Low pressure hydrocracking process

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR THE HYDROCA RACKING OF A MINERAL OIL FEEDSTOCK CONTANING AT LEAST ABOUT 15 VOLUME-PERCENT OF AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS AND AT LEAST ABOUT 25 VOLUME-PERCENT OF COMPONENTS BOILING ABOVE 500*F, WHICH COMPRISES:

Claim 3

CONTACTING SAID FEEDSTOCK PLUS ADDED HYDROGEN WITH A CATALYST COMPRISING A GROUP VIII METAL HYDROGENATING COMPONENT SUPPORTED ON A METAL-CATION-DEFICIENT Y ZEOLITE BASE CONTAINING LESS THAN ABOUT 1 WEIGHT-PERCENT SODIUM AS NA2O, SAID Y ZEOLITE BASE HAVING BEEN STABILIZED BY CALCINING AN AMMONIUM FORM THEREOF FOR A TIME AND AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO REDUCE THE UNIT CELL SIZE THEREOF BY AT LEAST ABOUT 0.2 PERCENT, SAID CONTACTING BEING CARRIED OUT AT A SPACE VELOCITY BETWEEN ABOUT 0.75 AND 10, A HYDROGEN PRESSURE BETWEEN ABOUT 300 AND 1200 PSI, AND AT A TEMPERATURE CORRELATED WITH SPACE VELOCITY TO GIVE A CONVERSION PER PASS TO PRODUCTS BOILING BELOW THE INITIAL BOILING POINT OF SAID FEEDSTOCK OF AT LEAST ABOUT 30 VOLUME-PERCENT BUT SUFFICIENTLY LOW TO MAINTAIN CATALYST ACTIVITY FOR THE HEREINAFTER RECITED RUN LENGTH OF AT LEAST 30 DAYS;

Claim 4

CONTACTING SAID FEEDSTOCK PLUS ADDED HYDROGEN WITH A CATALYST COMPRISING A GROUP VIII METAL HYDROGENATING COMPONENT SUPPORTED ON A METAL-CATION-DEFICIENT Y ZEOLITE BASE CONTAINING LESS THAN ABOUT 1 WEIGHT-PERCENT SODIUM AS NA2O, SAID Y ZEOLITE BASE HAVING BEEN STABILIZED BY CALCINING AN AMMONIUM FORM THEREOF FOR A TIME AND AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO REDUCE THE UNIT CELL SIZE THEREOF BY AT LEAST ABOUT 0.2 PERCENT, SAID CONTACTING BEING CARRIED OUT AT A SPACE VELOCITY BETWEEN ABOUT 0.75 AND 10, A HYDROGEN PRESSURE BETWEEN ABOUT 300 AND 1200 PSI, AND AT A TEMPERATURE CORRELATED WITH SPACE VELOCITY TO GIVE A CONVERSION PER PASS TO PRODUCTS BOILING BELOW THE INITIAL BOILING POINT OF SAID FEEDSTOCK OF AT LEAST ABOUT 30 VOLUME-PERCENT BUT SUFFICIENTLY LOW TO MAINTAIN CATALYST ACTIVITY FOR THE HEREINAFTER RECITED RUN LENGTH OF AT LEAST 30 DAYS;

Claim 5

SEPARATING THE EFFLUENT FROM STEP (1) INTO A DESIRED LOWBOILING PRODUCT FRACTION AND AN UNCONVERTED OIL FRACTION COMPRISING THE HIGHEST-BOILING COMPONENTS OF SAID EFFLUEND; AND

Claim 6

SEPARATING THE EFFLUENT FROM STEP (1) INTO A DESIRED LOWBOILING PRODUCT FRACTION AND AN UNCONVERTED OIL FRACTION COMPRISING THE HIGHEST-BOILING COMPONENTS OF SAID EFFLUEND; AND

Claim 7

separating the effluent from step (1) into a desired low-boiling product fraction and an unconverted oil fraction comprising the highest-boiling components of said effluent; and

Claim 8

separating the effluent from step (1) into a desired low-boiling product fraction and an unconverted oil fraction comprising the highest-boiling components of said effluent; and

Claim 9

A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said hydrogen pressure in step (1) is between about 300 and 1,000 psig, said space velocity is between about 1.0 and 5, and wherein said percentage of recycle in step (3) is at least equal to (P + 1, 000)/20.

