xingtian Shu, Jiushun Zhang, Hong Nie, Chaogang Xie, Zhigang Zhang, Wei Wang
  • Patent number: 7611622
    Abstract: A dual riser FCC process for converting C3/C4-containing feedstocks to aromatics. First and second hydrocarbon feeds (5, 6) are supplied to the respective first and second risers (2, 4) in a dual-riser FCC unit with a gallium enriched catalyst to make an effluent rich in ethylene, propylene and aromatics. The first riser (2) is operated at less severe conditions than the second riser (4) and can receive a relatively heavy feed such as gas oil. The feed to the second riser (4) includes propane, for example LPG, propane recycle from the C3 splitter (72), etc. The FCC catalyst can include gallium to promote aromatics formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Kellogg Brown & Root LLC
    Inventors: Phillip K. Niccum, Eusebius A. Gbordzoe
  • Patent number: 7604731
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing needle coke from heavy atmospheric distillation residues having sulfur no more than 0.7 wt %, which process involves the steps of heating the feedstock to a temperature in the range of 440 to 520° C. for thermal cracking in a soaking column under pressure in the range of 1 to 10 kg/cm2 to separate the easily cokable material, separating the cracked products in a quench column and a distillation column and then subjecting the hydrocarbon fraction from the bottom of the quench column and a hydrocarbon fraction having a boiling point in the range of 380 to 480° C. from the distillation column and/or any other suitable heavier hydrocarbon streams in a definite ratio depending on certain characteristic parameters to thermal cracking in a second soaking column at a temperature of 460 to 540° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Indian Oil Corporation Limited
    Inventors: Debasis Bhattacharyya, Satheesh Vetterkunnel Kumaran, Bandaru Venkata Hari Prasad Gupta, Pramod Kumar, Asit Kumar Das, Gadari Saidulu, Satyen Kumar Das, Gurpreet Singh Kapur, Veena Bansal, Venkatachalam Krishnan, Satish Makhija, Sobhan Ghosh, Niranjan Raghunath Raje
  • Publication number: 20090255852
    Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for upgrading steam cracked tars. The invention also relates to a steam cracking process and apparatus for reducing the yields of tars produced from steam cracking while increasing yields of higher value products, heating, in the presence of steam, cooled steam cracker tar containing asphaltenes, to a temperature, e.g., above about 300° C., which is sufficient to convert at least a portion of the steam cracked tar to lower boiling molecules. The resulting heat and steam-treated tar can be separated into gas oil, fuel oil and tar streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Inventors: John D.Y. Ou, Glenn A. Heeter
  • Publication number: 20090223859
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for thermal processing of catalytically active biomass, the biomass is subjected in a receiving tank to a cracking temperature to undergo a cracking reaction. The biomass is transferred to a mixer pump to produce a reaction mixture which is directed into an outgassing chamber of an intermediate tank to produce an outgassed fraction and a non-outgassed liquid fraction. The outgassed fraction to produce fuel is cooled down, and a first portion of the non-outgassed liquid fraction is returned and subjected again to the cracking temperature in the receiving tank. A second portion of the non-outgassed liquid fraction is conducted in a bypass to the outgassing chamber of the intermediate tank for outgassing while fresh biomass is added. Residual matter settling in the intermediate tank is periodically removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventor: Jurgen Buchert
  • Publication number: 20090218255
    Abstract: Systems and processes for producing one or more olefins. A feed containing 90% by weight or more C4 and higher hydrocarbons can be cracked at conditions sufficient to provide an olefinic mixture and an aromatic mixture. The olefinic mixture can comprise 90% by weight or more C1 to C3 hydrocarbons. The aromatic mixture can comprise 90% by weight or more C4 and higher hydrocarbons and one or more aromatics. The aromatic mixture can be contacted with one or more solvents to selectively separate at least a portion of the one or more aromatics therefrom to provide an aromatic-rich mixture and an aromatic-lean mixture. At least a portion of the aromatic-lean mixture can be recycled to the feed prior to cracking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: ALAN CLAUDE, ANAND SUBRAMANIAN
  • Patent number: 7578927
    Abstract: A process for the conversion of biomass to a liquid fuel is presented. The process includes the production of diesel and naphtha boiling point range fuels by hydrocracking of pyrolysis lignin extracted from biomass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Terry L. Marker, John A. Petri
  • Patent number: 7563359
    Abstract: An aromatics/naphthalene rich stream obtained by processing heavy gas oil derived from tar sands and cycle oils derived from cracking heavy gas oil may optionally be blended and subjected to a hydrogenation process and a ring opening reaction typically in the presence of a zeolite, alumina, or silica alumina based catalyst which may contain noble metals and or copper or molybdenum to produce paraffinic feedstocks for further chemical processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Nova Chemical (International) S.A.
