By C Content Reduction, E.g., Cracking, Etc. Patents (Class 585/648)
  • Patent number: 8158840
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for steam cracking liquid hydrocarbon feedstocks utilizes a vapor/liquid separation apparatus to treat heated vapor/liquid mixtures to provide an overhead of reduced residue content and includes: i) indirectly heat exchanging liquid bottoms with boiler feed water to provide cooled liquid bottoms and preheated boiler feed water; ii) directing at least a portion of said preheated boiler feed water to a steam drum; and iii) recovering steam having a pressure of at least about 4100 kPa (600 psia) from said steam drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventor: David B. Spicer
  • Patent number: 8153851
    Abstract: A process for the production of propylene, the process including: fractionating a hydrocarbon stream comprising n-butenes, isobutylene, and paraffins into at least two fractions including a light C4 fraction comprising isobutylene and a heavy C4 fraction comprising n-butenes and paraffins; contacting at least a portion of the heavy C4 fraction with a metathesis catalyst to form a metathesis product comprising ethylene, propylene, C4+ olefins, and paraffins; fractionating the metathesis product into at least four fractions including an ethylene fraction, a propylene fraction, a C4 fraction comprising C4 olefins and paraffins, and a C5+ fraction; cracking the light C4 fraction and the C5+ fraction to produce a cracking product comprising ethylene, propylene, and heavier hydrocarbons; and fractionating the cracking product into at least two fractions including a light fraction comprising propylene and a fraction comprising C5 to C6 hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Lummus Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Gartside, Bala Ramachandran
  • Patent number: 8138386
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for converting hydrocarbons as starting material by industrial fixed-bed reaction processes with a zeolite shaped catalyst which has a low content of inorganic binder and a high pore volume and which shows high catalytic activity, long catalyst life and high crushing strength. A zeolite shaped catalyst used in the methods of the invention includes zeolite and an inorganic binder and is obtained by kneading zeolite, a starting material of an inorganic binder, shaping auxiliary(ies), organic polymer particles having an average diameter of 0.1 to 6 ?m and water into a kneaded product, and extruding, drying and calcining the kneaded product; and the zeolite shaped catalyst has a zeolite component content of not less than 60 wt % relative to the total weight, a pore volume of 0.4 to 1.0 ml/g, a half-volume pore diameter of 80 to 500 nm and a crushing strength of not less than 0.9 kg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Phala Heng, Teruo Muraishi, Michiaki Umeno, Hirokazu Ikenaga
  • Patent number: 8129576
    Abstract: The invention provides a method to avoid catalyst damage and achieve longer catalyst life by selecting appropriate materials for reactor spacers, liners, catalyst binders, and supports, in particular, by not using crystalline silica-containing and high phosphorus-containing materials, if the presence of even small amount of steam is anticipated. In addition, alkali metals and alkaline earth metals are avoided due to potential damage to the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Timur V. Voskoboynikov, Paul T. Barger, John Q. Chen
  • Publication number: 20120053383
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for producing, inter alia, olefins from refinery saturated and unsaturated off-gas. Furthermore, said refinery streams are not required to undergo deoxygenation reaction in a separate reactor system provided they are fed to the pyrolysis furnace. The refinery off-gases are treated to produce olefins such as ethylene and propylene. Gases from petrochemical facilities, gas separation plants and similar facilities that produce light gases containing ethane and propane are useful in the present method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: Stone & Webster Process Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wadie MALATY, Richard H. McCue, David J. Brown, William Larson
  • Patent number: 8123931
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalyst for hydrocarbon steam cracking for the production of light olefin, a preparation method of the catalyst and a preparation method of olefin by using the same. More precisely, the present invention relates to a composite catalyst prepared by mixing the oxide catalyst powder represented by CrZrjAkOx (0.5?j?120, 0?k?50, A is a transition metal, x is the number satisfying the condition according to valences of Cr, Zr and A, and values of j and k) and carrier powder and sintering thereof, a composite catalyst wherein the oxide catalyst is impregnated on a carrier, and a method of preparing light olefin such as ethylene and propylene by hydrocarbon steam cracking in the presence of the composite catalyst. The composite catalyst of the present invention has excellent thermal/mechanical stability in the cracking process, and has less inactivation rate by coke and significantly increases light olefin yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-han Kang, Jong-hun Song, Jun-seon Choi, Byoung-gi Park, Chang-hoon Kang, Si-hyun Noh
  • Patent number: 8106248
    Abstract: In one aspect, the inventive process comprises a process for pyrolyzing a hydrocarbon feedstock containing nonvolatiles in a regenerative pyrolysis reactor system. The process comprises: (a) heating the nonvolatile-containing hydrocarbon feedstock upstream of a regenerative pyrolysis reactor system to a temperature sufficient to form a vapor phase that is essentially free of nonvolatiles and a liquid phase containing the nonvolatiles; (b) separating said vapor phase from said liquid phase; (c) feeding the separated vapor phase and methane to the pyrolysis reactor system; and (d) converting the methane and separated vapor phase in said pyrolysis reactor system to form a pyrolysis product. In another aspect, the invention includes a separation process that feeds multiple pyrolysis reactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Frank Hershkowitz
  • Publication number: 20110319690
    Abstract: A method for converting carbon into a carbon oxide, comprises: contacting carbon with steam in presence of a carnegieite-like material of formula (Na2O)xNa[Al2Si2O8], wherein 0<x?1. Method and apparatus for hydrocarbon cracking are also described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Zhigang Deng, Wenqing Peng, Chuan Lin, Shizhong Wang, Qijia Fu, Yanfei Gu, Zhaoping Wu, Yangang Liang, Minggang She
  • Patent number: 8083932
    Abstract: A process for making lower olefins from a wide boiling range hydrocarbon feed by use of a combination of one or more vapor/liquid separation devices, and then pyrolytically cracking the vapor phase in separate sets of pyrolysis radiant tubes, thereby producing a higher level of lower olefin product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Arthur James Baumgartner, Robert Lawrence Blackbourn, Danny Yuk Kwan Ngan
  • Patent number: 8080698
    Abstract: Systems and processes for producing one or more olefins are provided. A feed containing C4 compounds can be dehydrogenated to provide a first product containing butene. At least a portion of the first product can be bypassed around a methyl-tert-butyl-ether production unit and cracked in a first cracker to provide a second product containing propylene, ethylene, and butane. A light hydrocarbon containing gas oils, full range gas oils, resid or any combination thereof can be cracked in a second cracker to provide a cracked hydrocarbon containing propylene, ethylene, and butane. An alkane can be cracked in a third cracker to provide cracked alkanes containing propylene, ethylene, and butane. The second product, cracked hydrocarbons, and cracked alkanes can be combined and separated to provide a third product containing propylene and a first recycle containing butane. At least a portion of the first recycle can be recycled to the first product prior to cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Kellogg Brown & Root LLC
    Inventor: Curtis N. Eng
  • Patent number: 8071833
    Abstract: A process (or steam cracking a hydrocarbon feedstock containing olefins to provide increased light olefins in the steam cracked effluent, the process comprising passing a first hydrocarbon feedstock containing one or more olefins through a reactor containing a crystalline silicate to produce an intermediate effluent with an olefin content of lower molecular weight than that of the feedstock, fractionating the intermediate effluent to provide a lower carbon fraction and a higher carbon fraction, and passing the higher carbon fraction, as a second hydrocarbon feedstock, through a stream cracker to produce a steam cracked effluent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventors: Jacques Grootjans, Valérie Vanrysselberghe, Walter Vermeiren
  • Patent number: 8057663
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cracking a hydrocarbon feed in a steam cracking furnace by withdrawing a resid-rich stream from a resid knockout vessel and recycling the resid-rich stream through a convection heating section of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Stell, David B. Spicer, George Stephens
  • Patent number: 8057707
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combination of compounds and a process using such combination useful for reducing or preventing coke formation in thermal cracking furnaces such as ethylene steam crackers. The combination is comprised of one or more compound of the formula R—Sx—R? and one or more compound selected from the following group: R1R2CS3; R1R2C?CR3R4; RSH; R1SxR2; R1R2CH2; R1R2R3R4(C4S); and R1R2R3R4R5R6Si2O.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Arkems Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay R. Srinivas, Francis Humblot
  • Patent number: 8044254
