REACTION SYSTEM AND PRODUCTS THEREFROM

• US 20120067777A1
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auterra, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Auterra, Inc.
• Inventors: Litz, Kyle E., Vreeland, Jennifer L., Rankin, Jonathan P., Thompson, Timothy A., DeLancey, Thomas W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,298,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 208/97
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/304 of sodium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/60 Inorganic bases or salts
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/604 Hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/504 characterised by a specific device
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/02 of the alkali- or alkaline earth metals or beryllium
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 19/00 Refining hydrocarbon oils in the absence of hydrogen, by alkaline treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 19/02 with aqueous alkaline solutions
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 19/067 with molten alkaline material
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 19/073 with solid alkaline material
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/202 Heteroatoms content, i.e. S, N, O, P
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/203 Naphthenic acids, TAN
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/308 Gravity, density, e.g. API
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/30 Aromatics
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 27/00 Refining of hydrocarbon oils in the absence of hydrogen, by oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 27/04 with oxygen or compounds generating oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 29/16 Metal oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 29/22 containing oxygen as the only hetero atom
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 53/12 including at least one alkaline treatment step
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 53/14 including at least one oxidation step

Abstract

A reaction system and method for removing heteroatoms from oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon streams and products derived therefrom are disclosed. An oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed is reacted in a reaction system thereby forming non-ionic hydrocarbon products. The products derived therefrom are useful as transportation fuels, lubricants, refinery intermediates, or refinery feeds.

Claims

1. A reaction method for reducing the heteroatom content, reducing total acid number, and increasing API gravity of oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams comprising:

providing oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams through a feed inlet region;

providing a contact region, the contact region having at least one caustic and a selectivity promoter operatively positioned therein;

contacting the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams in the contact region thereby producing substantially non-ionic hydrocarbon products having a heteroatom content less than the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams that entered through the inlet region; and

removing the substantially non-ionic hydrocarbon products having a heteroatom content less than the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams that entered through the inlet region from the contact region to an outlet region.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the inlet region receives the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams independently or as a mixture comprising oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams and a selectivity promoter, wherein the oxidized-heteroatom containing hydrocarbon feed streams combine with the selectivity promoter to contact the at least one caustic compound wherein the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbons of the feed streams react with the at least one caustic compound and the selectivity promoter such that the substantially non-ionic hydrocarbon products having a heteroatom content less than the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams that entered through the inlet region are produced thereby.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one caustic compound comprises:

a mixture of caustic compounds.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the mixture of caustic compounds is supported on an inert metal oxide.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the mixture of caustic compounds is at least one of a molten liquid and a molten mixture.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the caustic component of the reaction region comprises:

inorganic compounds that exhibit basic properties;

inorganic oxides from group IA and IIA elements; and

mixtures of oxides and hydroxides of group IA and IIA elements.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the caustic component of the reaction region comprises:

molten hydroxides of group IA and IIA elements.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the caustic component of the reaction region comprises:

Li₂O, Na₂O, K₂O, Rb₂O, Cs₂O, Fr₂O, BeO MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO, and the like and their mixtures or molten mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein the caustic component of the reaction region comprises:

LiOH, NaOH, KOH, RbOH, CsOH, FrOH, Be(OH)₂, Mg(OH)₂, Ca(OH)₂, Sr(OH)₂, Ba(OH)₂, and or mixtures thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a support component;

wherein the support component is at least one of an inert or active inorganic oxide and a porous support selected from the group comprising talc or inorganic oxides.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the inorganic oxides are oxides of elements of groups 2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 14, 15 and 16 of the Periodic Table of the Elements.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the inorganic oxides are selected from the group comprising:

silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide and also mixed oxides of the two elements and corresponding oxide mixtures.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the inorganic oxides are selected from the group comprising:

MgO, ZrO₂, TiO₂ or CaO, and or mixtures thereof.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the support component has a specific surface area in the range from 10 to 1000 m²/g, a pore volume in the range from 0.1 to 5 ml/g and a mean particle size in the range from 0.1 to 10 cm.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the selectivity promoter comprises:

an organic alcohol, ROH, wherein R is a C1-C18 alkyl-, aryl-, or alkenyl-group, that produces a substantially non-ionized hydrocarbon product.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the product is substantially insoluble in the caustic and is capable of exiting the outlet region with the hydrocarbon phase.

6. (canceled)

8-10. -10. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

16-17. -17. (canceled)

22-23. -23. (canceled)

26. A reaction method for reducing the heteroatom content, reducing total acid number, and increasing API gravity of oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams comprising:

providing oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams through a feed inlet region;

providing a contact region, the contact region having a molten mixture of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and a selectivity promoter operatively positioned therein;

contacting the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams in the contact region thereby producing substantially non-ionic hydrocarbon products having a heteroatom content less than the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams that entered through the inlet region; and

reducing total acid number, and increasing API gravity; and

removing the substantially non-ionic hydrocarbon products through an outlet region.

29. The reaction method of claim 26, wherein the selectivity promoter is methanol.

30. The reaction method of claim 26, wherein the selectivity promoter is ethylene glycol.

27. (canceled)

28. A reaction system for reducing the heteroatom content, reducing total acid number, and increasing API gravity of oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed streams comprising:

an oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed stream; and

a caustic and a selectivity promoter operatively positioned in a contact region wherein the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed stream contacts the caustic and selectivity promoter thereby producing substantially non-ionic hydrocarbon products having a heteroatom content less than the original oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed stream.