Patent ID: 9656230
Date: 2017-05-23
CPC Classifications: B01J,C10G,E21B

Claim:
1. An apparatus for upgrading heavy crude oil and highly waxy crude oil in an environment free of an externally supplied catalyst or externally supplied hydrogen source, the apparatus comprising: a mixing zone operable to combine a heavy crude oil, which has an API gravity of less than 30°, and a highly waxy crude oil, which has a pour point temperature greater than room temperature and has an API gravity of greater than 30°, with a water feed at a slightly elevated temperature to create a modified oil/water mixture, wherein the modified oil/water mixture is in the absence of externally supplied hydrogen; a heater and tube in a pre-heating zone that is fluidly connected with the mixing zone, the pre-heating zone operable to heat the modified oil/water mixture to a temperature up to 350° C.; a high pressure pumping means, the high pressure pumping means operable to increase pressure of the modified oil/water mixture to at least the critical pressure of water to produce a pre-heated mixture; a reaction zone comprising an inner portion of a main reactor, wherein the reaction zone is fluidly connected with the pre-heating zone; the main reactor being operable to withstand a temperature that is at least as high as the critical temperature of water; the main reactor being operable to withstand pressure in excess of the critical pressure of water, the reaction zone being essentially free of an externally-provided catalyst and essentially free of an externally-provided hydrogen source; a pressure regulating device; a liquid-gas separator fluidly connected to the pressure regulating device, the liquid-gas separator operable to create a liquid stream and a gas stream; and a water-oil separator fluidly connected to the liquid-gas separator via the liquid stream, the water-oil separator operable to create a recovered water stream and an upgraded hydrocarbon stream.