Conversion of liquid heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks to gaseous products

• US 8,653,149 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sure Champion Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: GreatPoint Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Robinson, Earl T., Raman, Pattabhi K., Wu, Wenyuan
• Primary Examiner(s): PARSA, JAFAR F
• Application Number:
  US13/116,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20110294905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 518/700, 518/702, 518/703, 518/704, 518/717
• US Class Current: 518/704
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0244 the reforming step being an autothermal reforming step, e.g. secondary reforming processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0255 containing a non-catalytic partial oxidation step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0894 Generation of steam
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/36 using oxygen or mixtures containing oxygen as gasifying agents
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/382 Multi-step processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 11/02 characterised by the catalyst used
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 11/20 by direct contact with inert heated gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 11/22 produced by partial combustion of the material to be cracked
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/30 from carbon monoxide with hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/807 Steam
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/20 C2-C4 olefins
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0906 Physical processes, e.g. shredding, comminuting, chopping, sorting
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0969 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0976 as steam
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0986 Catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0989 Hydrocarbons as additives to gasifying agents to improve caloric properties
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1807 Recycle loops, e.g. gas, solids, heating medium, water
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/02 Fixed-bed gasification of lump fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/46 Gasification of granular or pulverulent flues in suspension
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/08 Production of synthetic natural gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/12 : Liquefied petroleum gas liquefying by pressure and cold treatment F25J
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/40 : Ethylene production

Abstract

The present invention relates to processes and apparatuses for generating light olefins, methane and other higher-value gaseous hydrocarbons from “liquid” heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks.

Claims

1. A process for generating a gaseous raw product stream from a liquid heavy hydrocarbon material, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) dispersing the liquid heavy hydrocarbon material in a gaseous carrier to produce a dispersed heavy hydrocarbon feed;

(b) introducing a superheated gas feed stream comprising heat energy and steam, and optionally carbon monoxide and hydrogen, into a reactor containing a bed of an alkali metal-impregnated carbonaceous carrier;

(c) optionally introducing an oxygen-rich stream into the reactor to generate heat energy and, optionally, carbon monoxide and hydrogen in situ;

(d) contacting the dispersed heavy hydrocarbon feed with steam, carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of the bed of the alkali metal-impregnated carbonaceous carrier, at an elevated pressure and at a temperature of from about 1100°

F. to about 1400°

F., to generate a raw gaseous mixture comprising methane, one or both of ethylene and propylene, and one or both of ethane and propane; and

(e) withdrawing a stream of the raw gaseous mixture from the reactor as the gaseous raw product stream,

wherein the reaction in step (d) has a syngas demand, and the syngas demand is at least substantially satisfied by carbon monoxide and hydrogen that may be present in the superheated gas feed stream, and by carbon monoxide and hydrogen that may be generated in step (c).

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the liquid heavy hydrocarbon material is fed into the reactor at one or more feed points, the gaseous raw product stream is withdrawn from the reactor at one or more withdrawal points, and there is a vapor residence time from a feed point to a withdrawal point of less than about 2 seconds.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the raw gaseous product stream comprises at least about 30 mol % methane+ethane+propane (dry basis).

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the raw gaseous product stream comprises at least about 8 mol % ethylene+propylene (dry basis).

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the liquid heavy hydrocarbon material is atomized in the gaseous carrier to produce the dispersed heavy hydrocarbon feed.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the gaseous carrier predominantly comprises superheated steam.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the elevated pressure is up to about 1000 psig.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the elevated pressure is up to about 600 psig.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein an oxygen-rich gas stream is fed into the reactor.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the amount of oxygen provided is varied as a process control to assist control of the temperature in the reactor.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the reactor comprises a collection zone in the bottom of the reactor, and an oxygen-rich gas stream is fed into the collection zone.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein the superheated gas stream comprises carbon monoxide and hydrogen from a gas-based syngas generator.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein a gas-based syngas generator is used to generate the superheated gas stream.

14. The process of claim 12, wherein the syngas generator utilizes a non-catalytic gaseous partial oxidation process or an autothermal reforming process.

15. The process of claim 13, wherein the syngas generator utilizes a non-catalytic gaseous partial oxidation process or an autothermal reforming process.

16. The process of claim 1, wherein heat energy is recovered from the gaseous raw product stream, and at least a portion of the recovered heat energy is used to generate steam for use in the process.

17. The process of claim 1, wherein a bleed stream of the bed is withdrawn from the reactor, and the bleed stream is hydromethanated to generate a methane-enriched synthesis gas stream and a by-product char.

18. The process of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the by-product char is returned to the reactor as recycle catalyst bed.

19. The process of claim 1, wherein a bleed stream of the bed is withdrawn from the reactor, and the bleed stream is gasified to generate a syngas stream comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and heat energy.

20. The process of claim 1, wherein the liquid heavy hydrocarbon material comprises a material selected form the group consisting of vacuum resids;

atmospheric resids;

heavy and reduced petroleum crude oils;

pitch, asphalt and bitumen;

tar sand oil;

shale oil;

bottoms from catalytic cracking processes; and

coal liquefaction bottoms.