REACTION SYSTEM AND PRODUCTS THEREFROM

• US 20140131256A1
• Filed: 01/21/2014
• Published: 05/15/2014
• 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., DeLancey, Thomas W., Thompson, Timothy A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,961,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 208/232
• 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 a heteroatom content, reducing a total acid number, and increasing API gravity of an oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed stream comprising:

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

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

contacting the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed stream in the contact region thereby producing a substantially non-ionic hydrocarbon product having a reduced concentration of oxidized-heteroatom compounds than the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed stream that entered through the feed inlet region;

reducing a total acid number, and increasing API gravity; and

removing the substantially non-ionic hydrocarbon products from the feed stream.

2. The reaction method of claim 1, wherein the polyol is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerol, pinacol and a combination thereof.

3. The reaction method of claim 1, wherein the non-ionic hydrocarbon is an unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon.

4. The reaction method of claim 3, wherein the unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon is an unsubstituted biphenyl.

5. The reaction method of claim 1, wherein the step of contacting the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed stream in the contact region produces an SO_x containing compound.

6. The reaction method of claim 5, wherein the SO_x containing compound is a sulfate containing compound.

7. A reaction method for reducing a heteroatom content, reducing a total acid number, and increasing API gravity of an oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed stream comprising the steps of:

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

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

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

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

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the feed inlet region receives the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed stream independently or as a mixture comprising oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed stream and a selectivity promoter, wherein the oxidized-heteroatom containing hydrocarbon feed stream combine with the selectivity promoter to contact the at least one caustic compound wherein the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon of the feed stream react with the at least one caustic compound and the selectivity promoter such that the substantially non-ionic hydrocarbon product having a heteroatom content less than the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed stream that entered through the feed inlet region are produced thereby.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one caustic compound is a mixture of caustic compounds.

10. The method of claim 7, comprising an additional step of heating the contact region to approximately 50-450°

C.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the mixture of caustic compounds is supported on an inert metal oxide.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the mixture of caustic compounds is at least one of a molten liquid and a molten mixture.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the one caustic is selected from the group consisting of Li₂O, Na₂O, K₂O, Rb₂O, Cs₂O, Fr₂O, BeO MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO, mixtures thereof and 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 mixtures thereof.

15. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

providing 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.