    Abstract: A processing scheme and arrangement for enhanced olefin production involves cooling or treating an olefin cracking reactor effluent stream by contacting the olefin cracking reactor effluent stream with a quench oil stream in a single contact cooler contact zone to produce a cooled vapor stream and to form a heated quench oil stream. A pressure differential across the single contact cooler is less than about 3.5 kPa. The heated quench oil stream can be subsequently cooled and returned to the single contact cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Adam J. Kanyuh
  • Publication number: 20110257455
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present techniques include a heat exchange apparatus including: a) a body comprising an interior cavity, the body including: a first surface and a second surface defining at least a portion of the body and the first surface positioned exterior with respect to the second surface and the interior cavity, and the second surface positioned exterior with respect to the interior cavity and interior with respect to the first surface; b) a first conduit for conveying a fluid to the body; c) a second conduit in fluid communication with the first conduit wherein the second conduit is positioned at least partially within the interior cavity of the body; and d) a joint between the first conduit and the second conduit, wherein the joint moves between a first location and a second location based on the temperature within the interior cavity, wherein at least one of said first location and said second location is positioned intermediate the first surface and the second surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: David B. Spicer, Jeffrey P. Jones
  • Patent number: 8013196
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of ethylene, comprising the steps of a) thermally converting, by a pyrolysis or a partial oxidation process, a feed charge containing methane into an acetylene containing effluent, and b) in situ hydrogenating, by a non-catalytic reaction, the acetylene produced in the first step into ethylene by intimately mixing the acetylene containing effluent with an ethane feed. The process according to the invention is more efficient than other synthesis schemes, while simplifying the overall process design. This process thus offers an economically attractive scheme for mass production of ethylene from natural gas, based on a well-known and proven acetylene route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Saudi Basic Industries Corporation
    Inventors: Aggadin Mamedov, Saeed Al-Wahabi, Yungyi Lin, Mohamed Sabri Abdelghani, Akram Al-Alwan
  • Publication number: 20110207984
    Abstract: Additives for mixing with the catalyst inventory in process units for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) for maximizing the production of LPG and light olefins are described. Said additives comprise a matrix that incorporates a zeolite of type MFI, preferably zeolite ZSM-5, a zeolite of type Y, and a source of phosphorus, in a single particle. Mixing of the additive in proportions from 1.0 to 40 wt. % with the equilibrium catalyst of an FCC unit maximizes the production of LPG and light olefins, chiefly propylene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: PETROLEO BRASILEIRO S.A. - PETROBRAS
    Inventors: Marlon Brando Bezerra De Almeida, Alexandre de Figueiredo Costa, Lam Yiu Lau, Sergio Augusto Santos Rodrigues, Marcelo Andre Torem
  • Patent number: 8002856
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for contacting a hydrocarbon and an oxygen-containing gas with a catalyst bed in a reactor at a space velocity of at least 10,000 h?1, said process being characterised in that a) the reactor has a polygonal internal cross-section at least in the section where the catalyst bed is held, b) the catalyst bed is made up of 2 or more layers of catalyst in the form of tiles of polygonal shape, said tiles have at least 4 sides, c) each layer of catalyst comprises at least 4 tiles which tessellate together to form said layer, and d) the edges where 2 tiles meet in one layer do not align with the edges where 2 tiles meet in an adjacent layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Ineos Europe Limited
    Inventor: Vaughan Clifford Williams
  • Publication number: 20110172477
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing olefin having 3 or more carbon atoms from ethane stably in a simpler process. The present invention provides a method for producing olefin having a step of obtaining a cold fraction by cooling an ethane-cracked gas, which is obtained by thermal cracking of ethane in the presence of steam, to 600° C. or less; and a step of obtaining a catalytic cracking gas containing olefin having 3 or more carbon atoms by bringing the cold fraction into contact with a catalyst containing a medium pore diameter zeolite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Sekiguchi, Takashi Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 7977524
