Patent ID: 11866447
Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C  B | IPC B  C

Claim 9:
10. A system to convert asphaltenes to partially oxidized asphaltenes, the system comprising:
a feedstock pump configured to increase a pressure of a feedstock to produce a pressurized feedstock, wherein the feedstock comprises greater than 0.1 weight percent of carbon 7-asphaltene (C7-asphaltene) content;
a feedstock heater fluidly connected to the feedstock pump, the feedstock heater configured to increase a temperature of the pressurized feedstock to produce a heated feedstock;
a water pump configured to increase a pressure of a water stream to produce a pressurized water stream;
a water heater fluidly connected to the water pump, the water heater configured to produce a supercritical water;
a feed mixer fluidly connected to the feedstock heater and the water heater, the feed mixer configured to mix the heated feedstock and the supercritical water to produce a mixed feed, wherein the feed mixer is selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic device, agitator-equipped vessel, and a tee fitting;
a pre-heater fluidly connected to the feed mixer, the pre-heater configured to produce a reactor feed;
a tubular reactor fluidly connected to the pre-heater, the tubular reactor configured to produce a reactor effluent, wherein the tubular reactor comprises one or more pipes in series, wherein the tubular reactor has a residence time between 0.5 minutes and 30 minutes;
a vessel reactor fluidly connected to the tubular reactor, the vessel reactor configured to produce an upper reactor effluent and a bottom reactor effluent, wherein the vessel reactor comprises a disengagement zone and an asphaltene collection zone, wherein the disengagement zone is positioned at a greater elevation than the asphaltene collection zone, wherein a distributer in the asphaltene collection zone is configured to distribute oxidizing agent stream into the asphaltene collection zone, wherein the oxidizing agent stream comprises oxidizing agent and water;
an upper cooler fluidly connected to the disengagement zone, the upper cooler configured to produce a cooled upper effluent;
a pressure control unit fluidly connected to the upper cooler, the pressure control unit configured to produce an upper upgraded stream;
a bottom cooler fluidly connected to the asphaltene collection zone, the bottom cooler configured to produce a cooled bottom effluent;
a pressure regulator unit fluidly connected to the bottom cooler, the pressure regulator unit configured to produce a centrifuge feed;
a centrifuge fluidly connected to the pressure regulator unit, the centrifuge configured to produce a centrate and a rejected phase;
a product mixer fluidly connected to the pressure control unit and the centrifuge, the product mixer configured to mix the upper upgraded stream and the centrate to produce a mixed upgraded stream; and
a three-phase separator fluidly connected to the product mixer, the three-phase separator configured to produce a gas product, an upgraded oil product, and a water product.