Reaction system and products therefrom

• US 8,877,043 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2014
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Renee E
• Application Number:
  US14/246,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20140216984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 211 Days
• Field of Search: 208/226, 208/238, 208/240, 208/245, 208/248, 208/249
• US Class Current: 208/226
• 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 process for reducing a concentration of oxidized heteroatom compounds from a mixture of hydrocarbons and the oxidized heteroatom compounds, the process comprising:

contacting the mixture of hydrocarbons and oxidized heteroatom compounds with a caustic compound supported on an inorganic oxide, the contacting occurring under conditions effective to promote the conversion of oxidized heteroatom-rich hydrocarbons into SO_x compounds;

removing the SO_x compounds from the mixture of hydrocarbons;

recovering a hydrocarbon product having a reduced heteroatom concentration.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the mixture of hydrocarbons and oxidized sulfur compounds are being contacted at a temperature between 50 to 450°

C.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the mixture of hydrocarbons and oxidized sulfur compounds are being contacted at a temperature between 200 to 450°

C.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the mixture of hydrocarbons and oxidized sulfur compounds are being contacted at a temperature between 300 to 350°

C.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the mixture of hydrocarbons includes one or more of crude oil, diesel, bitumen, gas oils, kerosene, lubricants or refinery intermediates.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein the crude oil is a light crude oil.

7. The process of claim 5, wherein the crude oil is a heavy crude oil.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the caustic compound is selected from Li₂O, Na₂O, K₂O, Rb₂O, Cs₂O, Fr₂O, BeO MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO, LiOH, NaOH, KOH, RbOH, CsOH, FrOH, Be(OH)₂, Mg(OH)₂, Ca(OH)₂, Sr(OH)₂, Ba(OH)₂, mixtures thereof and molten mixtures thereof.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the inorganic oxide is an oxide selected from groups 2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 14, 15 or 16 of the periodic table of elements.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the inorganic oxide is a metal oxide.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein the metal oxide is MgO, ZrO₂, TiO₂, or CaO.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein the inorganic oxide is aluminum oxide or silicon dioxide.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein the inorganic oxide has a surface area in the range of 10 to 1000 m²/g.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein the inorganic oxide has a pore volume in the range of 0.1 to 5 ml/g.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein the mean particle size of the inorganic oxide 0.5 to 3 cm.

16. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of regenerating the caustic compound.

17. The process of claim 16, further comprising the step of recycling the regenerated caustic compound.