    Abstract: A process for decoking a convection section of a furnace for cracking a hydrocarbon feed, the furnace comprising a radiant section having burners that generate radiant heat and hot flue gas, and the convection section having at least one heat exchange tube for conveying the hydrocarbon feed. The process includes the step of establishing a flue gas temperature within the convection section of the furnace immediately adjacent the at least one convection section heat exchange tube so as to effect a film surface temperature of less than about 540° C. (about 1000° F.) within at least one convection section heat exchange tube, wherein said flue gas temperature establishing step is effective to decoke the at least one convection section heat exchange tube. A process for cracking hydrocarbon feed in a furnace is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: James N. McCoy, Richard Charles Stell
  • Patent number: 7972498
    Abstract: The invention concerns integration of hydroprocessing and steam cracking. A feed comprising crude or resid-containing fraction thereof is treated by hydroprocessing and visbreaking and then passed to a steam cracker to obtain a product comprising olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Buchanan, Paul F Keusenkothen, Stephen H. Brown, Julian A. Wolfenbarger, James E. Graham, James N. McCoy
  • Patent number: 7973209
    Abstract: Processing schemes and arrangements for the catalytic cracking of a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock and obtaining light olefins substantially free of carbon dioxide via amine treatment and employing fractionation processing are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Gavin P. Towler, John P. Brady, William J. Lechnick, Michael A. Schultz
  • Patent number: 7964762
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the producing propylene and ethylene from a light hydrocarbon stream comprising essentially ethane and butane. The process involves a non-catalytic cracking of ethane and normal-butane followed by a metathesis of ethylene and 2-butene to increase the propylene yield. Optionally the by-produced iso-butane is dehydrogenated and subsequently the produced iso-butene is converted to other valuable products like di-isobutylene, alkylate for gasoline blending tertiary-butyl-ethers, poly-isobutylene methyl-metacrylate or isoprene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventors: Francois Bouvart, Walter Vermeiren, Wolfgang Garcia, Alain Chepda
  • Publication number: 20110144405
    Abstract: An apparatus designed to completely vaporize an intake of heavy hydrocarbon feedstock is described. The apparatus, a so-called heavy feed mixer, is comprised of pipes being disposed coaxially about a common longitudinal axis. The inner tubular section delivers a two-phase liquid-vapor mixture of hydrocarbon feedstock and dilution steam to the apparatus. The converging/diverging tubular section has a unique structure which converges to a throat section and then diverges to an outlet section. The converging section directs a uniform shroud of superheated steam onto the hydrocarbon stream delivered by the inner tubular section. Impingement of the superheated steam with the intake stream initiates mixing and further vaporization within the throat section. The mixture traverses the converging/diverging tubular section and passes into the outlet section where vaporization is complete. The completely vaporized stream is directed out of the apparatus for further processing downstream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: William Arthur Larson, George E. Dabney, JR., John R. Murphey, III, Kenneth Jack Fewel, JR., Yong Wang
  • Patent number: 7947860
    Abstract: Processing schemes and arrangements for application of a dividing wall separation column in the processing of an effluent resulting from FCC processing modified for increased light olefin production. The dividing wall separation column desirably splits a naphtha feedstock produced or resulting from such modified FCC processing to produce or form a light fraction containing C5-C6 compounds, an intermediate fraction containing C7-C8 compounds and a heavy fraction containing C9+ compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Michael A. Schultz, Keith A. Couch
  • Patent number: 7943038
    Abstract: Processes for producing one or more olefins are provided. In one or more embodiments, a doped catalyst can be prepared by fluidizing one or more coked-catalyst particles in the presence of one or more oxidants to provide a fluidized mixture. At least a portion of the coke can be removed from the coked-catalyst particles to provide regenerated catalyst particles. One or more doping agents can be distributed throughout the fluidized mixture, depositing on the surface of the regenerated catalyst particles to provide doped catalyst particles. One or more hydrocarbon feeds can be fluidized with the doped catalyst particles to provide a reaction mixture which can be cracked to provide a first product containing propylene, ethylene, and butane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Kellogg Brown & Root LLC
    Inventor: Pritham Ramamurthy
  • Patent number: 7939702
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for increasing production of light olefinic hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon feedstock by catalytic cracking. In the process, an effective separation process structure and recycle method of light olefins are used not only to increase the productivity and efficiency of an overall process, thus effectively increasing the production of light olefins, but also to simplify the overall process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: SK Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sun Choi, Yong Seung Kim, Deuk Soo Park, Suk Joon Kim, Il Mo Yang
