Multi-stage hydroprocessing in a single reaction vessel
AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorRamesh Gupta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for hydroprocessing liquid petroleum and chemical streams in a single reaction vessel containing two or more hydroprocessing reaction stages. The liquid product from the first reaction stage is stripped of H.sub.2 S, NH.sub.3 and other dissolved gases, then sent to the next downstream reaction stage. The product from the downstream reaction stage is also stripped of dissolved gases and sent to the next downstream reaction stage until the last reaction stage, the liquid product of which is stripped of dissolved gases and collected or passed on for further processing. The flow of treat gas is in a direction opposite the direction in which the reaction stages are staged for the flow of liquid.
Claims17
A process for hydroprocessing a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock, in the presence of a hydrogen-containing treat gas, in a single reaction vessel comprised of two or more vertically arranged reaction stages, each containing a hydroprocessing catalyst, wherein each reaction stage is followed by a non-reaction stage, and wherein the first reaction stage with respect to the flow of feedstock is the last reaction stage with respect to the flow of treat gas, and wherein each successive downstream reaction stage with respect to the flow of feedstock is the next successive upstream stage with respect to the flow of treat gas, and wherein both feedstock and treat gas flow co-currently in said reaction vessel;
- which process comprises:
- (a) reacting said hydrocarbonaceous feedstock, in a first reaction stage with respect to the flow of feedstock, in said reaction vessel in the presence of a treat gas comprised of once-through hydrogen-containing treat gas and recycle treat gas from a downstream reaction stage wherein said reaction stage contains a hydroprocessing catalyst and is operated at hydroprocessing conditions thereby producing a reaction product comprised of a liquid component and a vapor component;
- (b) separating the liquid component from said vapor component;
- (c) stripping said liquid component of dissolved gaseous material in a stripping stage only for that liquid component;
- (d) reacting said stripped liquid component of step (c) in the next downstream reaction stage with respect to the flow of feedstock, which reaction stage contains a hydroprocessing catalyst and is operated at hydroprocessing conditions, thereby resulting in a reaction product comprised of a liquid component and a vapor component;
- (e) separating said liquid component from said vapor component;
- (f) stripping said liquid component of dissolved gaseous material in a stripping stage only for that liquid component;
- and
- (g) repeating steps (d), (e), and (f) until the liquid stream is treated in the last downstream reaction stage with respect to the flow of feedstock.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.