Patent ID: 7220348

Claim:
A process for increasing the softening point and increasing the carbon yield of hydrocarbon materials which comprises: a) directly contacting at least one stream of the hydrocarbon materials with a heated stream comprising steam superheated under temperature, contact times, and superficial velocity conditions sufficient i) to increase the softening point of the hydrocarbon materials and ii) to provide a desired volume of liquid product in at least one suitable disengaging vessel, and a remaining volume of volatile overhead product and steam; b) condensing the volatile overhead product in at least one stage; c) recovering at least part of the volatile overhead product as distillate; d) condensing the steam in a second stage, and e) recovering a bottoms fraction containing the liquid products, wherein the contacting of the hydrocarbon stream and the superheated steam is carried out in at least one atomizing nozzle, wherein the hydrocarbon materials pass through the atomizing nozzle; and wherein the at least one atomizing nozzle substantially surrounds a supply of the hydrocarbon material with the stream of the superheated steam, wherein heated stream of steam is vaporized at temperatures ranging from 450 to 1800° F., a vapor rate of 0.1 to 10 pounds heated vapor per pound of charge, and a superficial velocity of about 5.5 feet per second or less, to provide vaporization temperatures ranging from about 400 to 1000° F., and the hydrocarbon material is contacted with the superheated stream of steam for a period ranging from 0.1 to 2 seconds.