System and process for hydrocracking

Abstract

A method for hydrocracking a feedstream comprising liquid hydrocarbon by forming a dispersion comprising hydrogen-containing gas bubbles dispersed in the liquid hydrocarbon, wherein the bubbles have a mean diameter of less than about 5 μm, and introducing the dispersion into a hydrocracker comprising hydrocracking catalyst. A method for hydrocracking by subjecting a fluid mixture comprising hydrogen-containing gas and liquid hydrocarbons to a shear rate greater than 20,000 s −1 to produce a dispersion of hydrogen in a continuous phase of the liquid hydrocarbons, and introducing the dispersion into a fixed bed hydrocracking reactor from which a hydrocracked product is removed. A system for hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstream including at least one high shear device capable of producing a tip speed of the at least one rotor of greater than 5.0 m/s, and a hydrocracker containing hydrocracking catalyst and comprising an inlet fluidly connected to an outlet of the high shear device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstream, the system comprising:
 at least one high shear mixing device comprising an inlet for a fluid stream comprising a liquid hydrocarbon phase and hydrogen gas, an outlet for a dispersion of hydrogen gas in the liquid hydrocarbon phase, and at least one rotor and at least one stator separated by a shear gap, wherein the shear gap is the minimum distance between the at least one rotor and the at least stator; wherein the high shear mixing device is capable of producing a tip speed of the at least one rotor of greater than 5.0 m/s (1,000 ft/min); and   a hydrocracker containing hydrocracking catalyst and comprising an inlet fluidly connected to the outlet of the external high shear mixing device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hydrocracker is a fixed bed reactor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a separator downstream of the hydrocracker. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one high shear mixing device is capable of producing a tip speed of the at least one rotor of at least 40.1 m/s (7,900 ft/min). 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  comprising at least two high shear mixing devices. 
     
     
         6 . In a hydrocracking system including a fixed bed reactor comprising hydrocracking catalyst, the improvement comprising: an external high shear device upstream of the fixed bed reactor, the external high shear device comprising an inlet for a fluid stream comprising hydrogen gas and hydrocarbons to be hydrocracked, and at least one generator comprising a rotor and a stator having a minimum clearance therebetween, wherein the high shear device provides an energy expenditure of greater than 1000 W/m 3  of fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the external high shear device comprises at least two generators. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the shear rate provided by one generator is greater than the shear rate provided by another generator, wherein the shear rate is the tip speed of the rotor divided by the minimum clearance.