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US4604188A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Thermal upgrading of residual oil to light product and heavy residual fuel

Assignee: Mobil Oil AS
•
Filing: 1985-01-16
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Granted: 1986-08-05
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Expires: 2005-01-16
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Abstract

Abstract A method of upgrading residual oil includes cracking the residual oil at a severity which is between visbreaking and coking to produce a light cracked product and a heavy bottom product. The heavy bottom product is mixed with diluents and additives which improves the flow characteristics to produce a pumpable fuel.

Inventors

  • 👤 Tsoung Y. Yan
  • 👤 Paul Shu

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 09:00
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10G; C10G9/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim 150 words
The method of upgrading residual oil boiling in the range of 1050° F.+ comprising: thermally cracking said residual oil at a temperature of 650°-900° F., a pressure of 0-100 psig, and a residence time of 0.1 to 5 hours at the highest severity in the range between about 1,000-18,000 seconds, as expressed in equivalent reaction time at 800° F., sufficient to convert at least about 50 wt. % of the residual oil to light products, substantially without the formation of solid coke; recovering separate fractions of light product and emulsifiable heavy bottom product which has a fusion temperature below about 150° C. and a quinoline-insoluble content between about 10 wt. % and 30 wt. % and wherein the highest severity is determined by a functional relationship between the asphaltene content of the residual oil feedstock and the heavy bottom product yield and quinoline-insoluble content in accordance with the followinng: ##EQU2##
Claim 2
Independent Claim 150 words
The method of upgrading residual oil boiling in the range of 1050° F.+ comprising: thermally cracking said residual oil at a temperature of 650°-900° F., a pressure of 0-100 psig, and a residence time of 0.1 to 5 hours at the highest severity in the range between about 1,000-18,000 seconds, as expressed in equivalent reaction time at 800° F., sufficient to convert at least about 50 wt. % of the residual oil to light products, substantially without the formation of solid coke; recovering separate fractions of light product and emulsifiable heavy bottom product which has a fusion temperature below about 150° C. and a quinoline-insoluble content between about 10 wt. % and 30 wt. % and wherein the highest severity is determined by a functional relationship between the asphaltene content of the residual oil feedstock and the heavy bottom product yield and quinoline-insoluble content in accordance with the followinng: ##EQU2##
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method recited in claim 1 further comprising emulsifying said heavy bottoms product with a diluent wherein said diluent is selected from the group consisting of naphtha, kerosene, light oil, alcohols, and water.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 11 words
The method recited in claim 2 wherein said diluent is water.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method recited in claim 1 further comprising: mixing said heavy bottom product with an additive which improves the flow characteristics.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method recited in claim 4 wherein said additive is selected from the group consisting of surfactants and synthetic detergents.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method recited in claim 2 wherein the emulsification is carried out at a pressure of 20-500 psig.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method recited in claim 5 wherein said temperature is maintained at a range of 750°-800° F. and said pressure is maintained at a range of 1-50 psig.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 77 words
The method recited in claim 1 wherein the step of thermally cracking said residual oil is carried out in the bottom of a reactor, which has distillation trays for withdrawing products from the top thereof, said method further comprising: supplying a light hydrocarbon oil to said reactor; thermally cracking said hydrocarbon oil in said reactor to produce light cracked products and heavy bottom product; and removing said light cracked products from the distillation tray of said reactor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method recited in claim 4 further comprising mixing said heavy bottom product with a diluent said diluent comprising water, and: emulsifying said heavy bottom product with said diluent to produce an emulsion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method recited in claim 9 further comprising: mixing said emulsion with an additive which improves the stability of the emulsion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method recited in claim 10 wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of caustics, amines, and surfactants.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method recited in claim 10 wherein said additive is a caustic added in an amount which neutralizes the acids in said heavy bottom product to make the solution basic with a pH of between 7.5 and 12.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method recited in claim 10 wherein said additive is a surfactant added at 0.01-5% by volume.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method recited in claim 10 wherein said additive is a surfactant selected from the group consisting of cationic, anionic, nonionic, and amphoteric surfactants.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 47 words
The method recited in claim 10 wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of lignin sulfonates, alkyl benzene sulfonates, alkyl alkylsulfonates, stearates, oleates, sulfonate of tall oil, soap of tall oil, soap of Vinsol resid, (pine-chip-resin extract), soap of fatty acid pitch, naphthenates and cresylates.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method recited in claim 9 wherein the stability of the emulsion is improved by a surfactant produced in situ by sulfonating and neutralizing said bottom product.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 37 words
The method recited in claim 16 wherein said heavy bottom product is neutralized with a base selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH) 2 , NH 4 OH, Na 2 CO 3 /NaHCO 3 .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method recited in claim 9 wherein said heavy bottom product is emulsified with water in an amount of up to 30% by volume.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method recited in claim 10 wherein said additive is a surfactant which is more soluble in water than in oil.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method recited in claim 9 further comprising: mixing the emulsion with a combination of surfactants, at least one which is soluble in water and another of which is soluble in oil.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method recited in claim 9 further comprising: adding 0.1-1% of lignosulfate to the emulsion to stabilize said emulsion.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method recited in claim 9 further comprising: adding 0.01 to 0.5 wt. % of carboxymethyl cellulose to the emulsion to stabilize said emulsion.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method recited in claim 9 further comprising: adding polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons having a maximum of three rings to the emulsions to reduce settling during storage.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 48 words
The method recited in claim 9 further comprising: adding 0.5-10% of light hydrocarbon oil to the emulsion to improve the viscosity reducing characteristics of water, said light hydrocarbon being selected from the group consisting of: light catalytic cycle stock, kerosene, heavy naphthas from coker, catalytic cracker and reformer.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3767564A Cited
US4156434A Cited
US4046670A Cited
US4199326A Cited
US4395266A Cited
US4481101A Cited
US4522703A Cited
US4478602A Cited
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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) 1989-08-04 1990-02-03 1990-08-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-08-04 1994-02-03 1994-08-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-08-04 1998-02-03 1998-08-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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