Dual reactor for better conversion of heavy hydrocarbons

Abstract

An improved hydrocarbon cracking process includes a first reactor such as a nozzle reactor positioned in series with a second reactor such as a tubular reactor. A cracking fluid such as steam or natural gas is reacted with heavy hydrocarbon material in the first reactor. The first reactor may provide a tremendous amount of thermal and kinetic energy that initiates cracking of heavy hydrocarbon materials. The second reactor provides sufficient residence time at high temperature to increase the conversion of heavy hydrocarbon materials to the desired level. The cracking fluid functions as a hydrogen donor in the cracking reactions so that very little of the heavy hydrocarbon material becomes hydrogen depleted and forms coke even if the heavy hydrocarbon material is repeatedly recycled through the process.

1 . A heavy hydrocarbon cracking system comprising:
 a nozzle reactor including a heavy hydrocarbon material feed input, a cracking fluid input, and a first effluent material output, the nozzle reactor including an injection passage having an entry opening, an exit opening, and a narrowed section intermediate, and narrower in size relative to the entry opening and the exit opening; and   a non-linear tubular reactor in fluid communication with the first effluent material output, the tubular reactor including a second effluent material output.   
     
     
         2 . The heavy hydrocarbon cracking system of  claim 1  also comprising a heavy hydrocarbon separator in fluid communication with the second effluent material output. 
     
     
         3 . The heavy hydrocarbon cracking system of  claim 2  wherein the heavy hydrocarbon separator includes a heavy hydrocarbon material output and the nozzle reactor includes a heavy hydrocarbon material recycle input, wherein the heavy hydrocarbon material output is in fluid communication with the heavy hydrocarbon material recycle input. 
     
     
         4 . The heavy hydrocarbon cracking system of  claim 1  wherein the tubular reactor comprises a coil reactor. 
     
     
         5 . The heavy hydrocarbon cracking system of  claim 1  wherein the tubular reactor includes a spiral internal passage section. 
     
     
         6 . The heavy hydrocarbon cracking system of  claim 1  wherein the tubular reactor comprises an elongated tube having a non-linear internal passage. 
     
     
         7 . The heavy hydrocarbon cracking system of  claim 1  wherein the injection passage has a circular cross-section. 
     
     
         8 . The heavy hydrocarbon cracking system of  claim 1  wherein the injection passage includes a side wall section curving inwardly intermediate the entry opening and the narrowed section. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a feed including heavy hydrocarbon material;   a cracking fluid;   a nozzle reactor that receives the feed and the cracking fluid and outputs a first effluent material; and   a tubular reactor in fluid communication with the nozzle reactor;   wherein the tubular reactor receives the first effluent material and outputs a second effluent material.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the nozzle reactor and the tubular reactor convert at least a portion of the heavy hydrocarbon material in the feed into distillates. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the nozzle reactor receives heavy hydrocarbon material separated from the second effluent material. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9  comprising a separator that separates heavy hydrocarbon material from the second effluent material. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the cracking fluid reaches Mach 1 in the nozzle reactor. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the tubular reactor is a coil reactor. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the coil reactor has a residence time of approximately 0.05 s to 1 s. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the feed is at least approximately 95 wt % heavy hydrocarbon material and the second effluent material includes no more than 5 wt % of coke precursors. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 a feed including heavy hydrocarbon material;   a cracking fluid;   a first reactor that receives the feed and the cracking fluid and outputs a first effluent material; and   a coil reactor in fluid communication with the first reactor;   wherein the coil reactor receives the first effluent material and outputs a second effluent material.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the first reactor and the coil reactor convert at least a portion of the heavy hydrocarbon material in the feed into distillates. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the first reactor receives heavy hydrocarbon material separated from the second effluent material. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17  comprising a separator that separates heavy hydrocarbon material from the second effluent material. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the cracking fluid reaches Mach 1 in the first reactor. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the coil reactor has a residence time of approximately 0.05 s to 1 s. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the linear velocity of the first effluent material in the coil reactor is approximately 4 to 40 m/s. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the feed is at least approximately 95 wt % heavy hydrocarbon material and the second effluent material includes no more than 5 wt % of coke precursors. 
     
     
         25 . A method comprising:
 reacting heavy hydrocarbon material with a cracking fluid in a first reactor and producing a first effluent material; and   reacting the first effluent material in a second reactor and producing a second effluent material;   wherein the first effluent material is fed directly from the first reactor into the second reactor.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  comprising separating heavy hydrocarbon material from the second effluent material and recycling it back to the first reactor. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  comprising converting at least approximately 75% of the heavy hydrocarbon material that enters the first reactor into distillates. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25  comprising accelerating the cracking fluid in the first reactor to at least Mach 1. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the first reactor includes a nozzle reactor. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the second reactor includes a coil reactor. 
     
     
         31 . A method comprising:
 reacting heavy hydrocarbon material with a cracking fluid in a nozzle reactor and producing a first effluent material;   reacting the first effluent material in a tubular reactor.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the tubular reactor outputs a second effluent material, the method comprising separating heavy hydrocarbon material from the second effluent material and recycling it back to the nozzle reactor. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  comprising converting at least approximately 75% of the heavy hydrocarbon material that enters the nozzle reactor into distillates. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the tubular reactor includes a coil reactor. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31  comprising accelerating the cracking fluid in the nozzle reactor to at least Mach 1. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the tubular reactor has a residence time of approximately 0.05 s to 1 s.