EA001938B1 - Process and apparatus for upgrading hydrocarbon feeds containing sulfur, metals and asphaltenes - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A process for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes, said process comprising: a) applying said feed to a distillation column for producing a substantially asphaltene-free, and metal- free distillate fraction and a non-distilled fraction containing sulfur, asphaltenes and metals; b) converting at least some of said substantially asphaltene-free, and metal-free distillate fraction to a hydrogen donor diluent; c) processing said non-distilled fraction in a solvent deasphalting unit for producing a deasphalted oil stream and an asphaltene stream; d) combining said hydrogen donor diluent with said deasphalted oil stream to form a combined stream; e) thermal cracking said combined stream for forming a thermally cracked stream; and f) applying said thermally cracked stream to said distillation column. 2. A process according to claim 1 wherein said hydrogen donor diluent is combined with said deasphalted oil stream in the ratio of about 0.25 to 4 parts of hydrogen donor diluent to 1 part of deasphalted oil. 3. A process according to claim 2 wherein converting at least some of said substantially asphaltene-free, and metal-free distillate fraction to a hydrogen donor diluent includes: a) catalytically hydrogenating at least a portion of said substantially asphaltene-free, and metal-free distillate fraction for forming a hydrotreated stream; b) fractionating said hydrotreated stream for forming substantially asphaltene-free, and metal-free distillate, and said hydrogen donor diluent. 4. Apparatus for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes, said apparatus comprising: a) a distillation column for receiving said feed and producing a substantially asphaltene-free, and metal-free distillate fraction and a non-distilled fraction containing sulfur, asphaltenes, and metals; b) means for converting at least some of said substantially asphaltene-free, and metal-free distillate fraction to a hydrogen donor diluent; c) a solvent deasphalting unit for processing said non-distilled fraction and producing a deasphalted oil stream and an asphaltene stream; d) means for combining said hydrogen donor diluent with said deasphalted oil stream to form a combined stream; e) a thermal cracker for thermally cracking said combined stream and forming a thermally cracked stream; and f) means for applying said thermally cracked stream to said distillation column. 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 including: a) a catalytic hydrotreater for treating at least a portion of said substantially asphaltene-free, and metal-free distillate fraction and forming a hydrotreated stream; b) a distillation column for fractionating said hydrotreated stream and forming substantially asphaltene-free, and metal-free distillate, and said hydrogen donor diluent. 6. A process for producing a distillate stream from a heavy hydrocarbon feed stream comprising: a) solvent deasphalting said feed for producing a deasphalted oil fraction and an asphaltene fraction; b) forming a hydrogen donor diluent; c) heating and thermal cracking said deasphalted oil fraction in the presence of said hydrogen diluent in a thermal cracking zone for forming a thermally cracked stream; d) fractionating said thermally cracked stream in a fractionating zone to produce a distilled fraction which constitutes said distillate stream, and a non-distilled fraction which constitutes said feed stream. 7. A process according to claim 6 wherein said hydrogen donor diluent is combined with said deasphalted oil fraction in the ratio of about 0.25 to 4 parts of hydrogen donor diluent to 1 part of deasphalted oil. 8. A process according to claim 6 wherein said hydrogen donor diluent is produced by hydrotreating a portion of said distillate stream. 9. A process according to claim 8 wherein the step of fractionating said thermally cracked stream includes fractionating a hydrocarbon feed containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes. 10. A process according to claim 8 including thermal cracking a hydrocarbon feed containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes in said thermal cracking zone. 11. A process according to claim 6 including burning at least a portion of said distillate stream for producing power. 12. A process according to claim 6 including burning at least some of the asphaltene fraction to provide at least some of the process heating requirements. 13. A process according to claim 6 wherein at least some of the hydrogen in said hydrogen donor diluent is formed by gasifying at least a portion of said asphaltene fraction. 14. A process for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed stream containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes, said process comprising: a) cracking said hydrocarbon feed stream to form a cracked hydrocarbon feed stream; b) applying said cracked hydrocarbon feed stream to a distillation column for producing a substantially asphaltene-free, and metal- free distillate fraction and a non-distilled fraction containing sulfur, asphaltenes, and metals; c) converting at least some of said substantially asphaltene-free, and metal-free distillate fraction to a hydrogen donor diluent; d) processing said non-distilled fraction in a solvent deasphalting unit for producing a deasphalted oil stream and an asphaltene stream; e) combining said hydrogen donor diluent with said deasphalted oil stream to form a combined stream; f) thermal cracking said combined stream for forming a thermally cracked stream; and g) applying said thermally cracked stream to said distillation column. 15. A process according to claim 1 wherein the thermal cracking of said combined stream is practiced in the presence of a catalyst. 16. A process according to claim 15 wherein the catalyst promotes cracking of said combined stream. 17. A process according to claim 15 wherein the catalyst suppresses the formation of asphaltenes. 18. A process according to claim 15 wherein the catalyst suppresses the formation of asphaltenes, and wherein the catalyst promotes cracking of said combined stream. 19. A process according to claim 15 wherein the catalyst is a metal selected from the group consisting of a Groups IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB, and VIII of the Periodic Table of Elements, and mixtures thereof. 20. A process according to claim 15 wherein the catalyst is a molybdenum. 21. A process of claim 1 wherein the thermal cracking is practiced in the presence of a hydrogen donor. 22. A process of claim 21 wherein the hydrogen donor is hydrogen gas. 23. A process of claim 21 wherein the hydrogen donor is a hydrogen donor diluent stream. 24. Apparatus for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed stream containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes, said apparatus comprising: a) a thermal cracker for cracking said hydrocarbon feed stream thereby producing a cracked hydrocarbon feed stream; b) a distillation column for receiving said cracked hydrocarbon feed stream and producing a substantially asphaltene-free, and metal- free distillate fraction and a non-distilled fraction containing sulfur, asphaltenes and metals; c) means for converting at least some of said substantially asphaltene-free, and metal-free distillate fraction to a hydrogen donor diluent; d) a solvent deasphalting unit for processing said non-distilled fraction and producing a deasphalted oil stream and an asphaltene stream; e) means for combining said hydrogen donor diluent with said deasphalted oil stream to form a combined stream; f) a thermal cracker for thermally cracking said combined stream and forming a thermally cracked stream; and g) means for applying said thermally cracked stream to said distillation column. 25. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the thermal cracker contains a catalyst. 26. An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the catalyst promotes cracking of said combined stream. 27. An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the catalyst suppresses the formation of asphaltenes. 28. An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the catalyst both suppresses the formation of asphaltenes, and promotes the cracking of said combined stream. 29. An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the catalyst is a metal selected from the group consisting of metals of Groups IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB, and VIII of the Periodic Table of Elements, and mixtures thereof. 30. An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the catalyst is molybdenum. 31. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the thermal cracker contains a catalyst.