  • Patent number: 7923595
    Abstract: Process for treating a product stream typically from an autothermal cracking process, the product stream comprising one or more olefins, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and one or more oxygenates, by contacting the product stream with at least one compound selected from (1) H2N—OR1, and (2) H2N—NR2R3, where R1, R2 and R3 may each be independently selected from H and carbon-containing substituents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Ineos Europe Limited
    Inventor: Vaughan Clifford Williams
  • Patent number: 7923592
    Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a process for converting a feed composition comprising one or more hydrocarbons to a product comprising one or more unsaturated hydrocarbons, the process comprising: flowing the feed composition and steam in contact with each other in a microchannel reactor at a temperature in the range from about 200° C. to about 1200° C. to convert the feed composition to the product, the process being characterized by the absence of catalyst for converting the one or more hydrocarbons to one or more unsaturated hydrocarbons. Hydrogen and/or oxygen may be combined with the feed composition and steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Velocys, Inc.
    Inventors: Anna Lee Tonkovich, Thomas Yuschak, Timothy J. LaPlante, Scott Rankin, Steven T. Perry, Sean Patrick Fitzgerald, Wayne W. Simmons, Terry Mazanec, Eric Daymo
  • Patent number: 7902412
    Abstract: A process for producing a feedstock for gasolines having very little aromatic concentrations is disclosed. The present process uses by-product olefins and alkanes to produce an alkylate for use in gasoline blending.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: John J. Senetar, David A. Wegerer, Gavin P. Towler
  • Patent number: 7883618
    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: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Kellogg Brown & Root LLC
    Inventors: Alan Claude, Anand Subramanian
  • Patent number: 7880048
    Abstract: A process for once-through conversion of a hydrocarbon feed comprising at least olefins containing 4 carbon atoms and at least olefins containing 5 carbon atoms is described for the production of propylene, said process comprising passing said feed into at least one reaction unit provided with at least one catalyst in the form of spherical beads with a diameter in the range 1 to 3 mm, each of said spherical beads comprising at least one zeolite and at least one alumina-based support and having a pore distribution such that the macroporous volume, measured by mercury porosimetry, is in the range 0.10 to 0.20 ml/g and the mesoporous volume, measured by mercury porosimetry, is in the range 0.25 to 0.35 ml/g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: IFP
    Inventors: Brigitte Pigeat, Vincent Coupard, Sylvie Maury, Serge Drouet
  • Patent number: 7875755
    Abstract: A process for increasing the light olefin production from light paraffins is presented. The process includes separating paraffins from olefin streams and separately processing the paraffins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Timur V. Voskoboynikov
  • Patent number: 7858834
    Abstract: A method for utilizing a feed comprising condensate and crude oil for an olefin production plant is disclosed. The feed is subjected to vaporization and separated into vaporous hydrocarbons and liquid hydrocarbons. The vaporous hydrocarbons stream is thermally cracked in the plant. The liquid hydrocarbons are recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventor: Donald H. Powers
  • Patent number: 7846322
    Abstract: A high-flux membrane, especially a sieving membrane, is used to separate a naphtha feedstock into a retentate fraction having a reduced concentration of normal paraffins for an enhanced reforming feed and a permeate fraction having an increased concentration of normal paraffins for an enhanced cracking feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Lynn H. Rice
  • Patent number: 7838712
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for steam-cracking naphtha, according to which a charge of hydrocarbons containing a portion of paraffinic naphtha, which is modified by adding a combination of a first component containing a portion of gasoline and a second component containing a portion of at least one hydrocarbonated refinery gas, and a paraffin-rich change containing at least one paraffin selected among propane, butane, or a mixture thereof are fed through a steam cracker in the presence of vapor. Also disclosed is a hydrocarbon composition suitable for steam cracking, containing a portion of a paraffinic naphtha, which is modified by adding a combination of a first component containing a portion of gasoline and a second component containing a portion of at least one hydrocarbonated refinery gas and a paraffin-rich charge containing at least one paraffin selected among propane, butane, or a mixture thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignees: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy, Total Raffinage Marketing
