Apparatus for Upgrading Heavy Hydrocarbons Using Supercritical Water

Abstract

Heavy hydrocarbons are upgraded more efficiently to lighter, more valuable, hydrocarbons with lower amounts of solid carbonaceous by-products in supercritical water using two heating stages, the first stage at a temperature up to about 775K and the second stage at a temperature from about 870K to about 1075K. The temperature is preferably raised from the first temperature to the second temperature by internal combustion using oxygen.

1 . A reactor system for converting heavy hydrocarbon feedstock into conversion products comprising lower molecular weight hydrocarbon compounds, said reactor system comprising:
 a source of SCW;   a mixing zone for mixing heavy hydrocarbon feedstock and SCW to form a fluid reaction mixture at a first temperature up to about 775K;   a feeding system for feeding SCW from said source and feedstock into said mixing zone;   a heating system for heating said fluid reaction mixture from said first temperature to a second temperature from about 870K to about 1075K;   a higher temperature reaction zone for maintaining said fluid reaction mixture at said second temperature for sufficient time to form a resultant fluid mixture containing said conversion products, said reaction zone being in fluid flow communication with said mixing zone; and   an outlet system for removing said resultant fluid mixture.   
     
     
         2 . A reactor system according to  claim 1  wherein said heating system is for providing heat internally within the reactor system. 
     
     
         3 . A reactor system according to  claim 1  wherein said heating system comprises an oxygen inlet system for feeding oxygen-containing gas into said fluid reaction mixture. 
     
     
         4 . A reactor system according to  claim 3  wherein said oxygen inlet system comprises a device for creating turbulence in a flow of fluid reaction mixture for facilitating mixing of oxygen with said fluid reaction mixture. 
     
     
         5 . A reactor system according to  claim 4  wherein said device comprises at least one umbrella, the or each umbrella having at least one outlet to feed oxygen-containing gas from under the umbrella towards the periphery thereof. 
     
     
         6 . A reactor system according to  claim 1  wherein said outlet system comprises a separator for separating entrained solid material from said resultant fluid mixture. 
     
     
         7 . A reactor system according to  claim 1  comprising internal components made from a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium and copper and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         8 . A reactor system according to  claim 1  comprising a plurality of concentric shells in the mixing zone to increase fluid velocity for a given residence time.