US3876527A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Hydrocarbon cracking in a regenerable molten medium
Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Co
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Filing: 1973-03-28
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Granted: 1975-04-08
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Expires: 1993-03-28
Abstract
Abstract Hydrocarbon feedstocks, preferably heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks containing sulfur, are cracked at elevated temperatures in a novel regenerable alkali metal carbonate molten medium containing a glass-forming oxide, such as an oxide of boron, to produce high yields of light olefins such as ethylene, which olefins are useful in the synthesis of polymers and other valuable chemicals. The carbonaceous materials, i.e. coke, which are formed and dispersed in the molten medium during the cracking operation are gasified by contacting a portion of said carbonaceous materials with a gaseous stream containing oxygen, steam or carbon dioxide at temperatures of from about above the melting point of said medium to about 3000.degree.F. in order to regenerate the melt. Preferably, the amount of glass-forming oxide expressed as the oxide thereof, present in the alkali-metal carbonate melt is maintained in the range of from about 0.1 to about 25 weight percent based on the total weight of the molten medium in order to increase the overall dispersion of the carbonaceous materials which are formed in the molten medium during the cracking reaction.
Inventors
- 👤 John J Dugan
- 👤 Israel S Pasternak
- 👤 Keith C Yao
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 05:03
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10G; C10G9/00; C10G9/34; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S585/00; Y10S585/8995; Y10S585/901; Y10S585/909; Y10S585/911; Y10S585/912; Y10S585/949; Y10S585/95
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
A PROCESS FOR CRACKING A HYDROCARBON FEEDSTOCK WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING SAID FEEDSTOCK WITH A REGENERABLE ALKALI METAL CARBONATE MOLTEN MEDIUM CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 0.1 TO ABOUT 25 WT.% CLACULATED AS OXIDE AND BASED ON THE TOTAL MOLTEN MEDIUM, OF A GLASS-FORMING OXIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF OXIDES OF BORON, VANADIUM, SILICON, PHOSPHORUS AND MIXTURES THEREOF AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF FROM 1200*F. TO ABOUT 2500*F. TO FORM CRACKED HYDROCARBON PRODUCTS AND TO UNIFORMLY SUSPEND THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FORMED DURING SAID CRACKING OPERATION THROUGHOUT THE MOLTEN MEDIUM AND THEREAFTER GASIFYING A PORTION OF SAID CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FORMED DURING SAID CRACKING PROCESS BY CONTACTING SAID MOLTEN MEDIUM CONTAINING THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS WITH A REAGENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF OXYGEN, STEAM, CARBON DIOXIDE AND MIXTURES THEREOF AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOUT ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF SAID MEDIUM TO ABOUT 3000*F.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
A PROCESS FOR CRACKING A HYDROCARBON FEEDSTOCK WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING SAID FEEDSTOCK WITH A REGENERABLE ALKALI METAL CARBONATE MOLTEN MEDIUM CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 0.1 TO ABOUT 25 WT.% CLACULATED AS OXIDE AND BASED ON THE TOTAL MOLTEN MEDIUM, OF A GLASS-FORMING OXIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF OXIDES OF BORON, VANADIUM, SILICON, PHOSPHORUS AND MIXTURES THEREOF AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF FROM 1200*F. TO ABOUT 2500*F. TO FORM CRACKED HYDROCARBON PRODUCTS AND TO UNIFORMLY SUSPEND THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FORMED DURING SAID CRACKING OPERATION THROUGHOUT THE MOLTEN MEDIUM AND THEREAFTER GASIFYING A PORTION OF SAID CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FORMED DURING SAID CRACKING PROCESS BY CONTACTING SAID MOLTEN MEDIUM CONTAINING THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS WITH A REAGENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF OXYGEN, STEAM, CARBON DIOXIDE AND MIXTURES THEREOF AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOUT ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF SAID MEDIUM TO ABOUT 3000*F.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the molten medium is maintained in the range of from about 1200.degree. to about 2000.degree.F.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the amount of glass-forming oxide expressed as the oxide thereof in the molten medium is in the range of from about 1 to about 20 wt. % of the total molten media.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 3 wherein the alkali metal carbonate is selected from the group consisting of lithium carbonate, sodium carbonate and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the alkali metal carbonate is a mixture of a major amount of sodium carbonate and a minor amount of lithium carbonate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 3 wherein the glass-forming oxide is an oxide of boron.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 6 wherein said gasifying reagent is oxygen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 7 wherein the molten medium contains an alkali metal borate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the hydrocarbon feedstock is a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock containing sulfur.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the amount of sulfur present in the molten medium is reduced by: a. contacting the sulfur compounds in the molten medium with a reducing agent; and b. thereafter contacting the reduced sulfur compounds formed in step (a) with carbon dioxide and steam to form hydrogen sulfide as a recoverable product.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 10 wherein said reducing agent is carbon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 11 wherein at least a portion of said heavy hydrocarbon feedstock boils above about 650.degree.F. at atmospheric pressure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 12 wherein said molten medium contains an oxide of boron in an amount expressed as the oxide thereof in the range of from about 1 to about 12 wt.% of the total molten media.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock contains from about 2 to about 6 wt.% sulfur.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
190 words
A process for cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock comprising a component selected from the group consisting of crude oils and residua containing from about 2 to about 6 wt.% sulfur which comprises contacting said heavy hydrocarbon feedstock with a regenerable alkali metal carbonate molten medium comprising a mixture of lithium and sodium carbonates containing from about 1 to about 12 wt.%, calculated as oxide and based on the total molten medium, of an oxide of boron at a temperature in the range of from about 1300.degree.F. to about 1700.degree.F. to form cracked hydrocarbon products and to uniformly suspend the carbonaceous materials formed during said cracking operation throughout the molten medium and thereafter gasifying a portion of said carbonaceous materials formed during said cracking process by contacting said molten medium containing the carbonaceous materials with oxygen at a temperature in the range of from about 1400.degree. to about 1800.degree.F.; the amount of sulfur present in the molten medium being reduced by: (a) contacting the sulfur compounds in the molten medium with a reducing agent; and (b) thereafter contacting the reduced sulfur compounds formed in step (a) with carbon dioxide and water.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
190 words
A process for cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock comprising a component selected from the group consisting of crude oils and residua containing from about 2 to about 6 wt.% sulfur which comprises contacting said heavy hydrocarbon feedstock with a regenerable alkali metal carbonate molten medium comprising a mixture of lithium and sodium carbonates containing from about 1 to about 12 wt.%, calculated as oxide and based on the total molten medium, of an oxide of boron at a temperature in the range of from about 1300.degree.F. to about 1700.degree.F. to form cracked hydrocarbon products and to uniformly suspend the carbonaceous materials formed during said cracking operation throughout the molten medium and thereafter gasifying a portion of said carbonaceous materials formed during said cracking process by contacting said molten medium containing the carbonaceous materials with oxygen at a temperature in the range of from about 1400.degree. to about 1800.degree.F.; the amount of sulfur present in the molten medium being reduced by: (a) contacting the sulfur compounds in the molten medium with a reducing agent; and (b) thereafter contacting the reduced sulfur compounds formed in step (a) with carbon dioxide and water.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-07 | 1978-10-07 | 1979-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-07 | 1982-10-07 | 1983-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-07 | 1986-10-07 | 1987-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |