Apparatuses and methods for hydrotreating coker kerosene

Abstract

Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for hydrotreating coker kerosene or other thermally or catalytically cracked hydrocarbon stream are provided. In one example, a method comprises splitting a feed comprising coker kerosene into first and second feed streams. The first feed stream is heated to form a heated first feed stream. The second feed stream is partially heated to form a partially heated second feed stream. The heated first feed stream is contacted with a first hydrotreating catalyst to form a first hydrotreated intermediate stream. The first hydrotreated intermediate stream is combined with the partially heated second feed stream to form a partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream. The partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream is contacted with a second hydrotreating catalyst to further hydrotreat the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for hydrotreating coker kerosene or other thermally or catalytically cracked hydrocarbon stream, the method comprising the steps of:
 splitting a feed comprising coker kerosene or other thermally or catalytically cracked hydrocarbon stream and optionally straight run kerosene into a first feed stream and a second feed stream;   heating the first feed stream to form a heated first feed stream;   partially heating the second feed stream to form a partially heated second feed stream that is at a first lower temperature than the heated first feed stream;   contacting the heated first feed stream with a first hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at first hydrotreating conditions effective to form a first hydrotreated intermediate stream;   combining the first hydrotreated intermediate stream with the partially heated second feed stream to form a partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream; and   contacting the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream with a second hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at second hydrotreating conditions effective to further hydrotreat the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of heating comprises forming the heated first feed stream having a temperature of from about 270 to about 310° C. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of partially heating comprises forming the partially heated second feed stream having a temperature of from about 220 to about 260° C. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting the heated first feed stream comprises contacting the heated first feed stream with the first hydrotreating catalyst at the first hydrotreating conditions that include a temperature of from about 270 to about 350° C. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting the heated first feed stream comprises forming the first hydrotreated intermediate stream having a temperature of from about 340 to about 390° C. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of combining comprises forming the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream having a temperature of from about 270 to about 310° C. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream comprises contacting the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream with the second hydrotreating catalyst at the second hydrotreating conditions that include a temperature of from about 270 to about 350° C. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of combining comprises combining a H 2 -rich stream with the first hydrotreated intermediate stream and the partially heated second feed stream to form the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of combining comprises combining the H 2 -rich stream that has a temperature of from about 60 to about 80° C. with the first hydrotreated intermediate stream and the partially heated second feed stream. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of heating comprises:
 partially heating the first feed stream in a heat exchanger section to form a partially heated first feed stream; and   heating the partially heated first feed stream in a heater to form the heated first feed stream.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of heating comprises forming the partially heated first feed stream having a temperature of from about 220 to about 260° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feed is coker kerosene and the step of splitting comprises splitting the feed into a first coker kerosene feed stream as the first feed stream and a second coker kerosene feed stream as the second feed stream. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of splitting comprises splitting the feed into the first feed stream, the second feed stream, a third feed stream, and a fourth feed stream, wherein the step of contacting the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream comprises contacting the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream with the second hydrotreating catalyst to form a second hydrotreated intermediate stream, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 heating the third feed stream to form a heated third feed stream;   partially heating the fourth feed stream to form a partially heated fourth feed stream that is at a second lower temperature than the heated third feed stream;   combining the second hydrotreated intermediate stream with the heated third feed stream to form a second hydrotreated intermediate combined stream;   contacting the second hydrotreated intermediate combined stream with a third hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at third hydrotreating conditions effective to form a third hydrotreated intermediate stream;   combining the third hydrotreated intermediate stream with the partially heated fourth feed stream to form a partially quenched third hydrotreated intermediate combined stream; and   contacting the partially quenched third hydrotreated intermediate combined stream with a fourth hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at fourth hydrotreating conditions effective to further hydrotreat the partially quenched third hydrotreated intermediate combined stream.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of contacting the partially quenched third hydrotreated intermediate combined stream comprises contacting the partially quenched third hydrotreated intermediate combined stream with the fourth hydrotreating catalyst to form a hydrotreated effluent, and wherein the step of partially heating the second feed stream comprises indirect heat exchanging from a first portion of the hydrotreated effluent to the second feed stream to form the partially heated second feed stream, and wherein the step of partially heating the fourth feed stream comprises indirect heat exchanging from a second portion of the hydrotreated effluent to the fourth feed stream to form the partially heated fourth feed stream. 
     