    Inventors: Michael C. Oballa, Andrzej Krzywicki, Sunny Ying-Shing Wong, Anthony Tse, Abdul Alim Fakih
  • Publication number: 20090166254
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing one or more hydrocarbons are provided. One or more hydrocarbons can be selectively separated to provide one or more heavy deasphalted oils. At least a portion of the heavy deasphalted oil can be thermally cracked to provide one or more lighter hydrocarbon products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: ANAND SUBRAMANIAN, Raymond Floyd
  • Publication number: 20090166253
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing one or more hydrocarbons are provided. One or more hydrocarbon feedstocks can be selectively separated to provide one or more light deasphalted oils. At least a portion of the light deasphalted oil can be hydrocracked to provide one or more hydrocarbon products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: ANAND SUBRAMANIAN, Raymond Floyd, Odette Eng
  • Publication number: 20090166255
    Abstract: A method for thermally cracking a feed composed of whole crude oil and/or natural gas condensate using a partitioned vaporizer to gasify the feed before cracking same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventor: Richard B. Halsey
  • Publication number: 20090159496
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment of the present invention, a method of heating a FCC unit having a regenerator and a reactor for over CO2 reduction is provided. The method comprises compressing syngas to define compressed syngas. CO2 is separated from the compressed syngas to provide a first stream of gas comprising CO2. The first stream of gas is expanded with a second stream of gas comprising O2 to define a feed gas. The feed gas and an injected hydrocarbon feed are introduced to the regenerator having spent catalyst from the reactor. The regenerator is at gasification conditions to burn the injected hydrocarbon feed and coke from the spent catalyst producing the syngas and heat for operating the reactor at reaction temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicants: UOP LLC, BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC.
    Inventor: BRIAN W. HEDRICK
  • Publication number: 20090159497
    Abstract: Systems and methods of reducing refinery carbon dioxide emissions by increasing synthesis gas production in a fluid catalytic cracking unit having a reactor and a regenerator are disclosed. In one example, a method comprises separating spent catalyst from a hydrocarbon product in the reactor, the spent catalyst having trapped hydrocarbon thereon. The method further comprises reacting an additional feed with the spent catalyst in the reactor to deposit additional coke on the spent catalyst, defining a gas product. The method further separating the gas product and the trapped hydrocarbon from the spent catalyst with a stripping gas. The method further comprises removing coke from the spent catalyst in the regenerator, thereby increasing the amount of synthesis gas production.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventor: Brian W. Hedrick
  • Patent number: 7547386
    Abstract: An integrated process for the hydroprocessing of multiple feedstreams including vacuum gas oil and light cycle oil. The light cycle oil is reacted with hydrogen in a hydrocracking zone and the hydrocarbon feedstream comprising vacuum gas oil is reacted with hydrogen in a hydrodesulfurization reaction zone. The hydrotreated vacuum gas oil is good FCC feedstock. Naphtha and ultra low sulfur diesel are recovered in a common fractionation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Vasant P. Thakkar, Richard K. Hoehn
  • Patent number: 7531083
    Abstract: Cycloalkane base oil, methods of making cycloalkane base oil, and dielectric liquid comprising cycloalkane base oil, the cycloalkane base oil comprising a quantity of isoparaffins and from 50 wt. % to 70 wt. % cycloalkanes having the formula CnH2n wherein n is from 15 to 30, said quantity of isoparaffins being less than 50 wt. % of said cycloalkane base oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Steven Allen Holmes, John Robert Powers, Michael Phillip Smith, Abraham Robert Dekraker
  • Patent number: 7517500
    Abstract: A process and apparatus are disclosed contacting hydrocarbon feed with catalyst in a reactor vessel under conditions more vigorous than bubbling bed conditions and preferably fast fluidized flow conditions. The vigorous conditions assure thorough mixing of catalyst and feed to suppress formation of dry gas and the promotion of hydrogen transfer reactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: David A. Lomas
  • Publication number: 20090045099
    Abstract: Processes for maximizing low aromatics LCO yield and/or propylene yield in fluid catalytic cracking are disclosed. The processes employ catalytic compositions that comprise a predominantly basic material and little to no large pore zeolite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: ALBEMARLE NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: King Yen Yung, Elbert Arjan De Graaf, Raymond Paul Fletcher, Erja Paivi Helena Rautiainen
  • Patent number: 7459072
    Abstract: Process for the work-up of naphtha, wherein a) naphtha or a stream produced from naphtha in a pretreatment step is separated in a membrane unit into a stream A which is depleted in aromatics and a stream B which is enriched in aromatics, with the aromatics concentration in stream A being from 2 to 12% by weight (step a), b) at least part of the substream A is fed to a steam cracker (step b), c) at least part of the substream B is fed to a unit in which it is separated by means of a thermal process into a stream C which has a lower aromatics content than stream B or a plurality of streams C?, C?, C?? . . . which each have lower aromatics contents than stream B and a stream D which has a higher aromatics content than stream B or a plurality of streams D?, D?, D?? . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Bitterlich, Hartwig Voss, Gunter Schuch, Rudolf Sinnen, Heinrich Laib, Peter Paessler
