Hydrocracking Reaction of Heavy Residues

Investigation on the hydrocracking reaction of heavy residues 307 Table 4-131 Distribution of products from hydropyrolysis at 460 °C (wt %)... 

This chapter deals with the noncatalytic hydrodesulfurization (NHDS), hydrodemet-allization (NHDM), and hydrocracking (NHDC) of heavy crude oil and atmospheric residue. Some experiments were carried out in two different bench-scale units equipped with fixed-bed reactors in series operated in adiabatic and isothermal modes. The reactors were loaded with inert material (silicon carbide). Different feedstocks were used for the tests 13°API heavy crude oil, 21°API crude oil, atmospheric residue from the 13°API heavy crude oil, and atmospheric residue from the 21°API crude oil. The effects of pressure, residence time, temperature, and type of feed on noncatalytic reactions and axial reactor temperature profiles are examined. Reaction kinetics of the different noncatalytic reactions is studied by following the power-law approach. 

Trickle bed reactors have grown rapidly in importance in recent years because of their application in hydrodesulfurization of naphtha, kerosene, gasoil, and heavier petroleum fractions hydrocracking of heavy gasoil and atmospheric residues hydrotreating of lube oils and hydrogenation processes. In trickle bed operation the flow rates are much lower than those in absorbers. To avoid too low effectiveness factors in the reaction, the catalyst size is much smaller than that of the packing used in absorbers, which also means that the overall void fraction is much smaller. 

The catalytic hydrocracking of heavy oil has been well represented by the five-lump kinetic model shown in Figure 6.15 (Sdnchez et al., 2005). Although catalytic and thermal reactions follow different mechanisms, the same kinetic model was used to represent the NHDC. Hydrocracking of vacuum residue was assumed to follow second order as demonstrated earlier, while first order was considered for the other reactions. The reaction rate (r for each lump as a function of the product composition (y and the corresponding kinetic constant k is as follows ... 

Kinetic parameters of a live-lump kinetic model for hydrocracking of a heavy oil taking into account catalyst deactivation were obtained in a CSTBR in the range of reaction temperature of 380°C-420°C and LHSV of 0.5-1.25m, y(mL, h). The hydrocracking of vacuum residue, VGO, and middle distillates indicates a high selectivity toward the heavier lumps at the studied temperatures. 

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