Process for reducing the acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures

Abstract

Process for reducing acidity in hydrocarbon mixtures, through thermal treatment of hydrocarbon streams, such as petroleum products, fractions and its derivatives, in the presence of a spent hydrorefinery catalyst, in other words, that has already been used in the Hydrotreatment units (HDT) of a refinery.

1 . Process for the reduction of acidity in hydrocarbon mixture with high total acidity index, through adsorption and the reaction of organic acids on the surface of a catalyst, characterized by the inclusion of the following stages: 
 heating of the hydrocarbon mixture to be treated;    placing in contact, continually, said hydrocarbon mixture with a fixed bed of spent catalyst coming from a Hydrotreatment unit, at a pressure such that after the treatment, the hydrocarbon mixture will be at the normal pressure of the downstream system;    continual withdrawal of the treated hydrocarbon mixture containing a reduced total acid number (TAN) value of total acidity for later processing in conventional petroleum refinery units; and    disposal of the catalyst at the end of the campaign time, in the usual way used in conventional Hydrotreatment units.    
   
   
       2 . Process for the reduction of the acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures, in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized as including hydrocarbon mixtures that may be chosen from: petroleum products, their fractions and derivatives.  
   
   
       3 . Process to reduce acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures, in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized as including hydrocarbon mixtures that present a total acid number (TAN) that falls within a range of between 1 and 10 mg KOH/g of oil, preferably with a TAN that falls within a range of between 1.5 and 8 mg KOH/g of oil.  
   
   
       4 . Process for the reduction of the acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures, in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized as including heating of the hydrocarbon mixtures to be treated at temperatures that fluctuate within a range between 240° C. and 400° C., before the desalting stage.  
   
   
       5 . Process for the reduction of the acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures, in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized as including heating of the hydrocarbon mixtures to be treated at temperatures that fluctuate within a range between 240° C. and 400° C., after the desalting stage.  
   
   
       6 . Process for the reduction of the acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures, in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized as including contact of the hydrocarbon mixture with a fixed bed of spent catalyst coming from a Hydrotreatment unit at a temperature within the range of 270° C. and 350° C., preferably at a temperature in the range of between 270° C. and 350° C.  
   
   
       7 . Process for the reduction of the acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures, in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized as having a space velocity in the reactor falling within a range of between 0.25 h −1  and 10 h −1 , preferably within a range of between 0.5 h −1  and 4 h −1 .  
   
   
       8 . Process for the reduction of the acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures, in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized by a catalyst used in this invention that is refuse or a mixture of discarded catalysts from Hydrotreatment units, made of transition metals, supported in refracting oxides that may be chosen from any one of the following: 
 alumina;    silica    titanium;    zirconium; and    mixtures of refracting oxides.    
   
   
       9 . Process for the reduction of the acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures, in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized as having an intermediary stripping stage of the spent catalyst coming from a Hydrotreatment unit in the presence of an inert gas.  
   
   
       10 . Process for the reduction of the acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures, in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized as being implemented before the desalter.  
   
   
       11 . Process for the reduction of the acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures, in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized as being implemented after the preflash tower for removal of the light [products].  
   
   
       12 . Process for the reduction of the acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures, in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized as including a process of additional heating of non-treated hydrocarbon mixtures with a treated hydrocarbon mixture, so as to reduce the temperature of the treated hydrocarbon mixture before they enter the desalter.  
   
   
       13 . Process for the reduction of the acidity of hydrocarbon mixtures, in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized by including a furnace mounted before the reactor so that the reaction temperature necessary for the treatment is attained.