Flakes management in hydrocarbon processing units

#This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2011/060875 filed Jun. 29, 2011, claiming priority based on European Patent Application No. 10 305 746.9 filed Jul. 6, 2010, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

#Flakes management in hydrocarbon processing units. The instant invention discloses a method for the improvement of flakes recovery from hydrocarbon processing units and in particular slurry reactors as well as slurry flakes obtained thereof.

#Slurry reactors are typically used in hydrocarbon refining processes for the treatment of heavy residues such as conventional vacuum distillation residue (VR) or vacuum visbroken residues (VVR).

#An improved slurry pilot plant as well as its operation is now described with reference to appended FIGS. 1-5, which depict non-limitative units for upgrading a heavy feedstock and for recycling metals contained in a metal containing residue issued there from.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a slurry pilot that includes separation of flakes and filtrate and combined flakes and filtrate flow recycle;

#FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a slurry pilot comprising a solid-liquid separation in a first position;

#A feedstock is processed according to three main sections: additive and feedstock preparation 10, 20, reaction 40, 50, and separation 55, 60, 70. Additional optional solid-liquid separation 80 may be added. Each section can be made of different parts:

#1—Additives and feedstock preparation: precursor activation, hydrogen, catalyst and feedstock mixture, heating.

#2—Reaction: one or more reactors in series (preferably up to 3) for e.g. removal of sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, and optionally arsine and phosphorus.