     
         15 . A method for hydrotreating coker kerosene, the method comprising the steps of:
 heating a first straight run kerosene feed stream to form a heated first straight run kerosene feed stream;   partially heating a first coker kerosene feed stream to form a partially heated first coker kerosene feed stream that is at a first lower temperature than the heated first straight run kerosene feed stream;   introducing the heated first straight run kerosene feed stream to a first catalyst bed that contains a first hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen and that is operating at first hydrotreating conditions effective to form a first hydrotreated intermediate stream;   combining the first hydrotreated intermediate stream with the partially heated first coker kerosene feed stream to form a partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream; and   introducing the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream to a second catalyst bed that contains a second hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen and that is operating at second hydrotreating conditions effective to further hydrotreat the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of introducing the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream comprises contacting the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream with the second hydrotreating catalyst to form a second hydrotreated intermediate stream, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 splitting a straight run kerosene feed into the first straight run kerosene feed stream and a second straight run kerosene feed stream;   splitting a coker kerosene feed into the first coker kerosene feed stream and a second coker kerosene feed stream;   heating the second straight run kerosene feed stream to form a heated second straight run kerosene feed stream;   partially heating the second coker kerosene feed stream to form a partially heated second coker kerosene feed stream that is at a second lower temperature than the heated second straight run kerosene feed stream;   combining the second hydrotreated intermediate stream with the heated second straight run kerosene feed stream to form a second hydrotreated intermediate combined stream;   introducing the second hydrotreated intermediate combined stream to a third catalyst bed that contains a third hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen and that is operating at third hydrotreating conditions effective to form a third hydrotreated intermediate stream;   combining the third hydrotreated intermediate stream with the partially heated second coker kerosene feed stream to form a partially quenched third hydrotreated intermediate combined stream; and   introducing the partially quenched third hydrotreated intermediate combined stream to a fourth catalyst bed that contains a fourth hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen and that is operating at fourth hydrotreating conditions effective to further hydrotreat the partially quenched third hydrotreated intermediate combined stream.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of heating the first straight run kerosene feed stream comprises:
 partially heating the first straight run kerosene feed stream to form a partially heated first straight run kerosene feed stream; and   heating the partially heated first straight run kerosene feed stream to form the heated first straight run kerosene feed stream, and wherein the step of heating the second straight run kerosene feed stream comprises:   partially heating the second straight run kerosene feed stream to form a partially heated second straight run kerosene feed stream; and   heating the partially heated second straight run kerosene feed stream to form the heated second straight run kerosene feed stream.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of introducing the partially quenched third hydrotreated intermediate combined stream comprises contacting the partially quenched third hydrotreated intermediate combined stream with the fourth hydrotreating catalyst to form a hydrotreated effluent, wherein the step of partially heating the first coker kerosene feed stream comprises indirect heat exchanging from a first portion of the hydrotreated effluent to the first coker kerosene feed stream to form the partially heated first coker kerosene feed stream, wherein the step of partially heating the second coker kerosene feed stream comprises indirect heat exchanging from a second portion of the hydrotreated effluent to the second coker kerosene feed stream to form the partially heated second coker kerosene feed stream, wherein the step of partially heating the first straight run kerosene feed stream comprises indirect heat exchanging from a third portion of the hydrotreated effluent to the first straight run kerosene feed stream to form the partially heated first straight run kerosene feed stream, and wherein the step of partially heating the second straight run kerosene feed stream comprises indirect heat exchanging from a fourth portion of the hydrotreated effluent to the second straight run kerosene feed stream to form the partially heated second straight run kerosene feed stream. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of combining comprises combining a H 2 -rich stream with the first hydrotreated intermediate stream and the partially heated first coker kerosene feed stream to form the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream, and wherein the H 2 -rich stream is at a third lower temperature than the first hydrotreated intermediate stream. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for hydrotreating coker kerosene or other thermally or catalytically cracked hydrocarbon stream, the apparatus comprising:
 a fluid circuit configured to split a feed comprising coker kerosene or other thermally or catalytically cracked hydrocarbon stream and optionally straight run kerosene into a first feed stream and a second feed stream;   a heater configured to receive and heat the first feed stream to form a heated first feed stream;   a heat exchanger configured to receive and partially heat the second feed stream to form a partially heated second feed stream that is at a lower temperature than the heated first feed stream; and   a hydrotreating reactor configured to receive and hydrotreat the heated first feed stream and the partially heated second feed stream to form a hydrotreated effluent, wherein the hydrotreating reactor comprises:
 a first catalyst bed containing a first hydrotreating catalyst and configured to receive the heated first feed stream for contact with the first hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at first hydrotreating conditions effective to form a first hydrotreated intermediate stream, wherein the hydrotreating reactor is configured to combine the first hydrotreated intermediate stream with the partially heated second feed stream to form a partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream; and 
 a second catalyst bed containing a second hydrotreating catalyst and configured to receive the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream for contact with the second hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at second hydrotreating conditions effective to further hydrotreat the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream.