Carbonaceous material upgrading using supercritical fluids

Abstract

Systems and methods for extracting, handling and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material. The systems and methods involve forming a reaction mixture of a liquid-based carbonaceous material, a supercritical fluid, a catalyst and a source of hydrogen, and maintaining the reaction mixture at moderate temperatures for modest time periods. Exemplary reaction temperatures are those below 200° C. Exemplary reaction times range from 30 minutes to less than 24 hours.

1 . A method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material, comprising the steps of:
 contacting a specimen of liquid-based carbonaceous material with a supercritical fluid, a catalyst and a source of hydrogen to form a reaction mixture;   maintaining said specimen of liquid-based carbonaceous material with a supercritical fluid, a catalyst and a source of hydrogen in said reaction mixture at a temperature of 200° C. or less for a reaction time of at least 30 minutes; and   recovering extracted hydrocarbon from said reaction mixture.   
     
     
         2 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said specimen of liquid-based carbonaceous material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a natural petroleum, a refined petroleum, a diesel, a gasoline and a transportation fuel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said liquid-based carbonaceous material undergoes hydrogenation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said specimen of liquid-based carbonaceous material comprises a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         5 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 4 , wherein said polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon undergoes a ring opening reaction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said liquid-based carbonaceous material undergoes a sulfur elimination reaction. 
     
     
         7 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said maintaining step is performed at a temperature of 160° C. or less. 
     
     
         8 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said maintaining step is performed at a temperature of 120° C. or less. 
     
     
         9 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said maintaining step is performed at a temperature of 100° C. or less. 
     
     
         10 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said maintaining step is performed at a temperature of 60° C. or less. 
     
     
         11 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said supercritical fluid comprises CO 2 . 
     
     
         12 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said supercritical fluid comprises a hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         13 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said catalyst comprises rhodium. 
     
     
         14 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said catalyst comprises a support of carbon or aluminum oxide. 
     
     
         15 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein said catalyst comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Mo, W, Ru, Pd, Ir and Pt. 
     
     
         16 . The method of extracting and upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 1 , wherein the step of recovering extracted hydrocarbon comprises recovering a liquid or gaseous product that is suitable for transport by pipeline. 
     
     
         17 . A method of upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material, comprising the steps of:
 contacting a specimen of liquid-based carbonaceous material with a supercritical fluid, a catalyst and a source of hydrogen to form a reaction mixture;   maintaining said specimen of liquid-based carbonaceous material with a supercritical fluid, a catalyst and a source of hydrogen in said reaction mixture at a temperature of 200° C. or less for a reaction time of at least 30 minutes; and   recovering hydrocarbon from said reaction mixture.   
     
     
         18 . The method of upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 17 , wherein the step of recovering hydrocarbon comprises recovering a liquid or gaseous product that is suitable for transport by pipeline. 
     
     
         19 . The method of upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 17 , wherein said specimen of liquid-based carbonaceous material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a natural petroleum, a refined petroleum, a diesel, a gasoline and a transportation fuel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of upgrading liquid-based carbonaceous material of  claim 17 , wherein said supercritical fluid comprises CO 2 .