Cracking hydrocarbonaceous materials with heating bodies

Abstract

A continuous process and apparatus for treating feedstocks containing carbonaceous materials involves heating bodies to heat the feedstock to vaporize and crack hydrocarbons and carbon formed on heating bodies is removed through direct contact to a flame heater.

1 . A process for processing materials with a major proportion of hydrocarbon component:
 contacting the materials directly with heated iron balls to heat the materials to a temperature to vaporize and crack the hydrocarbons in the material;   recovering vapors produced by the contacting.   
   
   
       2 . A process for processing materials with a major hydrocarbon content comprising:
 contacting in an oxygen-free atmosphere the materials directly with heating bodies that have been heated, the contacting sufficient to heat the materials to a temperature to vaporize and crack hydrocarbons in the material;   in an oxidizing atmosphere heating and moving the heating bodies to remove carbon formed on the heating bodies by combusting the carbon and by moving the heating bodies such that the moving removes carbon by abrading the carbon;   directing the heating bodies from the heating to the contacting the materials;   recovering vapors from the cracked and vaporized materials produced during the contacting;   
     the heating bodies heated during the heating sufficiently to heat the materials during the contacting of the materials. 
   
   
       3 . A process as in  claim 2  wherein after the heating, the heating bodies are directed to pass through vapors produced in the contacting to further heat and crack the vapors before the vapors are recovered. 
   
   
       4 . A process as in  claim 2  wherein in solid residues are separated from the heating bodies after the heating of the heating bodies. 
   
   
       5 . A process as in  claim 1  wherein noncondensed portions of the recovered vapors are directed to the heater, and function as fuel for the heater. 
   
   
       6 . A process as in  claim 1  wherein nonvaporized and noncombusted materials from the feedstock are separated from the heating bodies as they together leave the heating of the heating bodies. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus for processing materials with a hydrocarbon content comprising;
 a continuous mixer configured to transport feedstock and heating bodies co-currently through the mixer in non-oxidizing conditions such that hydrocarbonaceous material the feedstock is heated by the heating bodies sufficiently to vaporize and crack the hydrocarbonaceous materials;   a continuous heater configured to heat and move the heating bodies under oxidizing conditions and moving conditions to remove carbon deposits from the balls through oxidation and abrasion of the carbon deposits;   
     the mixer and heater arranged to continuously cycle the heating bodies through the mixer, into and through the heater, and back into the mixer. 
   
   
       8 . An apparatus as in  claim 7  additionally comprising a vapor-excluding transport configured to allow the heated heating bodies from the heater to pass through vapors produced in the mixer to further crack the vapors. 
   
   
       9 . An apparatus as in  claim 7  additionally comprising a vapor-condenser-feedstock preheater and precondenser to vaporize and remove light hydrocarbons and water from the feedstock. 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus as in  claim 9  wherein the removed light hydrocarbons and water are directed to the heater, where the light hydrocarbons function as fuel for the heater.