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US 2026/0307986 A1Published application
Combined hydrogen production and sustainable fuels production
AssigneeLummus Technology Inc.
InventorsDaniel Bruce Gillis, James Small, Christine Conway
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments herein relate to systems and processes for producing fuels. The systems and processes include converting a hydrocarbon feed in a furnace of a hydrogen plant to produce hydrogen. The systems and processes further include heating a thermal oil in a convection zone of the furnace to produce a heated thermal oil. The hydrogen and a hydrocarbon feedstock are reacted and separated in a hydroprocessing plant to recover one or more fuel fractions, where, in the hydroprocessing plant, heat is provided for the reacting and separating using the heated thermal oil. In some embodiments, the hydroprocessing plant does not include a fuel combusting furnace.
Claims15
A process for producing fuels, the process comprising:
- converting a hydrocarbon feed in a furnace of a hydrogen plant to produce hydrogen;
- heating a thermal oil in a convection zone of the furnace to produce a heated thermal oil;
- reacting and separating the hydrogen and a hydrocarbon feedstock in a hydroprocessing plant to recover one or more fuel fractions;
- in the hydroprocessing plant, providing heat for the reacting and separating using the heated thermal oil.
1 more element
A process for producing fuels, the process comprising:
- combusting a fuel and preheated combustion air in a reforming reactor furnace comprising a combustion zone and a convection zone receiving a flue gas from the combustion zone;
- in the convection zone:
- preheating a hydrocarbon feed to form a preheated hydrocarbon feed;
- preheating combustion air to provide the preheated combustion air;
- heating water to make steam;
- and
- heating a thermal oil to form a heated thermal oil;
- converting the preheated hydrocarbon feed in the reforming reactor to produce hydrogen;
- feeding the hydrogen and a hydrocarbon feedstock to a hydroprocessing reaction zone comprising one or more hydroprocessing reactors;
- reacting the hydrogen and the hydrocarbon feedstock in the one or more hydroprocessing reactors to produce a hydroprocessed effluent comprising fuel range hydrocarbons having from 6 to 24 carbon atoms (C6 to C24 hydrocarbons);
- and
- separating the hydroprocessed effluent in one or more separators to recover one or more fuel fractions;
- wherein the reacting and separating steps comprise one or more of:
- preheating the hydrogen upstream of a reactor of the one or more hydroprocessing reactors using the heated thermal oil;
- preheating the hydrocarbon feedstock upstream of a reactor of the one or more hydroprocessing reactors using the heated thermal oil;
- heating a reboiler of a separator of the one or more separators using the heated thermal oil;
- and
- heating a feed to a separator of the one or more separators using the heated thermal oil.
15 more elements
A system for producing fuels, the system comprising:
- a reforming reactor furnace comprising a combustion zone, for combusting a fuel and preheated combustion air, and a convection zone, configured for receiving a flue gas from the combustion zone;
- one or more heating coils disposed within the convection zone and configured for:
- preheating a hydrocarbon feed to form a preheated hydrocarbon feed;
- preheating combustion air to provide the preheated combustion air;
- heating water to make steam;
- and
- heating a thermal oil to form a heated thermal oil;
- reaction tubes disposed within the reforming reactor furnace for converting the preheated hydrocarbon feed to produce a reformer effluent comprising hydrogen;
- a flow line feeding the hydrogen and a hydrocarbon feedstock to a hydroprocessing reaction zone comprising one or more hydroprocessing reactors;
- the one or more hydroprocessing reactors configured for reacting the hydrogen and the hydrocarbon feedstock to produce a hydroprocessed effluent comprising fuel range hydrocarbons having from 6 to 24 carbon atoms (C6 to C24 hydrocarbons);
- and
- one or more separators for separating the hydroprocessed effluent to recover one or more fuel fractions;
- wherein the system comprise one or more of:
- a first heat exchanger for preheating the hydrogen using the heated thermal oil, wherein the first heat exchanger is disposed upstream of a reactor of the one or more hydroprocessing reactors;
- a second heat exchanger for preheating the hydrocarbon feedstock using the heated thermal oil, wherein the second heat exchanger is disposed upstream of a reactor of the one or more hydroprocessing reactors;
- a reboiler, configured for providing reboil vapor to a separator of the one or more separators using heat obtained from the heated thermal oil;
- and
- a third heat exchanger configured for heating a feed to a separator of the one or more separators using the heated thermal oil.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.