Patent EA-001973-B1 (EA)
Title: Two-phase hydroprocessing method
Inventor: ACKERSON MICHAEL D
IPC: C10G2/00
Filed: 1998-06-23
Abstract: 1. A two phase hydroprocessing method and apparatus as described and shown herein. 2. The two-phase hydroprocessing method for treating an oil feed with hydrogen in a reactor, the improvement comprising the step of at least one of mixing and/or flashing the hydrogen and the oil feed to be treated in the presence of a solvent or diluent so that the percentage of hydrogen in solution is greater than the percentage of hydrogen in the oil feed to form a two liquid phase feed/diluent/hydrogen mixture and then separating the gas from the liquid mixture upstream of the reactor. 3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the solvent or diluent is selected from the group of heavy naptha, propane, butane, pentane, light hydrocarbons, light distillates, naptha, diesel, VGO, previously hydroprocessed stocks, or combinations thereof. 4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the feed is selected from the group of oil, petroleum fraction, distillate, resid, diesel fuel, deasphalted oil, waxes, lubes, specialty products, and the like. 5. A two phase hydroprocessing method comprising the steps of blending a feed with a diluent, saturating the diluent/feed mixture with hydrogen ahead of a reactor, reacting the feed/diluent/hydrogen mixture with a catalyst in the reactor to saturate or remove sulphur, nitrogen, oxygen, metals, or other contaminants, or for molecular weight reduction or for cracking. 6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the reactor is kept at a pressure of 500 5000 psi preferably 1000 - 3000 psi. 7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising the step of running the reactor at super critical solution conditions so that there is no solubility limit. 8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the process is a multi-stage process using a series of two or more reactors. 9. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of removing heat from the reactor affluent, separating the diluent from the reacted feed, and recycling the diluent to a point upstream of the reactor. 10. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein multiple reactors are used to saturate or remove sulphur, nitrogen, oxygen, metals, or other contaminants, or for molecular weight reduction or for cracking. 11. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein a controlled portion of the reacted feed is mixed with the blended feed ahead of the reactor. 12. The method as recited in at least one of claims 8 and 10, wherein the first stage is operated at conditions sufficient for removal of sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen and contaminants from the feed, (at least 620 K, 100 psi), after which, the contaminant H2S, NH3 and water are removed and a second stage reactor is then operated at conditions sufficient for aromatic saturation of the processed feed. 13. The method as recited in at least one of claims 2 and 5, wherein in addition to hydrogen, CO (carbon monoxide) is mixed with the hydrogen and the mixture is contacted with a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst for the synthesis of hydrocarbon chemicals. 14. A hydroprocessed, hydrotreated, hydrofinished, hydrorefined, hydrocracked, wax, lube, hydroisomerized, hydrodemetalized, Fischer-Tropsch, or the like product produced by one of claims 1 to 13 and 15 to 23. 15. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the reactor is kept at a pressure of 1000-3000 psi. 16. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the reactor is kept at a pressure of 500 - 5000 psi. 17. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the reactor is kept at a pressure of 1000-3000 psi. 18. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising the step of running the reactor at super critical solution conditions so that there is no solubility limit. 19. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the process is a multi-stage process using a series of two or more reactors. 20. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the step of removing heat from the reactor affluent, separating the diluent from the reacted feed, and recycling the diluent to a point upstream of the reactor. 21. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein multiple reactors are used to saturate or remove sulphur, nitrogen, oxygen, metals, or contaminants, or for molecular weight reduction or for cracking. 22. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein a controlled portion of the reacted feed is mixed with the blended feed ahead of the reactor. 23. The method as recited in at least one of claims 19 and 21, wherein the first stake is operated at conditions sufficient for removal of sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, and contaminants from the feed, (at least 620 K, 100 psi), after which, the contaminant H2S, NH3 and water are removed and a second stage reactor is then operated at conditions sufficient for aromatic saturation of the processed feed. 24. An apparatus or system for practicing at least one of the methods of at least one of claims 1-13 and 15-23. 25. The apparatus or system as recited in claim 24 and shown in one of Figures 1 - 5