REACTOR AND PROCESS FOR UPGRADING HEAVY HYDROCARBON OILS
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for upgrading a hydrocarbon by reaction with a fluid comprising water under supercritical water conditions comprising:
- a. means for dispersing and mixing the fluid comprising water and the hydrocarbon under conditions which disfavor thermal cracking and formation of coke.b. means for injecting a dispersed water-hydrocarbon mixture into is a reaction zone under supercritical water conditions;
c. a reaction zone having means for maintaining a uniform temperature within said reaction zone;
means for controlling the residence time in the reaction zone within determined limits and means for avoiding the settling of inorganic solids within the reaction zone; and
d. means for recovering an upgraded hydrocarbon.
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Abstract
A reactor for conducting a process using supercritical water to upgrade a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock into an upgraded hydrocarbon product or syncrude with highly desirable properties (low sulfur content, low metals content, lower density (higher API), lower viscosity, lower residuum content, etc.) is described. The reactor is operable under continuous) semi-continuous or batch mode and is equipped with means to enable momentum, heat and mass transfer in and out of and within the reactor.
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10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for upgrading a hydrocarbon by reaction with a fluid comprising water under supercritical water conditions comprising:
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a. means for dispersing and mixing the fluid comprising water and the hydrocarbon under conditions which disfavor thermal cracking and formation of coke. b. means for injecting a dispersed water-hydrocarbon mixture into is a reaction zone under supercritical water conditions; c. a reaction zone having means for maintaining a uniform temperature within said reaction zone;
means for controlling the residence time in the reaction zone within determined limits and means for avoiding the settling of inorganic solids within the reaction zone; andd. means for recovering an upgraded hydrocarbon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification