Method and device for treatment of liquid hydrocarbons

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and a device for purification and desulfurization of liquid hydrocarbons, which, compared to sodium dispersion desulfurizing processes like already been disclosed, open up additional fields of application and greatly improves economy and achievable results.

1 . A device for sodium treatment of liquid hydrocarbons for the purpose of purification, desulfurization and reducing of aromatic compounds, comprising of:
 a heatable vessel, having in an upper part pressure-lock inlets for liquid hydrocarbons and pressure lock inlets for solid or molten metallic sodium, and in a lower region pressure lock outlets for liquids and reaction products and;   having attached a pressurizable pump and dispersion circuit comprising of at least one pumping unit and at least one dispersing unit, a flow pipe connecting the dispersion unit with a re-entry into the vessel and a throttle valve located short before the re-entry into the vessel, whereby circulation of liquids through the pump and dispersing circuit can proceed in a way, that liquids first flow from the lower part of the vessel into the at least one pumping unit to be pressurized, and then flow into the at least one dispersing unit to be dispersed under pressure, and;   having passed the at least one dispersing unit, flows back into the vessel through the flow pipe, in which through adjusting the pressure generated by the at least one pumping unit, adjusting the flow rate of the at least one dispersing unit, and adjusting the flow rate by means of the throttle valve located short before the return point of the liquids into the vessel, pressure and residence time of the flowing medium are controllable.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pump and dispersing circuit, attached to the vessel includes a pumping unit, an afterwards attached dispersion unit and an afterwards attached flow pipe, that connects the dispersion unit with a re-entry into the vessel and whose diameter and length is chosen so, that, through adjusting the throttle valve located before the point where liquid return into the vessel a residence time for liquids in the flow pipe is settable between 2 and 300 seconds. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the pumping unit is electronically adjustable by a frequency converter and is able to pressurize fluids before flowing into the dispersion unit to pressure rates between 2 bar and 100 bar. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pump and dispersing circuit, attached to the vessel includes a combined pumping and dispersing unit comprising of at least one pumping impeller and;
 at least one rotor-stator-disperger-module mounted on the same shaft and located in the same casing and;   an afterwards attached flow pipe connecting this combined pump and dispersion unit with a re-entry into the vessel, whose diameter and length is chosen so, that, through setting of the throttle valve located short before the point where liquids return into the vessel a residence time for the through flowing liquid is adjustable between 2 and 300 seconds.   
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein diameter and size of the pumping impeller and diameter and size of the rotor-stator-disperger-combination of the combined pump and dispersion units located in the same casing, are chosen so, that at an disperger rotor rotating speed necessary for optimal dispersion effect, then the pumping-element provides pressure between 2 and 100 bar. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein pump-drive-e-motors and disperger-drive-e-motors are equipped with frequency converters which are connected to an electronic monitoring system, which is also monitoring the pressure in the pump and dispersing circuit and the adjustments of the throttle valve, and therewith is able to obtain, control and maintain adjustable pressure and flow rates within the pump and dispersing circuit. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein in the moment of introducing metallic sodium, inside the pump and dispersing circuit pressure is higher than 3 bar, temperatures are above 100° C., and residence time for the through flowing liquid is adjusted to be longer than 2 seconds, to achieve purification, desulfurization and/or reduction of aromatic compounds of liquid hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein in the moment of introducing metallic sodium, inside the pump and dispersing circuit pressure is higher than 3 bar, temperatures are above 100° C., and residence time for the through flowing liquid is adjusted to be longer than 10 seconds, to achieve splitting and shortening of hydrocarbon molecular chains of oil with boiling point higher than middle distillates to turn them into those of oil in the range of middle distillates. 
     
     
         9 . A method for treatment of liquid hydrocarbons, where purification, desulfurization and reduction of aromatic compounds of liquid hydrocarbons is achieved by circulating the liquid hydrocarbons in a device that includes a vessel having in an upper part pressure-lock inlets for liquid hydrocarbons and;
 pressure lock inlets for solid or molten metallic sodium, and   in a lower region pressure lock outlets for liquids and reaction products, and;   having attached a pressurizable pump and dispersion circuit comprising of at least one pumping unit and;   at least one dispersing unit, a flow pipe connecting the dispersion unit with a re-entry into the vessel and a throttle valve located short before the re-entry into the vessel and adding metallic sodium at temperatures higher than 100° C., then passing the sodium containing liquid through a pumping unit to be pressurized to values between 1-100 bar, then passing the sodium containing pressurized liquid through a high shear disperser unit to form sodium particles of sizes below 2 microns and;   simultaneously disperse those sodium particles into the hydrocarbon liquid and then pass this liquid with the mixed in sodium particles through the flow pipe connecting the dispersion unit with a re-entry into the vessel by keeping the applied pressure and adjusting a residence time in the flow pipe of at least 2 seconds.   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the residence time for liquids in the flow pipe is settable between 40 and 80 seconds. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the pumping unit is able to pressurize fluids before flowing into the dispersion until to pressure rates between 10 bar and 40 bar. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein the residence time for the through flowing liquid is adjustable between 40 and 80 seconds. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 5 , wherein the pumping-element provides pressure between 10 and 40 bar. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein the pressure inside the pump and dispersing circuit is higher than 15 bar, the temperatures are above 240° C., and the residence time for the through flowing liquid is adjusted to be longer than 15 seconds. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein the pressure inside the pump and dispersing circuit is higher than 20 bar, the temperatures are above 280° C., and the residence time for the through flowing liquid is adjusted to be longer than 30 seconds. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the pressure inside the pump and dispersing circuit is higher than 15 bar, the temperatures are above 240° C., and the residence time for the through flowing liquid is adjusted to be longer than 30 seconds. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the pressure inside the pump and dispersing circuit is higher than 30 bar, the temperatures are above 320° C., and the residence time for the through flowing liquid is adjusted to be longer than 60 seconds. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the metallic sodium is added at temperatures higher than 240° C., then the sodium containing liquid is passed through the pumping unit to be pressurized to values between 5-50 bar; and
 wherein the residence time in the flow pipe is at least 15 seconds. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the metallic sodium is added at temperatures higher than 280° C., then the sodium containing liquid is passed through the pumping unit to be pressurized to values between 25-35 bar; and
 wherein the residence time in the flow pipe is at least 30 seconds.