Rapid thermal processing of heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feedstock that utilizes a short residence pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that cracks and chemically upgrades the feedstock. The method for upgrading a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock comprises introducing a particulate heat carrier into an upflow reactor, introducing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock into the upflow reactor at a location above that of the particulate heat carrier so that a loading ratio of the particulate heat carrier to feedstock is from about 15:1 to about 200:1, allowing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock to interact with the heat carrier with a residence time of less than about 1 second, to produce a product stream, separating the product stream from the particulate heat carrier, regenerating the particulate heat carrier, and collecting a gaseous and liquid product from the product stream.

1 . A fast pyrolysis system for recovering greater than 60% vol. of a transportable liquid feedstock product having a viscosity of about 15 to about 300 cSt at 40° C. from a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, said fast pyrolysis system comprising:
 i) a feed system; 
 ii) the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock; 
 iii) a particulate heat carrier; 
 iv) a particulate heat carrier separation system; 
 v) a particulate heat carrier reheating system; and 
 vi) a product collecting system. 
 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the feed system is capable of introducing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock into an upflow pyrolysis reactor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock is introduced in a preheated state into the upflow pyrolysis reactor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the feed system regulates the flow of the preheated heavy hydrocarbon feedstock into the upflow reactor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the feed system is optionally associated with a recirculation/transfer pump. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock is introduced via injection. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate heat carrier is a particulate inorganic heat carrier. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate heat carrier separation system is capable of separating the particulate heat carrier from a product stream and recycling the particulate heat carrier to a reheating/regenerating system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the product collecting system is capable of cooling and collecting the feedstock product. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fast pyrolysis system upgrades the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock to the transportable liquid feedstock product by:
 a) interacting the particulate heat carrier with the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock in a preheated state in the upflow reactor, said the particulate heat carrier to said heavy hydrocarbon feedstock loading ratio from about 10:1 to about 200:1, to produce a mixed product stream;   b) separating a first product stream from said mixed product stream resulting in a residue stream comprising primarily the particulate heat carrier;   c) separating said first product stream into a lighter fraction and a heavier fraction, said heavier fraction recycled back into said upflow reactor for further processing to produce a second product stream; and   d) collecting the transportable liquid feedstock product from said light fraction and second product stream.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the introduced heavy hydrocarbon feedstock enters just below a mixing zone in said upflow reactor and is contacted by an upward flowing stream of hot [inert] heat carrier within a transport fluid [a recycle gas]. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the interaction of the particulate heat carrier with the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock is within the mixing zone of said upflow reactor. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the loading ratio of said particulate heat carrier and said heavy hydrocarbon feedstock is from about 15:1 to about 200:1. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the loading ratio provides a rapid, ablative, and consistent transfer of heat from the heat carrier to the feedstock. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein introduction of the particulate heat carrier and the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock to the upflow reactor is conducted at a processing temperature from about 480° C. to about 620° C. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the interaction of the particulate heat carrier with the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock in the upflow reactor is conducted at a processing temperature from about 480° C. to about 590° C. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the system regulates the interaction between the particulate heat carrier and the feedstock by the controlling the amount of residence time of said interaction. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the particulate heat carrier interacts with the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock in the upflow reactor for a residence time of less than about 5 seconds. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the system allows for mild cracking of the feedstock, while minimizing over cracking. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the product stream contains minimal non-condensable gas. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the liquid product is transported without the addition of diluents. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the transportable liquid is suitable as pipeline feedstock. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the transportable liquid feedstock product is characterized by having one or more of the following:
 1) a reduced viscosity of more than 25 fold lower than that of the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock;   2) a reduced metal content, comprising a reduced Vanadium content of about 60 to 100 ppm, or a reduced nickel content of about 10 to about 50 ppm;   3) an increased API gravity from about 13 to about 23;   4) a boiling point of less than about 600° C.; and   5) a yield of the transportable liquid feedstock product is at least 60 vol. %.