Description

This invention relates to the refinement and desulfurization of heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks containing sulfur, metals and asphaltenes, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for the refinement and desulfurization of heavy crude oil products or fractions thereof.

Many types of heavy crude oils contain high concentrations of sulfur compounds, organometallic compounds, and heavy, non-distillable (non-distillable) fractions called asphaltenes, which are not soluble in light paraffins such as n-pentane. Since most petroleum products used as fuel must have a low sulfur content in order to meet environmental requirements, the presence of sulfur compounds in non-refractory fractions reduces their value to refiners and increases their cost to users of such fractions as fuel or as raw materials for other products. In order to increase the possibility of selling these refractory fractions, refiners must resort to various practical measures to remove sulfur compounds.

The traditional approach to removing sulfur compounds from distillable (distillable) fractions of crude oil or its derivatives is catalytic hydrogenation in the presence of molecular hydrogen at moderate pressure and temperature. While this approach is cost-effective in removing sulfur from distilled oil, problems arise when the feed includes metal-containing asphaltenes. Specifically, the presence of metal-containing asphaltenes leads to catalyst deactivation due to the tendency of coking of asphaltenes and the accumulation of metals on the catalyst, especially nickel and vanadium compounds, as a rule, found in asphaltenes.

Alternative approaches include coking, high pressure desulfurization and catalytic cracking in a fluidized bed of refractory oil and the production of asphalt for paving and other purposes. All of these methods, however, have disadvantages that are exacerbated by the presence of high concentrations of metals, sulfur, and asphaltenes. In the case of coking of non-refluxable oil, the cost is high and a placement market must be found for the resulting coke with a high sulfur content. Moreover, products obtained from the asphaltene portion of the coke oven feedstock are almost completely of low value coke and cracking gases. In the case of residual oil desulfurization, the cost of high pressure equipment, catalyst contamination and long processing times make this alternative undesirably expensive.

