Reactor for use in upgrading heavy oil

CATEGORY: HEAVY CRUDE
PATENT
Reactor for use in upgrading heavy oil
Patent number: 8236170
Issue date: Aug 7, 2012
Application number: 12/355,574
Inventor: Bruce Reynolds
Original Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Abstract
The instant invention relates to an upflow for upgrading heavy oil feed stock and a method for upgrading heavy oil feed stock employing an upflow reactor and with a slurry catalyst. In one embodiment, the upflow reactor is a liquid recirculating reactor, which is operated in manner corresponding to a dispersed bubble flow regime, which requires a high liquid to gas ratio. A dispersed bubble flow regime results in more even flow patterns, increasing the amount of liquid, i.e., heavy oil feed stock that can be upgraded in a single reactor.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
 
The instant invention relates to methods for upgrading heavy oils admixed With a catalyst composition in a slurry using a liquid circulating reactor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 
Conventional heavy oil upgrading via hydroprocessing uses relatively ineflicient large extrudate catalyst pellets to support the reactions. It has long been recognized that there are significant advantages to using a finely divided slurry catalyst for heavy oil upgrading via hydroprocessing. Past attempts to demonstrate slurry heavy oil hydroprocessing on a large scale have relied on upfloW reactors employing bubble column technology. HoWever, such reactors suffer from difficulty in maintaining the desired dispersed bubble floW regime necessary for eflicient reactor volume utilization. Past problems With bubble column reactors and difficulties in maintaining the desired bubble floW regime has hindered the development of slurry heavy oil upgrading via hydroprocesslng.
 
In heavy oil hydroprocessing in the prior art, upfloW reactors have been used. U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,034 discloses a process in Which a reactor contains a slurry bed, and feed is added at the bottom of the reactor. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,454,932 and 6,726,832 disclose hydrocracking of heavy hydrocarbons in upfloW reactors containing ebullating catalyst beds in series. U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,456 discloses an upfloW reactor employing an expanded catalyst bed. The expansion of the bed is automatically controlled by automatically changing the rate of speed of a recycle pump for the reactor. There is no teaching in this patent of the use of such a reactor With a slurry.
 
U.S. Pat. No. 6,660,157 discloses a process for slurry hydrocracking employing a series of upfloW reactors With interstage separation. The reactors are not liquid recirculating reactors, such as those employed in the instant invention.
 
In one embodiment, the invention relates to a novel use for a liquid recirculating reactor in upgrading heavy oils, particularly the upgrade of heavy oils employing an active catalyst composition in a slurry form, as admixed With heavy oil feedstock. In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method to upgrade heavy oils employing a liquid recirculating reactor, Which does not employ any slurry bed, and Where a slurry catalyst and feed mixture is added at the bottom of the reactor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 
In one aspect, the invention relates to a reactor useful in upgrading heavy oils admixed With a catalyst composition in a slurry. The liquid recirculating reactor of this invention employs a dispersed bubble floW regime, Which requires a high liquid to gas ratio. A dispersed bubble floW regime results in more even floW patterns, increasing the amount of liquid that can be upgraded in a single reactor.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for upgrading heavy oils admixed With a catalyst composition in a slurry, Wherein a liquid recirculating reactor of this invention employs a dispersed bubble floW regime is employed, requiring a high liquid to gas ratio.

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