Process for Hydrocracking of Hydrocarbon Streams and Pyrolysis Oils

Abstract

A process for hydrocracking of a hydrocarbon stream includes contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a hydroprocessing catalyst in the presence of hydrogen to yield a hydrocarbon product which meets steam cracker requirements for boiling end point, and in additional embodiments, chloride content and olefin content.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for hydrocracking a hydrocarbon stream comprising:
 contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a hydroprocessing catalyst in the presence of hydrogen to yield a hydrocarbon product, wherein the hydrocarbon stream comprises heavy hydrocarbon molecules and one or more sulphides; and   recovering a treated hydrocarbon stream from the hydrocarbon product, wherein a concentration of the heavy hydrocarbon molecules in the treated hydrocarbon stream is less than a concentration of the heavy hydrocarbon molecules in the hydrocarbon stream due to hydrocracking of at least a portion of the heavy hydrocarbon molecules from the hydrocarbon stream during the step of contacting.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon stream further comprises one or more chloride compounds in a concentration of 5 ppm or more based on a total weight of the hydrocarbon stream, wherein the treated hydrocarbon stream comprises the one or more chloride compounds in a concentration of less than 5 ppm based on a total weight of the treated hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon stream further comprises one or more olefins, wherein the treated hydrocarbon stream further comprises the one or more olefins in a concentration of less than 1 wt. % based on the total weight of the treated hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 doping the hydrocarbon stream with the one or more sulphides, wherein the one or more sulphides are added to the hydrocarbon stream in an amount such that a sulphur content of the hydrocarbon stream is about 0.5 wt % to about 5 wt % based on the total weight of the hydrocarbon stream.   
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sulphides of the hydrocarbon stream in an amount such that a sulphur content in the hydrocarbon stream is about 0.5 wt % to about 5 wt % based on the total weight of the hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting is performed at a temperature of 100° C. to 450° C. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting is performed at a weight hourly space velocity of 0.1 to 10 hr −1 , at a hydrogen to hydrocarbon ratio of 10 to 3,000 NL, and at a pressure of 1 to 200 barg. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the treated hydrocarbon stream comprises the one or more chloride compounds in a concentration of less than 3 ppm based on a total weight of the treated hydrocarbon, the process further comprising:
 feeding the treated hydrocarbon stream to a steam cracker.   
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 blending the treated hydrocarbon stream with a non-chlorinated hydrocarbon stream to yield a blended hydrocarbon stream comprising the one or more chloride compounds in a concentration of less than 3 ppm based on a total weight of the blended hydrocarbon stream; and   feeding the blended hydrocarbon stream to a steam cracker.   
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst comprises cobalt and molybdenum on an alumina support, nickel and molybdenum on an alumina support, tungsten and molybdenum on an alumina support, or nickel and molybdenum sulphides, wherein contacting the hydrocarbon stream with the hydroprocessing catalyst comprises:
 contacting one or more sulphides contained in or added to the hydrocarbon stream with the hydroprocessing catalyst, and wherein the one or more sulphides are contained in or added to the hydrocarbon stream in an amount such that a sulphur content of the hydrocarbon stream is about 0.5 wt % to about 5 wt % based on the total weight of the hydrocarbon stream.   
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein recovering a treated hydrocarbon stream from the hydrocarbon product comprises:
 separating a treated product from a sulphur and chlorine-containing gas in a separator; and   flowing the treated product in the treated hydrocarbon stream from the separator.   
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the treated hydrocarbon stream has a boiling end point of 370° C. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the heavy hydrocarbon molecules which are hydrocracked during the step of contacting is greater than 5 wt % of the heavy hydrocarbon molecules in the hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the heavy hydrocarbon molecules comprise C 16  and larger hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein no hydrogen halides and no halogenated organic compounds are recycled to the hydroprocessing reactor. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting is performed without use of chlorine sorbents. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting is performed without the presence of Na 2 CO 3  in an effective amount to function as a dechlorinating agent. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting includes simultaneous i) dechlorination of the hydrocarbon stream such that the treated hydrocarbon stream comprises one or more chloride compounds in a concentration less than 1 ppm based on the total weight of the treated hydrocarbon stream, ii) hydrogenation of the hydrocarbon stream such that the treated hydrocarbon stream comprises one or more olefins in a concentration less than 1 wt % based on the total weight of the treated hydrocarbon stream, and iii) reduction of heavy hydrocarbon molecules of the hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon stream further comprises one or more chloride compounds and the step of contacting includes dechlorinating the hydrocarbon stream to yield less than 1 ppm of the one or more chloride compounds in the treated hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more chloride compounds include 1-chlorohexane, 2-chloropentane, 3-chloro-3-methyl pentane, (2-chloroethyl) benzene, chlorobenzene, or combinations thereof.