The metals contained in heavy oil pollute and spoil the performance of the catalysts in a catalytic cracking unit in a fluidized bed. The asphaltenes present in such oil are converted in high yields into coke and gas, which burden the operator with high coke burning requirements. While the asphalt market is a viable way to get rid of asphaltenes, since no sulfur restrictions are generally imposed, such markets are limited in size and location, making this alternative often unsuitable for a refinery specialist.

Another available alternative for a refinery specialist or consumer of heavy crude oil is to transfer the non-refluxable heavy oil fractions as fuel for industrial power generators or as bunker fuel for ships. The transfer of such fractions as fuel is not particularly beneficial for the refinery specialist, since more valuable distillate oil must be added in order to significantly reduce the viscosity, to allow handling and supply to the consumer, and since the presence of high levels of sulfur and metal pollution reduces value to users. Refiners often use a thermal conversion process, such as light cracking, to reduce the yield of heavy fuel oil. This method converts a limited amount of heavy oil into a light oil with a lower viscosity, but has the disadvantage of using a certain amount of more valuable distillate oil to reduce the viscosity of the heavy oil, sufficient to make it possible to use and transport it. Moreover, the content of asphaltenes in heavy oil severely limits the degree of conversion of light cracking, possibly due to the tendency of asphaltenes to condense into heavier materials, even coke, and cause instability of the resulting oil fuel.

Many proposals have thus been made for the use of non-refractory fractions of crude oil containing sulfur and metals. And while many of them are technically viable, they, however, are not commercially viable due to the enormously high cost of sophisticated technology. Typically, this cost is expressed in increased contamination of the catalyst with metals and / or carbon deposition resulting from attempts to convert asphaltene fractions.

An example of the methods proposed to cope with a high content of metals and asphaltenes is described in US Pat. No. 4,500,416. In one embodiment, the hydrocarbon feed containing asphaltenes is deasphalted in a solvent in a deasphalting zone to produce a deasphalted oil fraction (DAN), and a fraction of asphaltene, which is catalytically treated in a hydrogen medium in the hydrotreatment zone to obtain a reduced asphaltene stream, which is divided into fractions to obtain a fraction of light distillates and first th heavy distillate fraction. Both the first heavy distillate fraction and the DAN fraction are thermally cracked in a product stream, which is then fractionated into light fractions and a second heavy distillate fraction, which is sent to the hydrotreatment zone.

Alternatively, the hydrocarbon feed containing asphaltenes is deasphalted in a solvent in a deasphalting zone to produce a deasphalted oil fraction (DAN) and an asphaltene fraction that is catalytically treated in a hydrogen medium in a hydrotreatment zone to form a reduced asphaltene stream, which is separated into fractions to obtain light distillate fractions and the first heavy distillate fraction. The first heavy distillate fraction is sent to the deasphalting zone for deasphalting, and the DAN fraction is thermally cracked in the product stream, which is then fractionated into light fractions and the second heavy distillate fraction, which is sent to the hydrotreatment zone.

In each implementation of the aforementioned US patent, asphaltenes are sent to a hydrotreatment zone, where the heavy metals present in the asphaltenes cause a number of problems. First of all, the presence of heavy metals in the hydrotreatment device causes catalyst deactivation, which increases the cost of the process. In addition, such heavy metals also lead to the need to apply higher pressures in the hydrotreating device, which complicates its design and operation and, therefore, increases its cost.

Therefore, the aim of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for the refinement and desulfurization of heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks containing sulfur, metals and asphaltenes, where the disadvantages described above are reduced or substantially overcome.

In accordance with the present invention, a distillate stream substantially free of asphaltenes and metals is produced from the heavy hydrocarbon feed stream by deasphalting in a solvent to obtain a deasphalted oil fraction and an asphaltene fraction. The deasphalted oil fraction is thermally cracked in the presence of a hydrogen diluent to form a thermally cracked stream, which is fractionated in the fractionation zone to form a distillate fraction substantially free of asphaltenes and metals, which make up the distillate stream, and a non-distillable fraction that makes up the flow of raw materials.

It is preferred that the hydrogen donor diluent is prepared by catalytic hydrotreating at least a portion of the distillate fraction substantially free of asphaltenes and metals to form a hydrogen-treated stream. Such a stream is then fractionated to form a distillate substantially free of asphaltenes and metals, and a diluent that is a hydrogen donor. A preferred ratio of a hydrogen donor diluent to a deasphalted oil is from about 0.25 to 4 parts hydrogen donor diluent to 1 part of a deasphalted oil.

