Abstract:
A stacked zone vertical tubular reactor for conducting an exothermic reaction. The reactor may comprise two or more stacked catalyst zones in each reactor tube. Each reactor tube may contain internal feed and discharge tubes, transition zones comprising a catalyst support plate and a zone separator plate, and a heat transfer element located in each catalyst zone.
Abstract:
A process to convert paraffinic feedstocks into renewable poly-alpha-olefins (PAO) basestocks. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, renewable feed comprising triglycerides and/or free fatty acids are hydrotreated producing an intermediate paraffin feedstock. This paraffin feedstock is thermally cracked into a mixture of olefins and paraffins comprising linear alpha olefins. The olefins are separated and the un-reacted paraffins are recycled to the thermal cracker. Light olefins preferably (C2-C6) are oligomerized with a surface deactivated zeolite producing a mixture of slightly branched oligomers comprising internal olefins. The heavier olefins (C6-C16) are oligomerized, preferably with a BF3 catalyst and co-catalyst to produce PAO products. The oligomerized products can be hydrotreated and distilled together or separate to produce finished products that include naphtha, distillate, solvents, and PAO lube basestocks.
Abstract:
A process to convert light hydrocarbons such as natural gas to a liquid or liquids. Vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) is used to produce a stream of relatively high purity oxygen. The relatively high purity oxygen is reacted with light hydrocarbons and steam in a partial oxidation reactor in order to produce synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is thereafter converted to a hydrocarbon liquid or liquids via a Fischer Tropsch or related reaction.
Abstract:
A process to convert light hydrocarbons such as natural gas to a liquid or liquids. Vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) is used to produce a stream of relatively high purity oxygen. The relatively high purity oxygen is reacted with light hydrocarbons and steam in an autothermal reformer in order to produce synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is thereafter converted to a hydrocarbon liquid or liquids via a Fischer Tropsch or related reaction.
Abstract:
A reactor for carrying out a chemical reaction in a three phase slurry system providing a horizontal reaction vessel with a cross sectional area which is dependent on the vessel length, vessel diameter, and axial position. The vessel has a gas inlet at or near the bottom of the reaction vessel and a gas distributor. The gas product exits the vessel by conduit means at or near the top of the reaction vessel. The vessel includes a plurality of horizontal cooling coils to provide a cooling medium to the slurry. In the reaction vessel, the synthesis gas has an average linear velocity which is a function of the vessel cross sectional area.
Abstract:
A method to produce a fuel product such as jet fuel, diesel or single battlefield fuel from a Fischer Tropsch syncrude comprising the steps of: 1) Separating the HFTL product from the reactor effluent gasses at reactor temperature and partially cooling the reactor effluent gas before transferring it to the enhanced hot separator; 2) enhancing the hot separator downstream of the Fischer Tropsch reactor with trays or packing and also adding reflux of the LFTL product, to improve separation efficiency and substantially reduce the C16+ portion of the hydrocarbons in the LFTL product; 3) combining the HFTL and MFTL product to from a combined HFTL product and further processing the combined HFTL in a hydroprocessing reactor that has a stacked bed with a layer of hydrocracking catalyst to crack the waxy C20+ hydrocarbons and a layer of hydroisomerization catalyst to isomerize the light fraction to increase the iso to n-paraffin ratio of the hydroprocessed product; 4) the LFTL product that is not recycled to the hot separator as reflux, bypasses the hydroprocessing reactor and is blended with the hydroprocessed product before distillation; and 5) the combined raw LFTL product and the hydroprocessed product is distilled to make naphtha, a fuel product, and a baseoil product. The method may be modified to make a single fuel product, preferably a jet fuel product.
Abstract:
An integrated process for converting light hydrocarbon gases into products. Pre-packaged equipment such as a gas turbine and process compressors may be used to efficiently integrate the process. The gas turbine may provide all or a portion of the oxygen required in the process as compressed air. The turbine may be configured with a gradual oxidizer that can oxidize the process tail gas and drive the turbine, providing power for the process.
Abstract:
A gas to liquids process with a reduced CO2 footprint to convert natural gas and a renewable feed stock material into fuels or chemicals. In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, a natural gas feed is converted into synthesis gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide. A minor portion of the hydrogen is thereafter extracted from the synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is converted to hydrocarbons in a Fischer Tropsch reaction. The Fischer Tropsch hydrocarbon product and a renewable feedstock are hydro processed with the extracted hydrogen in order to produce fuels and/or chemicals. Waste products from the renewable feed are recycled to produce additional synthesis gas for the Fischer Tropsch reaction.
Abstract:
A method for enhancing the heat transfer performance of a vertical tubular reactor by adding heat transfer elements inside the reactor tubes. Such heat transfer elements have two or more substantially curved legs of equal length with no cross fins, each with a foot that engages the inside wall of the tube, and can optionally have two or more substantially curved sub-legs that do not engage the wall of the tube.
Abstract:
A process to convert paraffinic feedstocks into renewable poly-alpha-olefins (PAO) basestocks. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, renewable feed comprising triglycerides and/or free fatty acids are hydrotreated producing an intermediate paraffin feedstock. This paraffin feedstock is thermally cracked into a mixture of olefins and paraffins comprising linear alpha olefins. The olefins are separated and the un-reacted paraffins are recycled to the thermal cracker. Light olefins preferably are oligomerized with a surface deactivated zeolite producing a mixture of slightly branched oligomers comprising internal olefins. The heavier olefins (C8-C14) are oligomerized, preferably with a BF3 catalyst and co-catalyst to produce PAO products. The oligomerized products can be hydrotreated and distilled together or separate to produce finished products that include naphtha, distillate, solvents, drilling fluid, and PAO lube basestocks.