Process and system for processing asphaltenes-rich feed

A system for processing an asphaltenes-rich feed to produce an asphalt product and an olefin product, comprising:

• a first stripping column comprising a first inlet for receiving the asphaltenes-rich feed, a second inlet located below the first inlet for receiving a first stripping vapor stream, a third inlet located between the first inlet and the second inlet for receiving at least a portion of a C2-C3 paraffins-rich stream, a first outlet-at a bottom portion of the first stripping column for discharging a first bottoms effluent rich in asphaltenes, and a second outlet at a top portion of the first stripping column for discharging a first overhead effluent comprising a first stripping vapor and hydrocarbons;
• a second stripping column in fluid communication with the first stripping column adapted for receiving at least a portion of the first bottoms effluent and a second stripping steam stream, and discharging a second overhead effluent comprising a vacuum gas oil and a second bottoms effluent rich in asphaltenes suitable for making asphalt products;
• a pyrolysis furnace cracker in fluid communication with the first stripping column for receiving at least a portion of the first overhead effluent from the first stripping column, capable of operating under pyrolysis cracking conditions to convert at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the first overhead effluent into lighter hydrocarbons to produce a cracker product mixture effluent;
• a cracked product recovery subsystem in fluid communication with the pyrolysis furnace cracker for receiving the cracker product mixture effluent capable of separating the cracker product mixture effluent to produce the olefin product, wherein the cracked product recovery subsystem is configured to provide the C2-C3 paraffins-rich stream;
• and
• a recycle line configured to recycle at least a portion of the C2-C3 paraffins-rich stream to the first stripping column via the third inlet, wherein the C2-C3 paraffins-rich stream and the first stripping vapor stream are configured to strip the asphaltenes-rich feed in the first stripping column.

A process for producing an asphalt product and an olefin product from an asphaltenes-rich feed, the process comprising:

• (I) feeding the asphaltenes-rich feed to a first stripping column through a first inlet on the first stripping column;
• (II) feeding a first stripping vapor stream to the first stripping column through a second inlet on the first stripping column, the second inlet being located below the first inlet;
• (III) obtaining a first overhead effluent from the first stripping column;
• (IV) feeding at least a portion of the first overhead effluent to a pyrolysis furnace cracker operating under pyrolysis cracking conditions;
• (V) obtaining a cracker product mixture effluent from the pyrolysis furnace cracker;
• (VI) obtaining the olefin product from the cracker product mixture effluent in a cracked product recovery zone, wherein this step includes obtaining a C2-C3 paraffins-rich stream;
• (VII) recycling at least a portion of the C2-C3 paraffins-rich stream to the first stripping column, wherein the C2-C3 paraffins-rich stream is fed into the first stripping column through a third inlet on the first stripping column that is located below the first inlet and above the second inlet;
• (VIII) obtaining a first bottoms effluent from the first stripping column rich in asphaltenes by stripping the asphaltenes-rich feed using the C2-C3 paraffins-rich stream and the first stripping vapor stream;
• and
• (IX) obtaining the asphalt product from the first bottoms effluent, wherein (IX) comprises:
• (IX.a) feeding at least a portion of the first bottoms effluent to a second stripping column through a feed inlet;
• (IX.b) feeding a second stripping vapor stream into the second stripping column through a stripping vapor inlet below the feed inlet;
• (IX.c) obtaining a second overhead effluent at a top portion of the second stripping column and a second bottoms effluent at a bottom portion of the second stripping column from the second stripping column;
• (IX.d) condensing at least a portion of the second overhead effluent to obtain a liquid/vapor mixture;
• (IX.e) obtaining a liquid gas oil stream from the liquid/vapor mixture;
• and
• (IX.f) obtaining the asphalt product from the second bottoms effluent.