  • Publication number: 20080244962
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a method for producing an isoparaffinic product useful as jet fuel from a renewable feedstock. The method may also include co-producing a jet fuel and a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fraction from a renewable feedstock. The method includes hydrotreating the renewable feedstock to produce a hydrotreating unit heavy fraction that includes n-paraffins and hydroisomerizing the hydrotreating unit heavy fraction to produce a hydroizomerizing unit heavy fraction that includes isoparaffins. The method also includes recycling the hydroisomerizing unit heavy fraction through the hydroisomerization unit to produce an isoparaffinic product that may be fractionated into a jet fuel and an LPG fraction. The present invention also relates to a jet fuel produced from a renewable feedstock having improved cold flow properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Ramin Abhari, Lynn Tomlinson, Peter Havlik, Nathan Jannasch
  • Publication number: 20080153365
    Abstract: A system includes an apparatus for catalytic production of diesel oil from organic residue, and a vehicle, wherein the apparatus is arranged on the vehicle to thereby render the apparatus mobile. The catalytic apparatus includes a fuel supply line which is fluidly connected to a drive unit of the vehicle. Diesel oil produced by the apparatus can thus be used for operating the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventor: JURGEN BUCHERT
  • Publication number: 20080128325
    Abstract: With an aim to optimize propylene production, petroleum oil such as gas oil is catalytically cracked by contacting the oil with catalyst mixture consisting of a base cracking catalyst containing an stable Y-type zeolite and small amounts of rare-earth metal oxide, and an additive containing a shape-selective zeolite, in a down-flow type fluid catalytic cracking apparatus having a regeneration zone, a separation zone, and a stripping zone, wherein conversion of hydrocarbon occurs under relatively severe conditions. According to this fluid catalytic cracking process, the production of light-fraction olefins such as propylene is maximized by applying appropriate process control, monitoring, and optimizing systems. Process model and historical data to test a predictive system can provide early warning of potential performance degradation and equipment failure in the FCC unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: M. Rashid Khan, Othman A. Taha
  • Patent number: 7374660
    Abstract: A process for selectively producing C3 olefins from a catalytically cracked or thermally cracked naphtha stream is disclosed herein. The naphtha stream is introduced into a process unit comprised of a reaction zone, a stripping zone containing a dense phase, a catalyst regeneration zone, and a fractionation zone. The naphtha feedstream is contacted in the reaction zone with a catalyst containing from about 10 to about 50 wt. % of a crystalline zeolite having an average pore diameter less than about 0.7 nanometers at reaction conditions. Vapor products are collected overhead and the catalyst particles are passed through the stripping zone on the way to the catalyst regeneration zone. Volatiles are stripped with steam in the stripping zone and the catalyst particles are sent to the catalyst regeneration zone where coke is burned from the catalyst, and are then recycled to the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Todd R. Steffens, Brian Erik Henry, Jacob Johannes Thiart, Nicole J. Lai, James D. Dearth
  • Patent number: 7364650
    Abstract: The present invention provides an upgraded synthetic gasoline having a true boiling point (TBP) range of between 50° C.-300° C., a sulphur content of less than 1 ppm, a nitrogen content of less than 1 ppm, an aromatics content of between 0.01%-35% by weight, an olefins content of between 0.01%-45%, a benzene content of less than 1.00% by weight, an oxygen content of between 0.5-3.0% by weight, a RON of greater than 80, and a MON of greater than 80. The invention also provides processes for the production of the upgraded synthetic gasoline wherein the synthetic products derived from a Fischer-Tropsch reaction are passed to a cracking reactor to produce a synthetic gasoline stream which is subsequently fractionated and upgraded using an oxygenating reactor, and optionally a combination of an MTBE reactor, a dehydrocyclodimerisation reactor and C5 isomerisation reactor. The upgraded synthetic gasoline is useful as a fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited
    Inventor: Josephus Johannes Helena Maria Font Freide
  • Patent number: 7345211
    Abstract: The invention includes a process for producing synthetic middle distillates and synthetic middle distillates produced therefrom. In one embodiment, the process comprises fractionating a hydrocarbon synthesis product to at least generate a light middle distillate, a heavy middle distillate, and a waxy fraction; thermally cracking the waxy fraction; and isomerizing the heavy middle distillate. A synthetic diesel or blending component is formed by the combination of at least a portion of the light middle distillate; at least a portion or fraction of the thermally cracked product; and at least a portion or fraction of the isomerized product. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon synthesis product and/or the thermally cracked product may be hydrotreated. In other embodiments, a synthetic middle distillate comprises at least two fractions: a light fraction with not more than 10% branched hydrocarbons, and a heavy fraction with at least 30% branched hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Rafael L. Espinoza, Keith H. Lawson
