Method for manufacturing petroleum pitch having high aromaticity

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE LIQUID PHASE CRACKING AND AROMATIZATION OF A REDUCED CRUDE OIL RESIDUUM CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS TO PRODUCE PITCH HAVING A H/C RATIO OF 0.4 - 1.1 AND A NON-PITCH OIL CONTAINING A MAJOR PORTION OF ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING: PROVIDING, IN A REACTION ZONE, A VAPOR PHASE AND A CONTINUOUS LIQUID PHASE, WHICH INCLUDES SAID RESIDUUM, AT A TOTAL PRESSURE LESS THAN 3.0 KG/CM2G WITH A LIQUID DWELL TIME OF 0.5 TO 20 HOURS; FEEDING A NON-OXIDATIVE HEAT TRANSFER MEDIUM AT A TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE RANGE OF 400*C TO 2000*C THROUGH AND IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH SAID LIQUID PHASE AT A TEMPERATURE OF ,TO MAINTAIN SAID LIQUID PHASE AT A TEMPERATURE OF 350*-450*C, TO INDUCE A POLYCONDENSATION REACTION IN SAID LIQUID PHASE, AND TO STRIP VOLATILE COMPONENTS FROM SAID LIQUID PHASE; CONTROLLING THE FEED RATE OF SAID HEAT TRANSFER MEDIUM TO MAINTAIN THE PARTIAL PRESSURE IN MMHG OF ORGANICS IN SAID VAPOR PHASE AT LESS THAN ABOUT; 1.03 X (10)11 X E- (1200/R+220) WHEREIN T IS THE TEMPERATURE (*C) OF THE LIQUID PHASE WITHIN THE REACTION ZONE; AND REMOVING A NON-PITCH OVERHEAD FROM SAID REACTION ZONE AND RECOVERING SAID PITCH AS THE BOTTOMS PRODUCT OF SAID REACTION ZONE.