In one embodiment of the present invention, fractionalization of the thermally cracked stream includes fractionation of a hydrocarbon feed containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes. In another embodiment, a hydrocarbon feed containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes is thermally cracked with a fraction of deasphalted oil and a hydrogen diluent.

The presence of a hydrogen donor diluent during thermal cracking of deasphalted oil serves to suppress or significantly eliminate the formation of asphaltenes in a thermal cracking unit. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the catalytic hydrotreating feed is free of asphaltenes and metals; and, as a result, only moderate pressures in the hydrogenator are used, which reduces the cost of the equipment for catalytic hydrotreating. In addition, improved feedstock for catalytic hydrotreating will lead to longer catalyst life, thereby reducing operating costs.

The solvent deasphalting process of the present invention removes both asphaltenes contained in the feed and asphaltenes formed as by-products of the thermal cracking process. The absence of asphaltenes in the DAN loading for the thermal cracking unit5 allows it to operate under more severe conditions, which leads to the maximum generation of distillate products. As you know, the rigidity of the thermal cracking process is limited by the level of asphaltenes present in the thermal cracking unit, since a too high level will lead to the deposition of asphaltenes in the thermal cracking unit, which pollute the heaters of the thermal cracking unit, or to the deposition of asphaltenes from the liquid of the thermal cracking unit during subsequent storage or transportation. Since the presence of asphaltenes sets a conversion limit in a thermal cracking unit before excessive coking occurs, the removal of asphaltenes from raw materials for a thermal cracking device allows a higher rigidity of operation modes and higher conversion rates of the present invention, and thus reduces expenses. Moreover, the donor diluent present in the charge for the thermal cracking unit suppresses the formation of asphaltenes in it, providing an increased yield of light products.

An additional advantage of the present invention lies in the use of thermal rather than catalytic conversion of deasphalted oil. This makes it possible to carry out the deasphalting process so that, mainly, only asphaltenes, and therefore a very small amount of deasphalted oil fractions, are discarded into the asphaltene phase by the deasphalting device in the solvent, although this operation leads to deasphalted oil with metals and Conradson's carbon level which would be unacceptable if deasphalted oil was used in a catalytic cracking unit or a catalytic hydrocracking unit. Since the conversion of distilled fractions takes place thermally, metals and coke-forming fractions do not create a significant cost limitation for this operation.

To a large extent, all the metals in the feed are ultimately discarded into the asphaltene phase by recycling unrefined, unconverted heavy oil to a deasphalting device in a solvent. The inclusion of a hydrogen donor distillate in a deasphalted oil fed to a thermal cracking unit will suppress or substantially remove coke-forming fractions from condensing with the formation of additional asphaltenes, resulting in an increase in the yield of valuable products.

According to the present invention, the asphaltenes present in the hydrocarbon feed to be upgraded are removed in the deasphalting step before the thermal cracking step. In addition, by recycling to the deasphalting step in the solvent the unrefined residual fraction of the products of the thermal cracking unit, the fraction of which may contain asphaltenes obtained as by-products of the thermal cracking, any asphaltenes obtained in the thermal cracking unit are removed, and the deasphalted unrefined residual fraction from thermal cracking unit can be returned to the thermal cracking unit for further cracking. Thus, according to the present invention, the removal of asphaltenes from the feed and recycled raw materials located upstream of the thermal cracking unit leads to a greater conversion of non-distilled hydrocarbons to distillates compared to known methods.

According to the present invention, the asphaltenes obtained according to the invention can be used as fuel by another fuel consumer. For example, these asphaltenes can be used as fuel in a fluidized-bed combustion chamber or a high viscosity fuel oil boiler. As an alternative, asphaltenes can be used as feedstock for a gasifier or they can be coked to produce lighter liquid fuels and petroleum coke fuels. If they are gasified, then the synthesis gas obtained from asphaltenes can be used as a hydrogen source for a hydrotreating device. If they are coked, distillate fuel obtained from asphaltenes can be processed in a hydrogen medium and then combined with distillate products obtained from cracking of deasphalted oil, and coke can be sold on the solid fuel market.

The distilled fractions from the process, which are free of asphaltenes and free of metals and have a reduced sulfur content, can be used without further processing as a substitute for high-quality distillate fuel or refined petrochemical feedstocks.

