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US 11,441,088 B2Granted
Controlled blending of transmix fractions into defined hydrocarbon streams
AssigneeTexon Ip
InventorsJohn Colin Robbins, Gary S. Wawak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Automated methods and systems for blending high sulfur hydrocarbons, particularly those derived from transmix, into low sulfur hydrocarbon streams are provided. Also provided are methods for splitting transmix into usable hydrocarbon fractions and blending the fractions back into defined hydrocarbon streams.
Claims19
A system for blending off transmix into a defined hydrocarbon stream without violating a pre-determined physical property limit comprising:
- a) a defined hydrocarbon stream comprising a hydrocarbon flow rate, a hydrocarbon value for the physical property, and either distillate or gasoline;
- b) a fractional transmix stream in fluid communication with the defined hydrocarbon stream comprising a fractional transmix flow rate, a fractional transmix stream value for the physical property, and either distillate or gasoline;
- c) a blended stream comprising a combination of the fractional transmix stream and the hydrocarbon stream comprising a blended flow rate, a blended value for the physical property, and either distillate or gasoline;
- d) an IPU on which is stored a maximum value of the physical property for the hydrocarbon stream, programmed to calculate a ratio or rate at which the fractional transmix stream can be added to the hydrocarbon stream based on the maximum value and a measured value for the physical property of at least one of the fractional transmix stream, the hydrocarbon stream, and the blended stream;
- e) a sampler and a physical property analyzer at a sampling point on at least one of the fractional transmix stream, hydrocarbon stream or blended stream in electronic communication with the IPU, electronically configured to withdraw samples from the fractional transmix stream, hydrocarbon stream, or blended stream, measure the physical property of the fractional transmix stream, hydrocarbon stream or blended stream, and transmit or make accessible the measured physical property to the IPU;
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- f) a flow regulator interposed between the transmix and hydrocarbon streams, in electronic communication with the IPU, electronically configured to receive or access the rate or ratio from the IPU and adjust the transmix flow rate without exceeding the rate or ratio.
4 more elements
A system for blending off hydrocarbon sulfur into a defined hydrocarbon stream without violating a pre-determined sulfur concentration limit comprising:
- d) a defined hydrocarbon stream comprising a defined hydrocarbon sulfur concentration and a defined hydrocarbon flow rate;
- e) a second hydrocarbon stream in fluid communication with the defined stream, comprising a second sulfur concentration higher than the defined hydrocarbon sulfur concentration and a second flow rate;
- f) a blended stream comprising a combination of the defined stream and the second hydrocarbon stream;
- g) an IPU on which is stored a maximum sulfur concentration for the defined stream, programmed to calculate a ratio or rate at which the second hydrocarbon stream can be added to the defined stream based on the maximum sulfur concentration and a measured sulfur concentration of the defined stream, the second hydrocarbon stream, or the blended stream;
- h) a sampler and a sulfur analyzer at a defined stream, second hydrocarbon stream or blended stream sampling point in electronic communication with the IPU, electronically configured to withdraw samples from the defined stream, second hydrocarbon stream or blended stream, measure the sulfur concentration of the defined stream, second hydrocarbon or blended stream, and transmit or make accessible the measured sulfur concentration to the IPU;
- and
- i) a flow regulator interposed between the defined hydrocarbon and second hydrocarbon streams, in electronic communication with the IPU, electronically configured to receive or access the rate or ratio from the IPU and adjust the second flow rate without exceeding the rate or ratio.
4 more elements
A system for recycling petroleum transmix comprising:
- a) a transmix supply comprising distillate transmix and gasoline transmix;
- b) a hydrocarbon splitter in fluid communication with the transmix supply, capable of splitting the distillate transmix and gasoline transmix based on boiling point;
- c) piping exiting the splitter configured to direct distillate transmix toward a flow regulator, wherein the distillate transmix has a sulfur concentration and a flow rate;
- d) a recipient distillate stream comprising a recipient sulfur concentration and a recipient flow rate;
- e) an IPU on which is stored a maximum sulfur concentration for the recipient distillate stream, programmed to calculate a ratio or rate at which the distillate transmix can be added to the recipient distillate stream based on the maximum sulfur concentration and the actual sulfur concentration of the distillate transmix stream;
- f) a sampler and a sulfur analyzer at a distillate transmix sampling point in fluid communication with the transmix distillate and in electronic communication with the IPU, electronically configured to withdraw samples periodically from the transmix distillate, measure the sulfur concentration of the sample, and transmit or make accessible the sulfur concentration to the IPU;
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- g) a flow regulator interposed between the recipient distillate stream and the transmix distillate, in electronic communication with the IPU, electronically configured to receive or access the ratio from the IPU and adjust the rate or ratio at which the transmix distillate is added to the recipient distillate stream without exceeding the rate or ratio.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.