Heavy hydrocarbon reactor

Abstract

A reactor for cracking heavy hydrocarbons includes a tube having an internal passage filled with a fluid that includes heavy hydrocarbon material. The reactor is oriented vertically so that the fluid moves downward through the internal passage of the tube. The internal passage includes alternating linear sections and curved sections. The internal passage is oriented so that it lies on a single plane. The reactor may be combined with another reactor to produce a reactor system.

1 . A reactor comprising:
 a tube including an internal passage; and   a fluid located in the internal passage of the tube, the fluid including heavy hydrocarbon material;   wherein the internal passage of the tube includes alternating linear sections and curved sections; and   wherein the reactor is oriented vertically and the fluid moves downward through the tube.   
     
     
         2 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein some or all of the linear sections slope downward. 
     
     
         3 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein each one of the linear sections is approximately 3 ft to approximately 10 ft long. 
     
     
         4 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the internal passage includes at least three, four, or five alternating linear sections and curved sections. 
     
     
         5 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the internal passage lies substantially on a plane. 
     
     
         6 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein each one of the curved sections curve less than 180°. 
     
     
         7 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the internal passage is at least approximately 6 inches wide. 
     
     
         8 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the reactor is at least approximately 10 feet high. 
     
     
         9 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the fluid includes a cracking fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the heavy hydrocarbon material is converted into distillates in the reactor. 
     
     
         11 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the temperature of the temperature of the heavy hydrocarbon material in the reactor is approximately 410° C. to approximately 490° C. 
     
     
         12 . A reactor system comprising:
 a nozzle reactor including a first entry opening leading to a first input passage, a second entry opening, and an exit opening, wherein the first entry opening, the second entry opening, and the exit opening are in fluid communication with each other, and wherein the first input passage includes a convergent section followed by a divergent section; and   a tubular reactor in fluid communication with the exit opening of the nozzle reactor, the tubular reactor including an internal passage having alternating linear sections and curved sections.   
     
     
         13 . The reactor system of  claim 21  wherein the internal passage in the tubular reactor has a substantially planar orientation. 
     
     
         14 . The reactor system of  claim 12  wherein the tubular reactor is oriented vertically and fluid received from the nozzle reactor moves downward through the tubular reactor. 
     
     
         15 . The reactor system of  claim 12  wherein the internal passage in the tubular reactor is at least approximately 6 inches wide. 
     
     
         16 . The reactor system of  claim 12  comprising a fluid moving through the first input passage, wherein the fluid reaches at least Mach 1 as it moves through the first input passage. 
     
     
         17 . The reactor system of  claim 12  comprising an effluent material that exits the nozzle reactor and enters the tubular reactor, wherein the effluent material has a residence time in the tubular reactor of approximately 0.05 s to 1.5 s. 
     
     
         18 . The reactor system of  claim 12  comprising an effluent material that exits the nozzle reactor and enters the tubular reactor, wherein the effluent material has a linear velocity in the tubular reactor of approximately 4 m/s to 40 m/s. 
     
     
         19 . The reactor system of  claim 12  comprising:
 a cracking fluid that enters the nozzle reactor through the first entry opening; and 
 a feed including heavy hydrocarbon material, the feed entering the nozzle reactor through the second entry opening. 
 
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 reacting heavy hydrocarbon material in a reactor and converting a portion of the heavy hydrocarbon material into distillates;   wherein the reactor includes a tube having an internal passage;   wherein the reactor is oriented vertically and the heavy hydrocarbon material moves downward through the tube; and   wherein the internal passage includes alternating linear sections and curved sections.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  comprising reacting the heavy hydrocarbon material with a cracking fluid such as steam or natural gas. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the heavy hydrocarbon material has a residence time in the reactor of approximately 0.05 s to 1.5 s. 
     
     
         23 . The reactor of  claim 20  wherein the heavy hydrocarbon material has a linear velocity in the reactor of approximately 4 m/s to 40 m/s.