Moreover, the present invention also includes apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention.

Implementations of the present invention are described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first implementation of the present invention for upgrading a hydrocarbon feedstock containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes, where the feedstock is fed to a distillation column; and

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a second implementation of the present invention for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes, where the feed is fed to a thermal cracker.

Turning now to the drawings: reference 10A denotes a first embodiment of a plant of the present invention for refining hydrocarbon feedstocks 11, which typically contains sulfur, metals and asphaltenes. Installation 10 A includes a heat exchanger 12 for heating the feedstock 11 and producing heated feedstock 13, which is fed to a distillation column 14, which can operate at almost atmospheric pressure or, through the use of two separate vessels, at a maximum pressure that is lower than atmospheric. The fractionation takes place within the column 14 producing the gas stream 15, one or more distillate streams, shown as a combined stream 16, which is substantially free of asphaltenes and metals, and an unrefined fraction 18, containing sulfur, asphaltenes and metals.

The gas stream 15 can be used as fuel for heating the process. Part of the combined stream 16 may be taken as product stream 37, and the remainder of the combined stream 16 is converted by 17 to obtain a hydrogen donor diluent, 17A, as described below; and the non-distilled, or reduced, fraction 18 is fed to a solvent deasphalting unit (DAP) 19 for processing the non-distilled fraction and producing a deasphalted oil stream (DAN) 20 and an asphaltene stream 21. The DAP 19 installation is traditional in that it uses regenerated light a hydrocarbon, such as pentane or hexane, or a combination thereof, for separating fraction 18 into streams 20 and 21. The concentration of metals in the stream DAN 20 obtained in the installation of DAR 19 is significantly lower than the concentration of metals in f stock 18 supplied to the DAR installation 19. In addition, the metal concentration in the asphaltene stream 21 is significantly higher than the metal concentration in the DAN stream 20. Node 22 serves as a means for combining the hydrogen donor diluent 1 7A with a deasphalted oil stream 20 to form a combined stream 23 that is thermally cracked in a cracking furnace or a cracking furnace combined with a reaction chamber shown as a thermal cracking unit 24. Preferably, the deasphalting stream This oil 20 is combined with a hydrogen donor stream 17A in a proportion of 0.25 to 4 parts hydrogen donor to 1 part deasphalted oil. The heat supplied to the thermal cracking device 24, and the residence time of the stream 23 in it serve for thermal cracking of the stream 23 in part capable of distillation of light hydrocarbons. The asphalts formed during the thermal cracking of the non-distillable parts are part of the thermally cracked stream 25.

Finally, the inlet 26 into the distillation column 14 serves as a means for feeding the thermally cracked stream 25 to the column. Inside this column, distillable portions in stream 25 are separated and obtained as part of gas stream 15 and combined stream 16. In the case where the heavy hydrocarbon feed 11 does not contain a significant amount of distillate, feed 11 can be sent to a deasphalting apparatus in solution 19 instead of a column 14, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, when feed 11 contains sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes, feed 11 can be sent to thermal cracking unit 24 in apparatus 10B shown in FIG. 2.

While in FIG. 1 shows the return of the feed of the thermally cracked stream 25 directly to the column 14, it is also possible to mix the stream 25 with the feed 11, thereby contributing to the heating of the feed in preparation for fractionation in the column 14.

Preferably, at least a portion of the distillate produced by column 14, namely stream 16, is catalytically treated with hydrogen in a hydrotreating device 27, which also receives hydrogen gas through line 28. The hydroprocessed product in line 29 is then heated in heat exchanger 30 and separated into fractions in a column 31 forming a gas stream 32, light distillates 33, middle range distillates 34 and heavy distillates 35.

The gas stream 32 can be used, for example, as fuel for heating the process; or, hydrogen in the gas stream can be regenerated for use in the hydrotreating device 27. Stream 29 will also contain significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide from the desulfurization process in the hydrotreating device. This hydrogen sulfide can be easily removed from the gas fraction using conventional sulfur recovery technology.