Claim 10

separating the effluent from step (1) into a desired low-boiling product fraction and an unconverted oil fraction comprising the highest boiling components of said effluent; and

Claim 11

separating the effluent from step (1) into a desired low-boiling product fraction and an unconverted oil fraction comprising the highest boiling components of said effluent; and

Claim 12

recycling to step (1) over a period of at least about 30 days a percentage of said unconverted oil which is at least equal to (P + 1,200)/24, where P is the hydrogen pressure in psi prevailing in step (1).

Claim 13

recycling to step (1) over a period of at least about 30 days a percentage of said unconverted oil which is at least equal to (P + 1,200)/24, where P is the hydrogen pressure in psi prevailing in step (1).

Claim 14

A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said percentage of recycle in step (3) is essentially 100 percent.

Claim 15

recycling to step (1) over a period of at least about 30 days a percentage of said unconverted oil which is at least equal to (P + 1,200)/24, where P is the hydrogen pressure in psi prevailing in step (1).

Claim 16

recycling to step (1) over a period of at least about 30 days a percentage of said unconverted oil which is at least equal to (P + 1,200)/24, where P is the hydrogen pressure in psi prevailing in step (1).

Claim 17

RECYCLING TO STEP (1) OVER A PERIOD OF AT LEAST ABOUT 30 DAYS A PERCENTAGE OF SAID UNCONVERTED OIL WHICH IS AT LEAST EQUAL TO (P+1,200)/24, WHERE P IS THE HYDROGEN PRESSURE IS PSI PREVAILING IN STEP (1).

Claim 18

RECYCLING TO STEP (1) OVER A PERIOD OF AT LEAST ABOUT 30 DAYS A PERCENTAGE OF SAID UNCONVERTED OIL WHICH IS AT LEAST EQUAL TO (P+1,200)/24, WHERE P IS THE HYDROGEN PRESSURE IS PSI PREVAILING IN STEP (1).

Claim 19

A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said temperature in step (1) is correlated with space velocity so as to give at least about 40 volume-percent conversion per pass to products boiling below the initial boiling point of said feedstock.

Claim 20

A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said hydrogenating component comprises palladium.

Claim 21

A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said hydrogenating component is selected from the class consisting of cobalt and nickel and the oxides and sulfides thereof.

Claim 22

A process as defined in claim 6 wherein said catalyst also comprises a hydrogenating component selected from the class consisting of molybdenum and tungsten, and the oxides and sulfides thereof.

Claim 23

A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said calcination in step (1) is carried out at a temperature between about 950* and 1,800*F.

Claim 24

A process as defined in claim 8 wherein said calcination is carried out in the presence of at least about 0.2 psi of steam.

Claim 25

A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said hydrogen pressure in step (1) is between about 400 and 800 psi.

Claim 26

A process for the hydrocracking of a mineral oil feedstock containing at least about 15 volume-percent of aromatic hydrocarbons and at least about 25 volume-percent of components boiling above 500*F, which comprises:

Claim 27

A process for the hydrocracking of a mineral oil feedstock containing at least about 15 volume-percent of aromatic hydrocarbons and at least about 25 volume-percent of components boiling above 500*F, which comprises:

Claim 28

A process as defined in claim 11 wherein said hydrogen pressure in step (1) is between about 300 and 1,000 psig, said space velocity is between about 1.0 and 5, and wherein said percentage of recycle in step (3) is at least equal to (P + 1, 000)/20.

Claim 29

A process as defined in claim 11 wherein said percentage of recycle in step (3) is essentially 100 percent.

Claim 30

A process as defined in claim 11 wherein said temperature in step (1) is correlated with space velocity so as to give at least about 40 volume-percent conversion per pass to products boiling below the initial boiling point of said feedstock.

Claim 31

A process as defined in claim 11 wherein said hydrogenating component comprises palladium.

Claim 32

A process as defined in claim 11 wherein said hydrogenating component is selected from the class consisting of cobalt and nickel and the oxides and sulfides thereof.

Claim 33

A process as defined in claim 16 wherein said catalyst also comprises a hydrogenating component selected from the class consisting of molybdenum and tungsten, and the oxides and sulfides thereof.

Claim 34

A process as defined in claim 11 wherein said hydrogen pressure in step (1) is between about 400 and 800 psi.

Claim 35

A process as defined in claim 11 wherein said refractory amorphous oxide is essentially alumina.

Claim 36

A process as defined in claim 19 wherein said hydrogen pressure in step (1) is between about 400 and 800 psi and said percentage of recycle of unconverted oil in step (3) is essentially 100 percent.