System and Method for Introducing an Additive into a Coking Process to Improve Quality and Yields of Coker Products

• US 20090152165A1
• Filed: 02/16/2009
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roger G. Etter
• Original Assignee: Roger G. Etter
• Inventors: ETTER, Roger G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,372,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 208/55
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 55/02 with solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 57/12 Applying additives during coking
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/002 in combination with oil conversion- or refining processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 57/00 Treatment of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by at least one cracking process or refining process and at least one other conversion process
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 9/005 Coking (in order to produce liquid products mainly)

Abstract

Gas oil components, coking process recycle, and heavier hydrocarbons are cracked or coked in the coking vessel by injecting an additive into the vapors of traditional coking processes in the coking vessel. The additive contains catalyst(s), seeding agent(s), excess reactant(s), quenching agent(s), carrier(s), or any combination thereof to modify reaction kinetics to preferentially crack or coke these components. The quenching effect of the additive can be effectively used to condense the highest boiling point compounds onto the catalyst(s), thereby focusing the catalyst exposure to these target reactants. With a catalyst to crack these highest boiling point materials, this mechanism can effectively increase the catalyst'"'"'s selectivity, thereby increasing its efficiency and reducing catalyst requirements and costs. Selective, catalytic conversion of the highest boiling point materials in the coking process product vapors (coker recycle and/or ‘heavy tail’ of the heavy coker gas oil) may be accomplished with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in varying degrees. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can also provide methods to control the (1) coke crystalline structure and (2) the quantity and quality of volatile combustible materials (VCMs) in the resulting coke. Pet coke from this process may have unique characteristics with substantial utility.

Claims

1. A process comprising introducing an additive into vapors in a coking vessel of a coking process to condense a vapor of a highest boiling point compound to facilitate contact with components of said additive.

2. A process of claim 1 wherein said contact of said highest boiling point compound of said vapors in said coking vessel with catalyst(s), seeding agent(s), excess reactant(s), or any combination thereof of said additive creates selective conversion of said highest boiling point compound of said vapors in said coking vessel.

3. A process of claim 2 wherein said selective conversion comprises cracking of said highest boiling point compound of said vapors in said coking vessel.

4. A process of claim 2 wherein said selective conversion comprises coking of said highest boiling point compound of said vapors in said coking vessel.

5. A process of claim 2 wherein said selective conversion comprises catalytic cracking, catalytic coking, thermal cracking, thermal coking, or any combination thereof.

6. A process of claim 1 wherein said additive is added to said vapors above a vapor-liquid interface in said coking vessel.

7. A process of claim 1 wherein said additive is added to said coking process by pressurized injection.

8. A process of claim 1 wherein said additive comprises catalyst(s), seeding agent(s), excess reactant(s), quenching agent(s), carrier fluid(s), or any combination thereof.

9. A process of claim 8 wherein components of said additive are combined by mixing that provides a sufficient level of blending said components prior to addition to said coking vessel of said coking process.

10. A process of claim 8 wherein the temperature of said additive is regulated by temperature control that provides a predetermined temperature level of said additive mixture prior to addition to said coking vessel of said coking process.

11. A process of claim 8 wherein said catalyst lowers an energy required for cracking reactions, coking reactions, or any combination thereof.

12. A process of claim 8 wherein said catalyst is a catalyst that provides propagation of carbon based free radicals that facilitate cracking and coking reactions.

13. A process of claim 8 wherein said catalyst comprises alumina, silica, zeolite, calcium, activated carbon, crushed pet coke, or any combination thereof.

14. A process of claim 8 wherein said catalyst comprises new catalyst, FCCU equilibrium catalyst, spent catalyst, regenerated catalyst, pulverized catalyst, classified catalyst, impregnated catalysts, treated catalysts, or any combination thereof.

15. A process of claim 8, wherein said catalyst has particle size characteristics to prevent entrainment in said vapors, to achieve fluidization in the coking vessel and increase residence time in said vapors, or any combination thereof.

16. A process of claim 8 wherein said excess reactant comprises gas oil, FCCU slurry oil, FCCU cycle oil, extract from an aromatic extraction unit, coker feed, bitumen, other aromatic oil, coke, activated carbon, coal, carbon black, or any combination thereof.

17. A process of claim 2 wherein said conversion of highest boiling point compounds of said vapors in said coking vessel is used to reduce recycle in a coking process, reduce heavy components in coker gas oils, or any combination thereof.

18. A process of claim 2 wherein said conversion includes cracking highest boiling point compounds of said vapors in said coking vessel to lighter hydrocarbons that leave the coking vessel as vapors and enter a downstream fractionator where said lighter hydrocarbons are separated into process streams that are useful in oil refinery product blending.

19. A process of claim 18 wherein said lighter hydrocarbon streams comprise naphtha, gas oil, gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel, diesel fuel, heating oil, or any combination thereof.

20. A process of claim 2 wherein said conversion includes coking highest boiling point compounds of said vapors in said coking vessel to coke in the coking vessel.

21. A product of claim 20 wherein said coke is acceptable quality for calcining.

22. A process comprising introducing an additive by pressurized injection into vapors in a coking vessel of a coking process to condense a vapor of a highest boiling point compound to facilitate contact with components of said additive;

wherein said additive comprises catalyst(s), seeding agent(s), excess reactant(s), quenching agent(s), carrier fluid(s), or any combination thereof; and

wherein said contact of said highest boiling point compound of said vapors in said coking vessel with said catalyst(s), said seeding agent(s), said excess reactant(s), or any combination thereof of said additive creates selective conversion of said highest boiling point compound of said vapors in said coking vessel.