A portion of the middle distillate fraction 34, which will have a boiling range from about 500 ° G (260 ° C) to 900 ° G (482 ° C), is used as a hydrogen donor diluent for the thermal cracking process and is recycled as stream 17A. Part of the middle distillate fraction 34, which is not used as a hydrogen donor, is withdrawn from the system as stream 36. Streams 32, 33, 35, 36 and 37 can be combined as enriched synthetic crude oil for further refining or used as fuel for generating electricity without further processing.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchanger 12 operates as a thermal cracking unit in order to crack heavy hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon feed.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, thermal cracking unit 24 comprises a catalyst. In this embodiment, the heat exchanger 12 functions as a thermal cracking unit, and it may also contain a catalyst. When a catalyst is present, thermal cracking is carried out in the presence of this catalyst. The catalyst may be in the thermal cracking device 24 and / or in the heat exchanger 12, but preferably is in the form of a suspension dispersed in oil, carried by an appropriate stream of raw materials.

The catalyst preferably promotes the cracking of the combined stream 23 or the contents of the heat exchanger 12 when the heat exchanger 12 operates as a thermal cracking unit. In one embodiment of the invention, the catalyst inhibits the formation of asphaltenes. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, it performs both functions. The catalyst is preferably a metal selected from Groups 1УВ, УВ, У1В, УНВ and VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements and their mixtures. The most preferred catalyst is molybdenum. The catalyst can be used in its elemental form or in the form of a compound.

In another embodiment of the invention, thermal cracking that occurs in thermal cracking unit 24 is carried out in the presence of a hydrogen donor, for example hydrogen gas or a diluent stream, which is a hydrogen donor.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, hydrogen gas is supplied to the thermal cracking unit 24 to improve the process characteristics. Moreover, gaseous hydrogen can be added to the heat exchanger 12 in such an embodiment of the invention, where the heat exchanger 12 operates as a thermal cracking unit.

It is believed that the advantages and improved results provided by the method and apparatus in question are apparent from the foregoing description of the present invention. Various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as described in the claims that follow.

Claims (31)

