Methods and systems for upgrading hydrocarbon

Abstract

Methods and systems of upgrading hydrocarbon material, such as bituminous material, are described. The methods and systems can reduce or eliminate the need for the use of atmospheric and/or vacuum distillation towers by instead using clyconic separation apparatus. The methods and systems can include the use of one or more cyclonic separation apparatus aligned in series in order to separate out a high boiling point fraction of the hydrocarbon material and then upgrading the high boiling point hydrocarbon material in a nozzle reactor.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A hydrocarbon upgrading method comprising:
 providing a hydrocarbon material having light hydrocarbon molecules and heavy hydrocarbon molecules;   separating the light hydrocarbon molecules of the hydrocarbon material from the heavy hydrocarbon molecules of the hydrocarbon molecules using a cyclonic separation; and   upgrading the heavy hydrocarbon molecules in a nozzle reactor.   
     
     
         2 . The hydrocarbon upgrading method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon material comprises bitumen. 
     
     
         3 . The hydrocarbon upgrading method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the light hydrocarbon molecules have a boiling point temperature less than 1,050° F. and the heavy hydrocarbon molecules have a boiling point temperature greater than 1,050° F. 
     
     
         4 . The hydrocarbon upgrading method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein upgrading the heavy hydrocarbon molecules comprises:
 injecting a stream of cracking material through a converging then diverging passage of a cracking material injector into a reaction chamber; and   injecting the heavy hydrocarbon molecules into the reaction chamber adjacent to the cracking material injector and transverse to the stream of cracking material entering the reaction chamber from the cracking material injector.   
     
     
         5 . The hydrocarbon upgrading method as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the heavy hydrocarbon molecule injecting step includes injecting the heavy hydrocarbon molecules into the reaction chamber annularly around the stream of cracking material. 
     
     
         6 . A hydrocarbon upgrading method comprising:
 providing a hydrocarbon material;   separating the hydrocarbon material into a first heavy stream and a first light stream in a first hydrocyclone;   separating the first heavy stream into a second light stream and a second heavy stream in a second hydrocyclone; and   upgrading the second heavy stream in a nozzle reactor.   
     
     
         7 . The hydrocarbon upgrading method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the hydrocarbon material comprises bitumen. 
     
     
         8 . The hydrocarbon upgrading method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the first heavy stream comprises predominantly hydrocarbon molecules having a boiling point temperature greater than 850° F. and the second heavy stream comprises predominantly hydrocarbon molecules having a boiling point temperature greater than 1,050° F. 
     
     
         9 . The hydrocarbon upgrading method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein upgrading the second heavy stream comprises:
 injecting a stream of cracking material through a converging then diverging passage of a cracking material injector into a reaction chamber; and   injecting the second heavy stream into the reaction chamber adjacent to the cracking material injector and transverse to the stream of cracking material entering the reaction chamber from the cracking material injector.   
     
     
         10 . The hydrocarbon upgrading method as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the second heavy stream injecting step includes injecting the second heavy stream into the reaction chamber annularly around the stream of cracking material. 
     
     
         11 . A hydrocarbon upgrading system comprising:
 a hydrocyclone having a light stream outlet and a heavy stream outlet; and   a nozzle reactor comprising:
 a reactor body having a reactor body passage with an injection end and an ejection end; 
 a first material injector having a first material injection passage and being mounted in the nozzle reactor in material injecting communication with the injection end of the reactor body passage, the first material injection passage having (a) an enlarged volume injection section, an enlarged volume ejection section, and a reduced volume mid-section intermediate the enlarged volume injection section and enlarged volume ejection section, (b) a material injection end in material injecting communication with the combustion chamber, and (c) a material ejection end in material injecting communication with the reactor body passage; and 
 a second material feed port penetrating the reactor body and being (a) adjacent to the material ejection end of the first material injection passage and (b) transverse to a first material injection passage axis extending from the material injection end to the material ejection end in the first material injection passage in the first material injector; 
   wherein the heavy stream outlet of the hydrocyclone is in fluid communication with the second material feed port of the nozzle reactor.   
     
     
         12 . The hydrocarbon upgrading system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the hydrocarbon upgrading system is located on an offshore platform. 
     
     
         13 . A hydrocarbon upgrading system comprising:
 a first hydrocyclone having a first light stream outlet and a first heavy stream outlet;   a second hydrocyclone having a first heavy stream inlet, a second light stream outlet, and a second heavy stream outlet; and   a nozzle reactor comprising:
 a reactor body having a reactor body passage with an injection end and an ejection end; 
 a first material injector having a first material injection passage and being mounted in the nozzle reactor in material injecting communication with the injection end of the reactor body passage, the first material injection passage having (a) an enlarged volume injection section, an enlarged volume ejection section, and a reduced volume mid-section intermediate the enlarged volume injection section and enlarged volume ejection section, (b) a material injection end in material injecting communication with the combustion chamber, and (c) a material ejection end in material injecting communication with the reactor body passage; and 
 a second material feed port penetrating the reactor body and being (a) adjacent to the material ejection end of the first material injection passage and (b) transverse to a first material injection passage axis extending from the material injection end to the material ejection end in the first material injection passage in the first material injector; 
   wherein the first heavy stream outlet of the first hydrocyclone is in fluid communication with the first heavy stream inlet of the second hydrocyclone and the second heavy stream outlet is in fluid communication with the second material feed port of the nozzle reactor.   
     
     
         14 . The hydrocarbon upgrading system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the hydrocarbon upgrading system is located on an offshore platform.