US 7,569,136 B2 · Control system method and apparatus for two phase hydroprocessing

Abstract

A continuous liquid phase hydroprocessing process, apparatus and process control systems, where the need to circulate hydrogen gas through the catalyst is eliminated. By mixing and/or flashing the hydrogen and the oil to be treated in the presence of a solvent or diluent in which the hydrogen solubility is high relative to the oil feed, all of the hydrogen required in the hydroprocessing reactions may be available in solution. The oil/diluent/hydrogen solution can then be fed to a plug flow reactor packed with catalyst where the oil and hydrogen react. No additional hydrogen is required; therefore, the large trickle bed reactors can be replaced by much smaller tubular reactors. The amount of hydrogen added to the reactor can be used to control the liquid level in the reactor or the pressure in the reactor.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A continuous liquid phase hydroprocessing method using a reactor at a predetermined temperature during steady state operation and having an upper zone of gases and a substantially larger lower zone of hydrogen dissolved in a mixture of liquids surrounding a catalyst, whereby said liquids minimize fluctuations in said predetermined temperature, compnsing:

(a) blending a liquid feed, having a contaminant or contaminants of at least one of sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, metals, and combinations thereof, with a liquid diluent to form a continuous liquid phase diluent and feed mixture;
(b) blending said diluent and feed mixture with hydrogen, in a constant pressure environment, ahead of the reactor to form a continuous liquid phase feed, diluent and hydrogen mixture;
(c) introducing said continuous liquid phase feed, diluent and hydrogen mixture into the reactor;
(d) controlling the quantity of liquids in the reactor by monitoring said quantity of liquids and increasing or decreasing the quantity of hydrogen added in step b;
(e) venting excess gas from the reactor to facilitate controlling the quantity of liquids in the reactor;
and
(f) reacting the continuous liquid phase feed, diluent and hydrogen mixture at the active site of the catalyst in the reactor to remove the contaminant or contaminants from the feed mixture.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Control system method and apparatus for two phase hydroprocessing

Life of this patent

Control system method and apparatus for two phase hydroprocessing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims32