Coking of heavy hydrocarbonaceous residues

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS OF COKING HEAVY HYDROCARBON OILS IN CONTACT WITH PREHEATED PARTICULATE HEAT-CARRYING SOLIDS IN A LOW PRESSURE COKING ZONE, WHEREIN SAID OIL IS CONVERTED AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY IN LIQUID PHASE WHEREBY SAID SOLIDS TEND TO BECOME WETTED WITH SAID OIL TO SUCH AN EXTENT AS TO ADHERE TOGETHER, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES FORMING AN INTIMATE MIXTURE OF SAID OIL WITH 5 TO 35% BY WEIGHT OF WATER, HEATING SAID MIXTURE IN LIQUID PHASE UNDER ELEVATED PRESSURE TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE SUBSTANTIALLY INSTANTANEOUS VAPORIZATION OF THE WATER UPON RELEASE OF THE MIXTURE FROM SAID PRESSURE AND RELEASING THE HEATED MIXTURE INTO SAID LOW PRESSURE COKING ZONE SO AS TO PERMIT SAID WATER TO VAPORIZE AND EXPAND SUBSTANTIALLY INSTANTANEOUSLY TO ACHIEVE EXTREMELY FINE DISPERSION OF SAID OIL IN SAID ZONE.