System and method for cleaning hydrocarbon contaminated water and converting lower molecular weight gaseous hydrocarbon mixtures into higher molecular weight highly-branched hydrocarbons using electron beam combined with electron beam-sustained non-thermal plasma discharge

• US 9,295,966 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jacob G. Appelbaum
• Original Assignee: Jacob G. Appelbaum
• Inventors: Appelbaum, Jacob G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Walter D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allen, Cameron J
• Application Number:
  US14/076,122
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 585/953
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/008 Processes for carrying out reactions under cavitation conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/085 Electron beams only
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0869 Feeding or evacuating the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0871 Heating or cooling of the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0875 Gas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/305 with electrons
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/34 with mechanical oscillations
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/74 with air aeration of stretches of water C02F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 11/08 Wet air oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/32 Hydrocarbons, e.g. oil
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2305/023 Reactive oxygen species, singlet oxygen, OH radical
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 50/00 Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from lower carbon number hydrocarbons, e.g. by oligomerisation

Abstract

A system or method converts long carbon chain fractions of crude oil into highly-branched liquefiable hydrocarbons by cavitating long carbon chain fractions of crude oil with natural gas. The cavitated long carbon chain fractions of crude oil are irradiated with an electron beam in combination with an electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge to create short carbon chain fractions. The short carbon chain fractions are enriched with natural gas and irradiated with an electron beam in combination with an electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge. The irradiated gas mixture is cooled so that the liquefiable highly-branched hydrocarbons can be removed.

Claims

1. A method for converting a gaseous hydrocarbon mixture into highly-branched liquefiable hydrocarbons, comprising:

(a) enriching natural gas with an alkyne to create an alkyne enriched natural gas mixture;

(b) irradiating the alkyne enriched natural gas mixture with an electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge to create an irradiated alkyne enriched natural gas mixture;

(c) cooling the irradiated alkyne enriched natural gas mixture to create a cooled irradiated alkyne enriched natural gas mixture; and

(d) removing liquefied highly-branched hydrocarbons from the cooled irradiated alkyne enriched natural gas mixture.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alkyne is acetylene.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the acetylene enriched natural gas mixture is irradiated with an electron beam and the electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alkyne enriched natural gas mixture is irradiated with an electron beam and the electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge.

5. A method for converting first carbon chain fractions of crude oil, the first carbon chain fractions having first carbon chains, into highly-branched liquefiable hydrocarbons, comprising:

(a) cavitating carbon chain fractions of crude oil with natural gas to create a natural gas cavitated carbon chain fractions of crude oil mixture;

(b) irradiating the natural gas cavitated carbon chain fractions of crude oil mixture with an electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge to create second carbon chain fractions, the second carbon chain fractions including carbon chains shorter than the first carbon chains of the first carbon chain fractions;

(c) mixing the second carbon chain fractions with natural gas to a create natural gas second carbon chain fractions mixture;

(d) irradiating the natural gas second carbon chain fractions mixture with an electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge to create an irradiated gas mixture;

(e) cooling the irradiated gas mixture to create a cooled irradiated gas mixture; and

(f) removing liquefied highly-branched hydrocarbons from the cooled irradiated gas mixture.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the natural gas cavitated first carbon chain fractions of crude oil mixture is irradiated with an electron beam and the electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the natural gas second carbon chain fractions mixture is irradiated with an electron beam and the electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the natural gas second carbon chain fractions mixture is irradiated with an electron beam and the electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge.

9. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second carbon chain fractions include carbon chains of eight carbons or less.

10. A method for converting first carbon chain fractions of crude oil, the first carbon chain fractions having first carbon chains, into highly-branched liquefiable hydrocarbons, comprising:

(a) cavitating long carbon chain fractions of crude oil with natural gas to create a natural gas cavitated long carbon chain fractions of crude oil mixture;

(b) irradiating the natural gas cavitated first carbon chain fractions of crude oil mixture with an electron beam to create second carbon chain fractions, the second carbon chain fractions including carbon chains shorter than the first carbon chains of the first carbon chain fractions;

(c) mixing the second carbon chain fractions with natural gas to create a natural gas second carbon chain fractions mixture;

(d) irradiating the natural gas carbon chain fractions mixture with an electron beam to create an irradiated gas mixture;

(e) cooling the irradiated gas mixture to create a cooled irradiated gas mixture; and

(f) removing liquefied highly-branched hydrocarbons from the cooled irradiated gas mixture.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second carbon chain fractions include carbon chains of eight carbons or less.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the natural gas cavitated first carbon chain fractions of crude oil mixture is irradiated with an electron beam and the electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge.

13. A method for converting a gaseous hydrocarbon mixture into highly-branched liquefiable hydrocarbons, comprising:

(a) enriching natural gas with an alkyne to create an alkyne enriched natural gas mixture;

(b) irradiating the alkyne enriched natural gas mixture with an electron beam to create an irradiated alkyne enriched natural gas mixture;

(c) cooling the irradiated alkyne enriched natural gas mixture to create a cooled irradiated alkyne enriched natural gas mixture; and

(d) removing liquefied highly-branched hydrocarbons from the cooled irradiated alkyne enriched natural gas mixture.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the alkyne is acetylene.

15. A method for converting first carbon chain fractions of crude oil, the first carbon chain fractions having first carbon chains, into highly-branched liquefiable hydrocarbons, comprising:

(a) cavitating first carbon chain fractions of crude oil with natural gas to create a natural gas cavitated first carbon chain fractions of crude oil mixture;

(b) irradiating the natural gas cavitated first carbon chain fractions of crude oil mixture with an electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge to create second carbon chain fractions, the second carbon chain fractions including carbon chains shorter than the first carbon chains of the first carbon chain fractions;

(c) mixing the second carbon chain fractions with natural gas to a create natural gas second carbon chain fractions mixture;

(d) irradiating the natural gas second carbon chain fractions mixture with an electron beam to create an irradiated gas mixture;

(e) cooling the irradiated gas mixture to create a cooled irradiated gas mixture; and

(f) removing liquefied highly-branched hydrocarbons from the cooled irradiated gas mixture.

16. A method for converting first carbon chain fractions of crude oil, the first carbon chain fractions having first carbon chains, into highly-branched liquefiable hydrocarbons, comprising:

(a) cavitating first carbon chain fractions of crude oil with natural gas to create a natural gas cavitated first carbon chain fractions of crude oil mixture;

(b) irradiating the natural gas cavitated first carbon chain fractions of crude oil mixture with an electron beam to create second carbon chain fractions, the second carbon chain fractions including carbon chains shorter than the first carbon chains of the first carbon chain fractions;

(c) mixing the second carbon chain fractions with natural gas to a create natural gas second carbon chain fractions mixture;

(d) irradiating the natural gas second carbon chain fractions mixture with an electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge to create an irradiated gas mixture;

(e) cooling the irradiated gas mixture to create a cooled irradiated gas mixture; and

(f) removing liquefied highly-branched hydrocarbons from the cooled irradiated gas mixture.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the natural gas cavitated first carbon chain fractions of crude oil mixture is irradiated with an electron beam and the electron beam sustained non-thermal plasma discharge.