Conversion of black oils to maximize gasoline production

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE CONVERSION OF A HYDROCARBON CHARGE STOCK OF WHICH AT LEAST ABOUT 10.0% BOILS ABOVE ABOUT 1050*F., AND WHICH CONTAINS MORE THAN ABOUT 1.0% BY WEIGHT OF SULFUR, INTO LOWER BOILING, SUBSTANTIALLY SULFUR-FREE HYDROCARBON PRODUCTS, WHICH PROCESS COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: (A) ADMIXING SAID CHARGE STOCK WITH HYDROGEN, HEATING THE RESULTING MIXTURE TO A TEMPERATURE ABOVE ABOUT 700*F. AND CONTACTING THE HEATED MIXTURE WITH A CATALYTIC COMPOSITE IN A FIRST REACTION ZONE MAINTAINED UNDER AN IMPOSED PRESSURE ABOVE ABOUT 1000 P.S.I.G.; (B) SEPARATING THE RESULTING REACTION ZONE EFFLUENT IN A FIRST SEPARATION ZONE AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME PRESSURE IMPOSED UPON SAID FIRST REACTION ZONE AND AT A TEMPEATURE ABOVE ABOUT 700*F., TO PROVIDE A FIRST VAPOR PHASE AND A FIRST LIQUID PHASE; (C) COMBINING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID FIRST LIQUID PHASE WITH SAID CHARGE STOCK AND HYDROGEN, AND SEPARATING THE REMAINDER OF SAID FIRST LIQUID PHASE IN A SECOND SEPARATION ZONE AT A SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED PRESSURE TO PROVIDE A RESIDUUM FRACTION AND A SECOND VAPOR PHASE; (D) COMBINING SAID FIRST AND SECOND VAPOR PHASES, AND REACTING THE RESULTING MIXTURE IN A SECOND REACTION ZONE AT CONDITIONS SELECTED TO CONVERT SULFUROUS COMPOUNDS INTO HYDROGEN SULFIDE AND HYDROCARBONS, AND TO PRODUCE LOWER MOLECULAR WEIGHT NORALLY LIQUID HYDROCARBONS: (E) SEPARATING THE RESULTING SECOND REACTION ZONE EFFLUENT IN A THIRD SEPARATING ZONE INTO A FIRST HYDROGENRICH GASEOUS PHASE AND A SECOND LIUQID PHASE, FRACTIONATING THE LATTER TO PROVIDE AT LEAST A FIRST LIGHTER FRACTION HAVING AN END BOILING POINT OF FROM ABOUT 300*F. TO ABOUT 450*F. AND A SECOND HEAVIER FRACTION HAVING AN INTIAL BOILING POINT ABOVE ABOUT 300*F.; (F) ADMIXING SAID SECOND HEAVIER FRACTION WITH HYDROGEN AND REACTING THE RESULTING MIXTURE IN A THIRD REACTION ZONE AT HYDROCRACKING CONDITIONS, AND IN CONTACT WITH A HYDROCRACKING CATSLYST, SELECTED TO CONVERT A PORTION OF SAID SECOND FRACTION INTO LOWERBOILING HYDROCARBONS; AND (G) SEPARATING THE THIRD REACTION ZONE EFFLUENT, IN A FOURTH SEPARATION ZONE, INTO A SECOND HYDROGEN-RICH GASEOUS PHASE AND A THIRD LIQUID PHASE, RECYCLING SAID SECOND HYDROGEN-RICH GASEOUS PHASE TO COMBINE WITH SAID SECOND HEAVIER FRACTION, AND COMBINING SAID THIRD LIQUID PHASE WITH SAID SECOND LIQUID PHASE PRIOR TO FRACTIONATING THE LATTER AS AFORESAID.