Patent ID: 7931785
Filing Date: 2011-04-26
Classification: C10G

Abstract:
1. A method for cracking a heavy hydrocarbon into its light fractions comprising the steps of: (a) providing a heavy hydrocarbon in a closed chamber; (b) injecting a hydrogen-containing gas into said chamber; (c) mixing said heavy hydrocarbon with said hydrogen-containing gas to form a heterogeneous medium comprising at least a gas phase and a liquid dispersion phase interspersed therewith, said heterogeneous medium evenly dispersed throughout said chamber; (d) exposing said medium in said chamber at the same time to both an electron beam and an electric discharge field to initiate and maintain chain reactions of cracking in said heavy hydrocarbon, said chain reactions of cracking causing formation of light fractions from said heavy hydrocarbon; and (e) separating said light fractions from said medium.