Process For Converting A Hydrocarbon Feed And Apparatus Relating Thereto

PATENT
Process For Converting A Hydrocarbon Feed And Apparatus Relating Thereto
United States Patent Application 20130079572
Inventors:
Haizmann, Robert (Rolling Meadows, IL, US)
Application Number:
13/244083
Publication Date:
03/28/2013
Filing Date:
09/23/2011
Assignee:
UOP, LLC (Des Plaines, IL, US)
Abstract:
The embodiments disclosed herein can provide a process for converting a hydrocarbon feed. The process may include hydrocracking the hydrocarbon feed slurried with a particulate catalyst in a presence of hydrogen in a hydrocracking reaction zone to produce a hydrocracked stream, separating at least a portion of the hydrocracked stream, and passing the at least the portion of the hydrocracked stream through a thermal cracking heating zone at conditions effective for thermally cracking the at least the portion of the hydrocracked stream.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to a process for converting a hydrocarbon feed, and an apparatus related thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Generally, slurry hydrocracking is a useful process and can obtain a very high conversion of various heavy hydrocarbons, such as a vacuum residue, to desired products that may be further processed to gasoline and/or diesel. However, slurry hydrocracking has a shortcoming, namely an inadequate conversion of certain heavy hydrocarbons, such as a vacuum gas oil. Usually, refineries require a low capital cost solution to maximize production of gasoline and diesel from lower value VGO and VR. As a consequence, there is desire to modify a slurry hydrocracking process for converting VGO economically and efficiently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments disclosed herein can provide a process for converting a hydrocarbon feed. The process may include hydrocracking the hydrocarbon feed slurried with a particulate catalyst in a presence of hydrogen in a hydrocracking reaction zone to produce a hydrocracked stream, separating at least a portion of the hydrocracked stream, and passing the at least the portion of the hydrocracked stream through a thermal cracking heating zone at conditions effective for thermally cracking the at least the portion of the hydrocracked stream.

Another exemplary embodiment may be a process for converting a hydrocarbon feed. The process can include hydrocracking the hydrocarbon feed slurried with a particulate catalyst in a presence of hydrogen in a hydrocracking reactor to produce a hydrocracked stream, separating at least a portion of the hydrocracked stream in an atmospheric fractionation column to obtain a one or more C20-C50 hydrocarbons stream and a vacuum fractionation column to obtain a one or more C20-C40 hydrocarbons stream, and passing the one or more C20-C40 hydrocarbons stream through a thermal cracking heater at conditions effective for thermally cracking the at least the portion of the hydrocracked stream and providing at least a portion of a product stream to the atmospheric fractionation column.

A further exemplary embodiment can be an apparatus for thermal cracking one or more hydrocarbons. The apparatus can include a slurry hydrocracking zone for receiving a hydrocarbon feed and a particulate catalyst, a first fractionation zone for receiving a hydrocracked stream from the slurry hydrocracking zone, a second fractionation zone for receiving a one or more C20-C50 hydrocarbons stream from the first fractionation zone, and a thermal cracking heating zone for receiving a one or more C20-C40 hydrocarbons stream. Typically, the second fractionation zone produces the one or more C20-C40 hydrocarbons stream.

The embodiments disclosed herein provide an efficient and economical mechanism for an improved conversion process. Particularly, a thermal cracking heater can process at least a portion of product from a slurry hydrocracking apparatus. By thermally cracking a recovered LVGO and optionally an HVGO stream, these materials can be converted to gasoline and diesel. Hence, the overall operation of an apparatus can be improved greatly.

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