Conversion of heavy petroleum oils to coke with a molten alkali metal hydroxide
AssigneeUnipure Corporation
InventorsErnest O. Ohsol, Thomas E. Gillespie, John W. Pinkerton, Thomas H. Laity
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Abstract
A method is described for making a high purity coke fuel or anode grade coke from a heavy petroleum residuum by contacting a molten anhydrous alkali metal hydroxide with the heavy petroleum residuum at a temperature and for a time sufficient to extract substantially all sulfur and heavy metals contained in the petroleum residuum to the alkali metal hydroxide and recovering the coke product.
Claims26
A coking process for making a coke product substantially free of heavy metals and sulfur from a heavy petroleum residuum, which method comprises the steps of:
- contacting a molten anhydrous alkali metal hydroxide with the petroleum residue under process conditions selected to convert said petroleum residuum to a coke product and volatiles and to substantially remove any heavy metals and sulfur found in the petroleum residuum;
- and
- recovering the coke product wherein said coke product is substantially free of heavy metals and sulfur.
A coking process for making a coke product substantially free of sulfur and heavy metals from a heavy petroleum residuum, which comprises the steps of:
- heating a molten anhydrous alkali metal hydroxide;
- contacting said heated molten anhydrous alkali metal hydroxide with the petroleum residuum to heat said petroleum residuum to an effective temperature and for a time sufficient to convert substantially all petroleum residuum to coke and volatile compounds and to react substantially all sulfur and heavy metals contained in the petroleum residuum to reaction products soluble in the alkali metal hydroxide;
- and
- recovering the coke, said coke being substantially free of sulfur and heavy metals.
A coking process for making a coke product substantially free of heavy metals and sulfur from a heavy petroleum residuum, which method comprises the steps of:
- feeding the heavy petroleum residuum into a contacting drum;
- feeding a molten anhydrous alkali metal hydroxide stream into the drum at a rate sufficient to maintain a weight ratio of alkali metal hydroxide to petroleum residuum of at least about five to one, said alkali metal hydroxide stream being greater than 95 percent pure;
- contacting said heavy petroleum residuum by flowing it upwardly and in countercurrent flow to the alkali metal hydroxide melt, through a perforated distributor at a linear velocity of from about 10 cm/s to about 40 cm/s to form droplets of the heavy petroleum residuum as it flows through the alkali metal hydroxide melt;
- heating the incoming stream of alkali metal hydroxide to a sufficient temperature to maintain the hydrocarbon inside the drum to a temperature of at least 450.degree. C., under a superatmospheric pressure;
- maintaining the heavy petroleum residuum in contact with the molten alkali metal hydroxide for a period of time from about 1 minute to about 30 minutes to form coke and volatile products and extract sulfur and heavy metal compounds from the heavy petroleum residuum into the alkali metal hydroxide phase;
- decanting the coke together with entrained alkali metal hydroxide melt through a side stream outlet;
- separating the coke from the entrained alkali metal hydroxide using filter means;
- and recovering the coke.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.