Liquid-solid separation process and apparatus

A continuous fluidized process for upgrading a heavy liquid hydrocarbon charge containing solid or solid-forming contaminants, which process comprises:

• (a) atomizing said charge to provide a stream of liquid particles, said liquid particles being of a pre-selected size;
• (b) introducing said atomized charge substantially horizontally into a contacting zone;
• (c) introducing a stream of hot fluidized vaporizing media containing heated solid particles solely derived from said contaminants in said feed substantially vertically into said contacting zone to intimately contact said atomized charge therein, the temperature of said fluidized vaporizing media and the contact time with said atomized charge being sufficient to vaporize hydrocarbons in said charge while not inducing substantial cracking thereof;
• (d) vaporizing a substantial portion of said hydrocarbons to form a mixture of said solid particles entrained in the resulting vaporized hydrocarbons, said contaminants being deposited on said solid particles or forming new solid particles;
• (e) passing said mixture rapidly into a separation zone having an inlet positioned substantially opposite the point of introduction of said atomized charge into said contacting zone and separating solid particles from said vaporized hydrocarbons therein;
• (f) heating at least a portion of said separated solid particles to raise the temperature of said solid particles to a temperature higher than the temperature at which said vaporization occurs;
• (g) recycling the heated solid particles to said contacting zone to transfer heat to the atomized feed;
• and
• (h) condensing said vaporized hydrocarbons and recovering a hydrocarbon product having a substantially reduced content of said contaminants.