Process to separate alkali metal salts from alkali metal reacted hydrocarbons

Abstract

A process to facilitate gravimetric separation of alkali metal salts, such as alkali metal sulfides and polysulfides, from alkali metal reacted hydrocarbons. The disclosed process is part of a method of upgrading a hydrocarbon feedstock by removing heteroatoms and/or one or more heavy metals from the hydrocarbon feedstock composition. This method reacts the oil feedstock with an alkali metal and an upgradant hydrocarbon. The alkali metal reacts with a portion of the heteroatoms and/or one or more heavy metals to form an inorganic phase containing alkali metal salts and reduced heavy metals, and an upgraded hydrocarbon feedstock. The inorganic phase may be gravimetrically separated from the upgraded hydrocarbon feedstock after mixing at a temperature between about 350° C. to 400° C. for a time period between about 15 minutes and 2 hours.

1 . A process to facilitate separation of alkali metal salts from alkali metal reacted hydrocarbons comprising:
 heating a mixture resulting from a reaction of an alkali metal and a quantity of a hydrocarbon feedstock having at least one heavy fraction, said mixture comprising alkali metal salts and alkali metal reacted hydrocarbons, wherein the mixture is heated to a temperature in the range from about 350° C. to 400° C.; and   mechanically mixing the mixture during the heating step.   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixture is heated to a temperature of about 375° C.±10° C. 
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixture is heated and mechanically mixed for a time period of over 15 minutes. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixture is heated and mechanically mixed for a time period of over 30 minutes. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixture is heated and mechanically mixed for a time period of at least 1 hour. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixture is heated and mechanically mixed for a time period between about 1 and 2 hours. 
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the quantity of a hydrocarbon feedstock comprises bitumen. 
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of separating gravimetrically the alkali metal salts from the alkali metal reacted hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 8 , further comprising the step of adding a portion of the separated alkali metal salts to the mixture of alkali metal salts and alkali metal reacted hydrocarbons prior to heating. 
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 8 , further comprising the step of adding a portion of the separated alkali metal salts to the hydrocarbon feedstock prior to reacting with the alkali metal. 
     
     
         11 . A process to facilitate separation of sodium sulfide from sodium-reacted hydrocarbons comprising:
 heating a mixture resulting from a reaction of molten sodium and a quantity of a hydrocarbon feedstock having at least one heavy fraction, said mixture comprising sodium sulfide and sodium-reacted hydrocarbons, wherein the mixture is heated to a temperature in the range from about 350° C. to 400° C.;   mechanically mixing the mixture during the heating step; and   separating gravimetrically the sodium sulfide from the sodium-reacted hydrocarbons.   
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the mixture is heated to a temperature of about 375° C.±10° C. 
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the mixture is heated and mechanically mixed for a time period of over 15 minutes. 
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the mixture is heated and mechanically mixed for a time period of over 30 minutes. 
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the mixture is heated and mechanically mixed for a time period of at least 1 hour. 
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the mixture is heated and mechanically mixed for a time period between about 1 and 2 hours. 
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the quantity of a hydrocarbon feedstock comprises bitumen. 
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of adding a portion of the separated alkali metal salts to the mixture of alkali metal salts and alkali metal reacted hydrocarbons prior to heating. 
     
     
         19 . The process according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of adding a portion of the separated alkali metal salts to the hydrocarbon feedstock prior to reacting with the alkali metal. 
     
     
         20 . A process of upgrading a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising:
 obtaining a quantity of an oil feedstock having at least one heavy fraction, the hydrocarbon feedstock comprising at least one carbon atom and a sulfur heteroatom and/or one or more heavy metals;   reacting the quantity of the hydrocarbon feedstock with an alkali metal and an upgradant hydrocarbon, wherein the upgradant hydrocarbon comprises at least one carbon atom and at least one hydrogen atom, wherein the alkali metal reacts with the sulfur heteroatom and/or the one or more heavy metals to form one or more inorganic products comprising alkali metal sulfide or alkali metal polysulfides, wherein the upgradant hydrocarbon reacts with the hydrocarbon feedstock to produce an upgraded hydrocarbon feedstock, wherein the number of carbon atoms in the upgraded hydrocarbon feedstock is greater than the number of carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon feedstock;   heating the mixture of inorganic products the upgradant hydrocarbon to a temperature in the range from about 350° C. to 400° C.;   mechanically mixing the mixture during the heating step; and   separating the inorganic products from the upgraded hydrocarbon feedstock.   
     
     
         21 - 28 . (canceled)