  • Publication number: 20080053870
    Abstract: A process for the conversion of biomass to a liquid fuel is presented. The process includes the production of diesel and naphtha boiling point range fuels by hydrocracking of pyrolysis lignin extracted from biomass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Terry L. Marker, John A. Petri
  • Patent number: 7323099
    Abstract: A process for selectively producing C2 to C4 olefins from feedstock such as a gas oil or resid. The feedstock is reacted in a first stage comprising a fluid catalytic cracking unit wherein it is converted in the presence of a mixture of conventional large pore zeolitic catalyst and a medium pore zeolitic catalyst to reaction products, including a naphtha boiling range stream. The naphtha boiling range stream is introduced into a second stage where it is contacted with a catalyst containing from about 10 to about 50 wt. % of a crystalline zeolite having an average pore diameter less than about 0.7 nanometers at reaction conditions which include temperatures ranging from about 500 to about 650° C. and a hydrocarbon partial pressure from about 10 to about 40 psia (about 70 to about 280 kPa).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Erik Henry
  • Patent number: 7318891
    Abstract: A process for producing pitch from pitch precursors, such as wood tar, coal tar or petroleum fractions is disclosed. Direct contact heat exchange of the pitch precursor with molten metal, preferably maintained as a metal continuous bath, heats the pitch precursor to a temperature sufficient to induce thermal polymerization reactions and produce a pitch product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: DTX Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Donald P. Malone
  • Patent number: 7318890
    Abstract: A process for fractionating crude pitch by direct contact heating with molten metal is disclosed. The crude pitch, which may contain water, contaminants and/or distillables is heated by direct contact heat exchange with molten metal, preferably maintained as a metal continuous bath, operating at a temperature of 100 to 600° C. The molten metal heating zone is maintained at a temperature and pressure sufficient to vaporize a desired amount of contaminants or volatile material from crude pitch to produce pitch product having a desired softening point. New pitch materials, having a softening point above those achievable by conventional techniques, are also produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: DTX Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Donald P. Malone
  • Patent number: 7318845
    Abstract: A distillate fuel steam reformer system in which a fuel feed stream is first separated into two process streams: an aliphatics-rich, sulfur-depleted gas stream, and an aromatics- and sulfur-rich liquid residue stream. The aliphatics-rich gas stream is desulfurized, mixed with steam, and converted in a reforming reactor to a hydrogen-rich product stream. The aromatics-rich residue stream is mixed with air and combusted to provide heat necessary for endothermic process operations. Reducing the amounts of sulfur and aromatic hydrocarbons directed to desulfurzation and reforming operations minimizes the size and weight of the overall apparatus. The process of the invention is well suited to the use of microchannel apparatuses for heat exchangers, reactors, and other system components, which may be assembled in slab configuration, further reducing system size and weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Research Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Aly H. Shaaban, Timothy J. Campbell
  • Patent number: 7309416
    Abstract: Sulfur is removed from a hydrocarbon fuel via contact with a desulfurization agent; the desulfurization agent is then regenerated (wherein sulfur is released) by exposing it to oxygen. The sulfur removal and regeneration processes each can be carried out at relatively moderate temperatures, e.g., from 300 to 600° C., and pressure, e.g., about 0.79 to about 3.5 MPa; and the desulfurization agent can include a transition metal oxide, such as molybdenum oxide. The process can also include the additional steps of cracking the hydrocarbon, separating high-boiling and low-boiling fractions from the reaction product and contacting the lower-boiling fraction with a secondary desulfurization agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Aspen Products Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark D. Fokema, Wendell E. Rhine, Neng Ye, Kang P. Lee, Jennifer P. Gordon
  • Patent number: 7301061
    Abstract: The present invention is a utilization method for rubber-containing, organic industrial and municipal wastes which may be applied in the fields of petrochemical and chemical industry. Raw material is liquefied at 60-310° C. under 0.1-0.2 MP a pressure in aprotic hydrocarbon solvent in any neutral gas or CO2 atmosphere with simultaneous collection from reactor of liquid hydrocarbon fractions with the boiling temperatures reaching 200° C. and above and further rectification of fractions up to 200° C. and then drying solid residues at temperatures 270-310° C. Application of solvents and gases makes this process to be ecologically clean. The present invention makes possible a solution of the ecological problem of utilization of rubber-containing and other wastes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Inventors: Igor Skworcow, Alexei Matveev