Patent GB-477944-A (GB)
Title: Process for the production of hydrocarbon products, in particular motor fuels such as benzine, diesel oil and the like, by treatment of liquid or fusible carbonaceous material with hydrogenating gases
IPC: C10G47/00
Filed: 1937-05-18
Abstract: Valuable liquid hydrocarbon products are obtained by treating liquid or fusible carbonaceous materials containing 2--50 per cent asphalt (as determined by the propane method) with hydrogenating gases in presence of a stationarily arranged catalyst of at least standard hydrogenating activity while maintaining such a hydrogen partial pressure of at least 250 atmos. at which the activity of the catalyst does not substantially decrease within one week.  A catalyst has at least the standard hydrogenating activity specified if it is capable of bringing per litre of reaction space and per hour at least 150 and preferably 250 litres of hydrogen into reaction when used in the hydrogenation of a middle oil of boiling range 200--325 DEG  C. and specific gravity 0,840, which is passed over the catalyst to be tested at the rate of 1,5 kg. of oil per hour per litre of catalyst along with 3 cubic meters of hydrogen (measured at N.T.P.) per kg. of oil under a pressure of 200 atmos. and at 405 DEG  C., 0,5 to 1 kg. of benzine per hour per litre of catalyst being produced.  Examples of such catalyst are sulphide and oxides of heavy metals, e.g. tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium, and rhenium, if prepared as described in Specifications 348,690, 379,335, and 455,313.  The propane method for the determination of asphalt content comprises treating the material in a closed vessel with 3--6 times its volume of propane at about 60 DEG  C. and separating the precipitated asphalt, the volume of asphalt being calculated as a percentage of that part of the initial material boiling above 325 DEG  C.  Materials containing more than 50 per cent asphalt are pretreated by distillation or solvent precipitation to reduce the quantity of asphalt, or by mild hydrogenation.  The solid, e.g. ash content, of the initial material should be reduced to below 0,01 per cent by filtration or centrifuging.  The requisite hydrogen partial pressure, below which the catalytic activity falls off, rises with increase in the percentage of asphalt in the material, being 300--350 atmos. for a 2 per cent asphalt content and 500--600 for a 20--30 per cent content, and a preliminary experiment is made to determine the pressure required with the particular material treated.  Crude mineral oil freed from solids by filtration and having a specific gravity of 0,906 at 20 DEG  C. and containing 30 per cent asphalt, as determined by the propane method, is passed at the rate of 1 kg. per hour together with 1500 litres of hydrogen per hour per litre of catalyst under a partial pressure of 600 atmos. and at a temperature of 430 DEG  C. over tungsten disulphide prepared as described in Specification 379,335 and stationarily arranged in a reaction vessel. In continuous operation conducted over one month a product is obtained containing 45 parts benzine of end point 190 DEG  C. 40 parts gas oil of end point 340 DEG  C., and 15 parts of residual oil which is recycled.