Processes and Systems for Upgrading a Hydrocarbon-Containing Feed

Abstract

Processes and systems for upgrading a hydrocarbon-containing feed. The hydrocarbon containing feed and a plurality of fluidized particles can be fed into a pyrolysis reaction zone. The plurality of fluidized particles can have a first temperature that can be sufficiently high to enable pyrolysis of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed on contacting the particles. The particles can include an oxide of a transition metal element capable of oxidizing molecular hydrogen at the first temperature. The hydrocarbon-containing feed can be contacted with the particles in the pyrolysis reaction zone to effect pyrolysis of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce a pyrolysis effluent. At least a portion of the transition metal element in the particles in the pyrolysis effluent can be at a reduced state compared to the transition metal element in the particles fed into the pyrolysis reaction zone.

1 . A process for converting a hydrocarbon-containing feed by pyrolysis, comprising:
 (I) feeding the hydrocarbon-containing feed into a pyrolysis reaction zone;   (II) feeding a plurality of fluidized particles having a first temperature into the pyrolysis reaction zone, wherein the first temperature is sufficiently high to enable pyrolysis of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed on contacting the particles, and the particles comprise an oxide of a transition metal element capable of oxidizing molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) at the first temperature; and   (III) contacting at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with the particles in the pyrolysis reaction zone to effect pyrolysis of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce a pyrolysis effluent comprising olefins, hydrogen, and the particles, wherein at least a portion of the transition metal element in the particles in the pyrolysis effluent is at a reduced state compared to the transition metal element in the particles fed into the pyrolysis reaction zone.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the transition metal element is selected from titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, niobium, nickel, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, alloys thereof, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the transition metal element has a concentration in a range from 500 ppmw to 50 wt %, based on a total weight of the particles. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the oxide of the transition metal element favors the oxidation of hydrogen over the oxidation of hydrocarbons in the pyrolysis reaction zone. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the particles to the hydrocarbon-containing feed is in a range from 10:1 to 50:1. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (IV) optionally steam stripping the pyrolysis effluent using a first stripping steam stream;   (V) obtaining from the pyrolysis effluent and the optional first stripping steam stream a first hydrocarbon stream rich in hydrocarbons and a first particle stream rich in the particles;   (VI) oxidizing and heating at least a portion of the particles in the first particle stream in a combustion zone such that at least a portion of the transition metal element in the particles is oxidized to a higher oxidation state compared to the transition metal element in the particles in the pyrolysis effluent; and   (VII) feeding at least a portion of the oxidized and heated particles to the pyrolysis reaction zone as at least a portion of the plurality of fluidized particles fed into the pyrolysis reaction zone in step (II).   
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein in step (VI), a combustion zone effluent comprising the heated and oxidized particles and a flue gas is produced, and the process further comprises, after step (VI) and before step (VII), the following steps:
 (VIb) separating the combustion zone effluent into a second particle stream rich in the heated and oxidized particles and a first flue gas stream rich in the flue gas;   (VIc) separating the particles, if any, contained in the first flue gas stream using a cyclone; and   (VId) feeding at least a portion of the particles separated in step (VIc) to the combustion zone.   
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of fluidized particles fed into the pyrolysis reaction zone in step (II) is formed by:
 (VIII) feeding a plurality of starter particles into the pyrolysis reaction zone;   (IX) feeding a source material for the transition metal element into the pyrolysis reaction zone;   (X) contacting the starter particles with the source material for the transition metal element in the pyrolysis reaction zone to obtain a contacting effluent comprising the starter particles having a layer of the source material for the transition metal element deposited thereon; and   (XI) heating and oxidizing at least a portion of the starter particles having the layer of the source material for the transition metal element in the combustion zone to form the particles comprising the oxide of the transition metal element.   
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the source material for the transition metal element in step (IX) is present in the hydrocarbon-containing feed. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein in step (VI) oxidizing and heating the at least a portion of the particles in the first particle stream in the combustion zone is done in the presence of an oxidizing agent. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein a feeding rate of the oxidizing agent introduced into the combustion zone is adjusted so that the flue gas contains at least 1 mol % of carbon monoxide. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein a feeding rate of the oxidizing agent introduced into the combustion zone is adjusted so that the flue gas contains at least a portion of the oxidizing agent and less than 1 mol % of carbon monoxide. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the particles are derived from a fluid catalytic converter catalyst. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein in step (II), coke is formed on the surface of the particles, and in step (VI), at least a portion of the coke on the surface of the particles is combusted. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon-containing feed comprises a resid. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is in a range from 800° C. to 1400° C. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the contacting in the pyrolysis reaction zone in step (III) has a residence time from 10 to 2,000 milliseconds. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the contacting in the pyrolysis reaction zone in step (III) is performed under an absolute pressure from 200 kPa to 700 kPa. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 6 , further comprising (XII) quenching the first hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 (XII) quenching the first hydrocarbon stream;   (XIII) separating the quenched first hydrocarbon stream to obtain a second hydrocarbon stream rich in hydrocarbons and a third particle stream rich in the particles; and   (XIV) feeding at least a portion of the particles in the third particle stream to the combustion zone.   
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 (XV) obtaining from the second hydrocarbon stream a gas oil stream and a bottoms heavy stream.   
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 21 , further comprising at least one of the following steps:
 (XVI) quenching the first hydrocarbon stream at least partly using at least a portion of the gas oil stream; and   (XVII) feeding at least a portion of bottoms heavy stream to the combustion zone as a fuel for oxidation.   
     
     
         23 . A process for converting a hydrocarbon-containing feed by pyrolysis, the process comprising:
 (I) feeding the hydrocarbon-containing feed to a pyrolysis reaction zone, wherein the hydrocarbon-containing feed comprises a first transition metal element;   (II) feeding a plurality of fluidized particles having a first temperature into the pyrolysis reaction zone, wherein the first temperature is sufficiently high to enable pyrolysis of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed on contacting the particles, and the particles comprise an oxide of a second transition metal element capable of oxidizing molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) at the first temperature;   (III) contacting at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with the particles in the pyrolysis reaction zone to effect pyrolysis of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce a pyrolysis effluent comprising olefins, hydrogen, and the particles, wherein at least a portion of the second transition metal element in the particles in the pyrolysis effluent is at a reduced state compared to the transition metal element in the particles fed into the pyrolysis reaction zone, and wherein at least a portion of the first transition metal element in the hydrocarbon-containing feed deposits onto the particles;   (IV) optionally steam stripping the pyrolysis effluent using a stripping steam stream;   (V) obtaining from the pyrolysis effluent optionally admixed with the stripping steam stream a first hydrocarbon stream rich in hydrocarbons and a first particle stream rich in the particles;   (VI) oxidizing and heating at least a portion of the particles in the first particle stream in a combustion zone such that at least a portion of the second transition metal element in the particles is oxidized to a higher oxidation state compared to the second transition metal element in the particles in the pyrolysis effluent; and   (VII) feeding at least a portion of the heated and oxidized particles to the pyrolysis reaction zone as at least a portion of the plurality of fluidized particles fed into the pyrolysis reaction zone in step (II).   
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 23 , wherein the second transition metal element has a concentration in a range from 2 wt % to 30 wt %, based on the total weight of the particles. 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 23 , wherein the oxide of the second transition metal element favors the oxidation of hydrogen over the oxidation of hydrocarbons in the pyrolysis reaction zone. 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 23 , further comprising contacting the first hydrocarbon stream rich in hydrocarbons with a quench medium comprising one or more C2-C9 alkanes, wherein the first hydrocarbon stream is at a temperature sufficient to effect pyrolysis of at least a portion of the one or more C2-C9 alkanes. 
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 23 , wherein the first hydrocarbon stream is at a temperature of 650° C. to 1,100° C. when initially contacted with the quench medium, and wherein the first transition metal element and the second transition metal element are each selected from oxides of titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, niobium, nickel, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, alloys thereof, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 23 , wherein in step (VI) oxidizing and heating the at least a portion of the particles in the first particle stream in the combustion zone is done in the presence of an oxidizing agent, and wherein a feeding rate of the oxidizing agent introduced into the combustion zone is adjusted so that the flue gas contains at least 1 mol % of carbon monoxide. 
     
     
         29 . A system for converting a hydrocarbon-containing feed by pyrolysis, the system comprising:
 (i) a pyrolysis reactor adapted for receiving the hydrocarbon-containing feed and a fluidized stream of particles having a first temperature, and allowing the hydrocarbon-containing feed to contact the particles to effect pyrolysis of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed, wherein the first temperature is sufficiently high to enable pyrolysis of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed, and wherein the particles comprise an oxide of a transition metal capable of oxidizing molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) at the first temperature, and discharging a pyrolysis effluent;   (ii) a first separation vessel adapted for receiving the pyrolysis effluent, optionally receiving a stripping steam stream, separating the pyrolysis effluent to obtain a first hydrocarbon stream rich in hydrocarbons and a first particle stream rich in the particles, discharging the first hydrocarbon stream, and discharging the first particle stream;   (iii) a combustion vessel adapted for receiving a stream of an oxidizing agent, receiving at least a portion of the first particle stream, optionally receiving a fuel stream, optionally combusting the fuel, combusting at least a portion of any coke disposed on the particles, heating the particles, oxidizing the particles, and discharging a combustion zone effluent comprising the heated and oxidized particles and a flue gas;   (iv) a second separation vessel adapted for receiving the combustion zone effluent, separating the combustion zone effluent to obtain a second particle stream rich in the particles and a first flue gas stream rich in the flue gas, discharging the second particle stream, and discharging the first flue gas stream;   (v) a channel adapted for feeding at least a portion of the second particle stream to the pyrolysis reactor;   (vi) a quenching section adapted for receiving the first hydrocarbon stream, receiving a stream of a quenching medium, and discharging a quenched mixture stream comprising the quenching medium and the first hydrocarbon stream;   (vii) a third separation vessel comprising a cyclone, wherein the third separation vessel is adapted for receiving the quenched mixture stream, separating the quenched mixture stream to obtain a third particle stream rich in the particles and a second hydrocarbon stream rich in hydrocarbons, discharging the third particle stream, and discharging the second hydrocarbon stream; and   (viii) a channel adapted for feeding at least a portion of the third particle stream to the first separation vessel or to the combustion vessel.