GB807713A - Improved process and apparatus for the treatment of hydrocarbons - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0807713/III/1> A process for converting liquid hydrocarbon oils to lighter hydrocarbon fractions in which the oil contacts a fluidized mass of solid particles at an elevated conversion temperature and oxygen contacts the solid particles at a regeneration temperature higher than the conversion temperature to burn off the carbonaceous deposits, comprises the steps of passing the solid particles with absorbed hydrocarbons downwardly through a zone having means for maintaining a restrained fluidized state and in counter-current contact with a hydrogen-containing gaseous stream at elevated temperature, thus stripping absorbed hydrocarbons, regenerating the thus stripped solid particles by reacting residual carbon at a temperature of at least 1600 DEG F. with steam and oxygen so that the resulting regeneration product gases contain a substantial proportion of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and steam and flowing the regeneration product gases through said zone as the hydrogen-containing gaseous stream. The solid particles may be sand, quartz, alumina, magnesia, zircon, beryl, or bauxite. In a preferred embodiment applied to the treatment of an East Texas residuum containing 0.82 per cent of sulphur, the apparatus comprises an upright cylindrical vessel 10 having a concentric tubular shell 16 formed from a refractory insulating material such as firebrick or alundum enclosed in the vessel and holding the regeneration zone 18 and the secondary cracking zone 20 which are separated by a perforated plate 22. Packing 23 is filled into zone 20 to give restrained fluidization of the carrier particles which when the apparatus is in operation gives a level 24 in primary cracking zone 26. Regenerated carrier is returned through an axial up-transport tube 28 which extends upwardly from the end 14 of vessel 10 to an outlet end discharging into the bottom of primary cracking zone 26. Steam and oxygen are introduced into regeneration zone 18 through an inlet conduit 38 provided with distributing means 40. Oil feed is introduced into the primary cracking zone 26 through inlet conduit 42 provided with perforations 44. Oil conversion products are removed through a cyclone 48 and a top outlet 46.