    Inventors: François Bouvart, Robert Duchesnes, Claude Gutle
  • Publication number: 20100292522
    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: May 18, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: ChangMin Chun, Frank Hershkowitz
  • Publication number: 20100292523
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a reactor apparatus for pyrolyzing a hydrocarbon feedstock, the apparatus including: a reactor component comprising a refractory material in oxide form, the refractory material having a melting point of at least 2060° C. and which remains in oxide form when exposed to a gas having an oxygen partial pressure of 10?15 bar, a carbon partial pressure above the carbon partial pressure of the zirconium carbide and zirconium oxide phase transition at the same temperature, and at temperatures below the temperature of the zirconium triple point at the oxygen partial pressure of 10?15 bar; and ii) when exposed to a gas having an oxygen partial pressure of 10?15 bar and at temperatures above the zirconium triple point at the oxygen partial pressure of 10?15 bar. In some embodiments, the reactor comprises a regenerative pyrolysis reactor apparatus and in other embodiments it includes a reverse flow regenerative reactor apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Frank Hershkowitz, ChangMin Chun, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Shiun Ling, Gary David Mohr
  • Patent number: 7829752
    Abstract: A process for making lower olefins from a heavy hydrocarbon feed by use of a combination of thermal cracking and vapor-liquid separation, and, then, pyrolytically cracking the light fraction of the thermally-cracked heavy hydrocarbon feed to thereby produce a lower olefin product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Arthur James Baumgartner, Danny Yuk-Kwan Ngan
  • Publication number: 20100280136
    Abstract: A process for carrying out at least two unit operations in series, the process comprising the step of: (a) directing a feed stream into an integrated assembly which comprises a first microchannel unit operation upon at least one chemical of the feed stream to generate a distributed output stream that exits the first microchannel unit operation in a first set of discrete microchannels isolating flow through the discrete microchannels; and (b) directing the distributed output stream of the first microchannel unit operation into a second microchannel unit operation as a distributed input stream, to continue isolating flow between the first set of discrete microchannels, and conducting at least one operation upon at least one chemical of the input stream to generate a product stream that exits the second microchannel unit operation, where the first microchannel unit operation and the second unit operation share a housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Anna Lee Y. Tonkovich, Robert D. Litt, Timothy M. Werner, Bin Yang
  • Patent number: 7820035
    Abstract: A process for cracking heavy hydrocarbon comprising heating the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, mixing the heavy hydrocarbon 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, separating and cracking the vapor phase, and cooling the product effluent in a transfer line exchanger, wherein the amount of the fluid and/or the primary dilution steam stream mixed with the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock is varied in accordance with at least one selected operating parameter of the process, such as the temperature of the flash stream before entering the flash/separator vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobilChemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: James N. McCoy, David B. Spicer, Richard C. Stell
  • Publication number: 20100268010
    Abstract: A high-flux membrane, especially a sieving membrane, is used to separate a naphtha feedstock into a retentate fraction having a reduced concentration of normal paraffins for an enhanced reforming feed and a permeate fraction having an increased concentration of normal paraffins for an enhanced cracking feed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Inventor: Lynn H. Rice
  • Patent number: 7776286
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid is cracked by a process comprising: (a) heating said hydrocarbon feedstock; (b) mixing the heated hydrocarbon feedstock with steam to form a mixture stream; (c) introducing the mixture stream to a flash/separation apparatus to form i) a vapor phase comprising 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 condensing means downstream of the flash/separation apparatus to at least partially coalesce the coke precursors to provide residue hydrocarbon liquid, and subsequently removing the hydrocarbon liquid; (f) heating the treated overhead to provide a heated vapor phase (g) cracking the heated vapor phase in a radiant section of a pyrolysis furnace to produce an effluent comprising olefins, the pyrolysis furnace comprising a radiant section and a convection section; and (h) quenching the eff
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Stell, Nicholas G. Vidonic
  • Patent number: 7767170
    Abstract: A process is provided 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, optionally further heating the mixture, flashing the mixture within a flash/separation vessel to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase, partially condensing the vapor phase by contacting with a condenser within the vessel, to condense at least some coke precursors within the vapor while providing condensates which add to the liquid phase, removing the vapor phase of reduced coke precursors content as overhead and the liquid phase as bottoms, heating the vapor phase, cracking the vapor phase in a radiant section of a pyrolysis furnace to produce an effluent comprising olefins, and quenching the effluent and recovering cracked product therefrom. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Stell, George Stephens, Jennifer L. Bancroft, John R. Messinger
  • Patent number: 7763763
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the production of olefins wherein a synthetic naphtha is passed to a steam cracker. The synthetic naphtha is derived from the fractionation of a Fischer-Tropsch product stream. The Fischer-Tropsch product stream may be separated into a lighter fraction and a heavy fraction and the heavy fraction may be hydrotreated prior to fractionation. Optionally the synthetic naphtha may be hydrogenated to produce a saturated synthetic naphtha which can then be subsequently passed to the steam cracker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: BP Exploration Operating Company Limited
    Inventor: Josephus Johannes Helena Maria Font Freide
  • Publication number: 20100174130
    Abstract: A process for cracking a hydrocarbon feedstream containing non-volatile components in a hydrocarbon cracking furnace having upper and lower convection heating sections within a flue of the furnace, a radiant heating section downstream of and connected to said lower convection heating section, a transfer line exchanger downstream of and connected to said radiant heating section, a furnace box containing furnace burners and said radiant heating section, and a vapor/liquid separator vessel connected between the upper and lower convection heating sections, the process comprising (a) passing said hydrocarbon feedstream into said upper convection section to heat said hydrocarbon feedstream to a first temperature sufficient to flash at least a portion of the hydrocarbons within said hydrocarbon feedstream into a vapor phase to form a vapor/liquid stream; (b) passing said vapor/liquid stream out of said upper convection section and into said vapor/liquid separator to separate said vapor/liquid stream into a hydrocarb
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventors: David B. Spicer, Caleb M. Scherer, James M. Frye, Subramanian Annamalai
  • 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
  • Patent number: 7740750
    Abstract: A system and method for quantifying opaque inhomogeneities within a fluid sample. The system uses an optical lens system to focus a light beam onto a stage where the sample is introduced. The light beam is directed onto the sample in a pattern such that the intensity of transmitted light is measured as a function of path length. A photo detector measures the transmitted light through the sample. Fluctuations in transmitted light intensity are then correlated with detection of opaque inclusions in the sample. The system also includes an automated program which utilizes these optical concentration measurements to determine the fouling potential of visbroken tars, and regulates the introduction of chemical inhibitors into a visbreaker unit to improve the yield of light streams and/or economic value of product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: GE Betz, Inc.
    Inventors: Andre Vanhove, Tiffany N. Morris, Alan E. Goliaszewski, Brian W. Lasiuk, Donato Vinciguerra
  • Patent number: 7737317
    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: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: UOP LLC.
    Inventors: Michael A. Schultz, Jason T. Corradi
  • Patent number: RE42832
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for reforming organics into shorter-chain unsaturated organic compounds. A molten metal bath is provided which can cause homolytic cleavage of an organic component of an organic-containing feed. The feed is directed into the molten metal bath at a rate which causes partial homolytic cleavage of an organic component of the feed. Conditions are established and maintained in the reactor to cause partial homolytic cleavage of the organic component to produce unsaturated organic compounds, as products of the homolytic cleavage, which are discharged from the molten metal bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Quantum Catalytics, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Nagel, Thomas P. Griffin, Thomas A. Kinney, Kevin A. Sparks