Method for mixing in a hydrocarbon conversion process

A sequential mixer for mixing a heated hydrocarbon stream and a supercritical fluid to produce an intimately mixed stream upstream of a supercritical reactor, the sequential mixer comprising:

• a body, the body having a body length and a body diameter;
• a hydrocarbon inlet, the hydrocarbon inlet physically connected to the body, the hydrocarbon inlet having an inlet diameter, wherein the heated hydrocarbon stream is introduced to the sequential mixer through the hydrocarbon inlet;
• a mixed stream outlet, the mixed stream outlet physically connected to the body and fluidly connected to the supercritical reactor, the mixed stream outlet having an outlet diameter;
• a traversing axis, the traversing axis extending through the center of the body from the hydrocarbon inlet to the mixed stream outlet;
• a cross-sectional axis, the cross-sectional axis perpendicular to the traversing axis;
• and
• a plurality of fluid ports, the plurality of fluid ports physically connected to the body, wherein the plurality of fluid ports are arranged in a port alignment arrayed along the traversing axis, wherein each fluid port of the plurality of fluid ports has a port diameter, wherein each fluid port has a port angle, wherein the supercritical fluid is injected through the plurality of fluid ports.

A system for producing an upgraded hydrocarbon stream, the system comprising:

• a sequential mixer, the sequential mixer configured to receive a heated hydrocarbon stream through a hydrocarbon inlet and configured to receive a supercritical fluid through a plurality of fluid ports to produce an intimately mixed stream, the intimately mixed stream comprising hydrocarbons and supercritical fluid, wherein the sequential mixer comprises:
• a body, the body having a body length and a body diameter, wherein the heated hydrocarbon stream and the supercritical fluid mix in the body to produce the intimately mixed stream;
• the hydrocarbon inlet physically connected to the body, the hydrocarbon inlet having an inlet diameter,
• a mixed stream outlet, the mixed stream outlet physically connected to the body and fluidly connected to the supercritical reactor, the mixed stream outlet having an outlet diameter,
• a traversing axis, the traversing axis extending through the center of the body from the hydrocarbon inlet to the mixed stream outlet, and
• a plurality of fluid ports, the plurality of fluid ports physically connected to the body, wherein the plurality of fluid ports are arranged in a port alignment arrayed along the traversing axis, wherein each fluid port of the plurality of fluid ports has a port diameter, wherein each fluid port has a port angle, wherein the supercritical fluid is injected through the plurality of fluid ports;
• a supercritical reactor, the supercritical reactor fluidly connected to the sequential mixer, the supercritical reactor configured to produce an effluent stream;
• a product exchanger, the product exchanger fluidly connected to the supercritical reactor, the product exchanger configured to cool the effluent stream to a temperature below the critical temperature of water to produce a cooled effluent;
• a pressure reducer, the pressure reducer fluid connected to the product exchanger, the pressure reducer configured to reduce the pressure of the cooled effluent to a pressure below the critical pressure of water to produce a product stream;
• a gas-liquid product separator, the gas-liquid product separator fluidly connected to the pressure reducer, the gas-liquid product separator configured to separate the product stream to produce a vapor phase product and a liquid phase product;
• a liquid product separator, the liquid product separator fluid connected to the gas-liquid separator, the liquid product separator configured to produce the upgraded hydrocarbon stream and a recovered fluid stream, wherein the upgraded hydrocarbon stream.