1. The method of refinement of hydrocarbons containing sulfur, metals and asphaltenes, comprising: a) supplying said raw material to a distillation column to obtain a distillate fraction substantially free of asphaltenes and metals and a non-distillable fraction containing sulfur, asphaltenes and metals; b) converting at least a portion of said distillate fraction substantially free of asphaltenes and metals into a hydrogen donor diluent; c) processing said non-distillable fraction in a solvent deasphalting apparatus to produce a deasphalted oil stream and an asphaltene stream; b) combining said diluent, which is a hydrogen donor, with said deasphalted oil stream to form a combined stream; e) conducting thermal cracking of said combined stream to form a thermally cracked stream; and D) supplying said thermally cracked stream to said distillation column. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogen donor diluent is added to said deasphalted oil stream in a ratio of about 0.25 to 4 hours of a hydrogen donor diluent to 1 part of deasphalted oil. 3. The method according to claim 2, where the conversion of at least a portion of said distillate fraction substantially free of asphaltenes and metals into a diluent that is a hydrogen donor includes: a) catalytic hydrogenation of at least a portion of said distillate fraction substantially free of asphaltenes and metals to form a hydrotreated stream; b) fractioning said hydrotreated stream to form a substantially free of asphaltenes and metal distillate and said hydrogen donor diluent. 4. Installation for upgrading hydrocarbon raw materials containing sulfur, metals and asphaltenes, including: a) a distillation column for producing said raw materials and for producing a substantially free of asphaltenes and metals distillate fraction and a non-distillable fraction containing sulfur, asphaltenes and metals; b) means for converting at least a portion of said distillate fraction substantially free of asphaltenes and metals into a hydrogen donor diluent; c) a solvent deasphalting device for processing said non-refluxable fraction and producing a deasphalted oil stream and an asphaltene stream; b) means for combining said diluent, which is a hydrogen donor, with said deasphalted oil stream to form a combined stream; e) a thermal cracking unit for thermally cracking said combined stream and forming a thermally cracked stream; and D) means for supplying said thermally cracked stream to said distillation column. 5. Installation according to claim 4, including: a) a catalytic hydrotreating device for treating at least a portion of said distillate fraction substantially free of asphaltenes and metals and forming a hydrotreated stream; b) a distillation column for fractionating said hydrotreated stream and forming a substantially asphaltene-free metal distillate and said hydrogen donor diluent. 6. A method of obtaining a stream of distillate from a stream of heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, comprising: a) deasphalting the aforementioned feedstock in a solvent to obtain a deasphalted oil fraction and an asphaltene fraction; b) the formation of a diluent that is a hydrogen donor; c) heating and thermally cracking said deasphalted oil fraction in the presence of said hydrogen donor diluent in a thermal cracking zone to produce a thermally cracked stream; b) fractionation of said thermally cracked stream in a fractionation zone to obtain a distilled fraction that makes up the distillate stream and an unreflected fraction that makes up the feed stream. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein said hydrogen donor diluent is combined with said deasphalted oil fraction in a ratio of about 0.25 to 4 parts of a hydrogen donor diluent to 1 part of deasphalted oil. 8. The method according to claim 6, where the aforementioned diluent, which is a hydrogen donor, is obtained by hydrotreating a portion of said distillate stream. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of fractionating the stream subjected to thermal cracking comprises fractioning a hydrocarbon feedstock containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes. 10. The method of claim 8, including thermal cracking of a hydrocarbon feed containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes in said thermal cracking zone. 11. The method according to claim 6, comprising burning at least a portion of said distillate stream to produce energy. 12. The method according to claim 6, comprising burning at least a portion of the asphaltene fraction to provide at least some of the heating requirements of the process. 13. The method according to claim 6, where at least a portion of the hydrogen in said diluent, which is a hydrogen donor, is obtained by gasification of at least a portion of said asphaltene fraction. 14. A method for upgrading a stream of hydrocarbon feed containing sulfur, metals and asphaltenes, comprising: a) cracking said hydrocarbon feed stream to produce a thermally cracked hydrocarbon feed stream; b) feeding said thermally cracked feed to a distillation column to produce a substantially asphaltene-free and metal-free distillate fraction and a non-distillable fraction containing sulfur, asphaltenes and metals; c) converting at least a portion of said distillate fraction substantially free of asphaltenes and metals into a hydrogen donor diluent; b) processing said non-distillable fraction in a deasphalting device in a solvent to obtain a deasphalted oil stream and an asphaltene stream; f) combining said diluent, which is a hydrogen donor, with said deasphalted oil stream to form a combined stream; D) thermally cracking said combined stream to form a thermally cracked stream; and e) supplying said thermally cracked stream to said distillation column. 15. The method according to claim 1, where the thermal cracking of said combined stream is carried out in the presence of a catalyst. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the catalyst promotes cracking of said combined stream. 17. The method according to clause 15, where the catalyst inhibits the formation of asphaltenes. 18. The method according to clause 15, where the catalyst suppresses the formation of asphaltenes and promotes cracking of said combined stream. 19. The method according to clause 15, where the catalyst is a metal selected from the group consisting of Groups 1УВ, УВ, У1В, УПВ and VIII of the Periodic table of elements, and mixtures thereof. 20. The method according to clause 15, where the catalyst is molybdenum. 21. The method according to claim 1, where thermal cracking is carried out in the presence of a hydrogen donor. 22. The method according to item 21, where the hydrogen donor is hydrogen gas. 23. The method according to item 21, where the hydrogen donor is a stream of diluent, which is a hydrogen donor. 24. Installation for the refinement of the flow of hydrocarbons containing sulfur, metals and asphaltenes, including: a) a thermal cracking unit for cracking said hydrocarbon feed stream to form a thermal cracked hydrocarbon feed stream; b) a distillation column to obtain said thermally cracked feedstock and to obtain a distillate fraction and a non-distillable fraction containing sulfur, asphaltenes and metals substantially free of asphaltenes and metals; c) means for converting at least a portion of said distillate fraction substantially free of asphaltenes and metals into a hydrogen donor diluent; b) a deasphalting device in a solvent for processing said non-refluxable fraction and producing a deasphalted oil stream and an asphaltene stream; e) means for combining said diluent, which is a hydrogen donor, with said deasphalted oil stream to form a combined stream; ί) a thermal cracking unit for thermally cracking said combined stream and forming a thermally cracked stream; and d) means for supplying said thermally cracked stream to said distillation column. 25. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the thermal cracking apparatus comprises a catalyst. 26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the catalyst promotes cracking of said combined stream. 27. The installation according to paragraph 24, where the catalyst suppresses the formation of asphaltenes. 28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the catalyst both suppresses the formation of asphaltenes and also facilitates cracking of said combined stream. 29. The installation according to paragraph 24, where the catalyst is a metal selected from the group consisting of Groups 1УВ, УВ, У1В, У11В and VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and mixtures thereof. 30. The installation according to paragraph 24, where the catalyst is molybdenum. 31. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the thermal cracking apparatus comprises a catalyst.