Method to mitigate fouling of a vacuum wash bed
AssigneeMarathon Petroleum Company LP
InventorsGregory A. Cantley, James F. Johnson, Jeff Sexton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fluid medium such as light cycle oil, water, FCC slurry and decanted oil, improve this method for vacuum distillation of a petroleum product. The method may be used in the petroleum refining industry for fractionating of petroleum base stock in a vacuum column. The fluid medium prevents the formation of thermoset polymers and the resultant fouling of the wash beds in the vacuum column.
Claims5
A method of preventing build up, fouling, and hardening of thermoset polymers in a vacuum distillation column wash bed, wherein the introduction of feedstock is removed from the wash bed and the wash bed is allowed to cool down from peak operating temperatures, comprising the steps of:
- delivering a fluid medium to the wash bed to maintain the wash bed temperature at or above 350° Fahrenheit;
- wherein the maintenance of the wash bed temperature at or above 350° Fahrenheit prevents the solidification of any polymers that accumulate in the wash bed during normal operations, thus, preventing the polymers from hardening into a permanent foulant in the wash bed;
- and
- removing the polymers from the wash bed and vacuum distillation column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.