Hydrocarbon Upgrading Process Control

Abstract

A process for upgrading a bio-oil stream is disclosed. The process comprises reacting a bio-oil stream with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst in a reactor to produce an upgraded bio-oil stream. A recycle oil stream is taken from the upgraded bio-oil stream. The recycle oil stream is recycled to the reactor to provide the upgraded bio-oil stream. Concentration of functional groups such as an oxygenate group in the recycle oil stream is measured. Based on the measurement of the concentration of the oxygenate in the recycle oil stream, the recycle rate of the recycle oil stream can be adjusted.

1 . A process for upgrading a bio-oil stream comprising:
 reacting a bio-oil stream with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst in a reactor to produce an upgraded bio-oil stream;   taking a recycle oil stream from said upgraded bio-oil stream;   recycling said recycle oil stream to the reactor to provide said upgraded bio-oil stream;   measuring the concentration of an oxygenate in said recycle oil stream; and   adjusting the recycle ratio of said recycle oil stream based on the measurement of the concentration of the oxygenate in said recycle oil stream.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising separating said upgraded bio-oil stream into several streams and charging at least one of said streams to an FCC unit, a hydroprocessing unit, or a reforming unit. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said recycle oil stream is recycled to the reactor if the measured concentration of the oxygenate is within a predetermined range. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined range comprises at least one or more of an aldehyde at a concentration of about 0 mol % H to about 3 mol % H, at least one of the group ketones and aldehydes at a concentration of about 0 mol % C to about 6 mol % C, at least one of the group carboxylic acids and esters at a concentration of about 0 mol % C to about 6 mol % C, at least one of the group ethers, alcohols, phenyl methoxy groups, and carbohydrates at a concentration of about 0 mol % C to about 6 mol % C. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined range comprises a band area ratio of oxygenates comprising one or more of a (C—O)/C ratio from about 0 to about 0.7, a (C═O)/C ratio from about 0 to about 0.5, an OH/C ratio from about 0 to 2.5, and an O/C ratio from about 0 to 1.7. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising passing a petroleum stream to the reactor. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising taking a fuel oil stream or an intermediate blend or a fuel stream from said upgraded bio-oil stream. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising:
 passing said upgraded bio-oil stream to a hot separator; and 
 separating a hot bottoms stream from said upgraded bio-oil stream in the hot separator to provide a hot overhead stream comprising a light upgraded bio-oil stream. 
 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8  further comprising:
 passing said hot overhead stream to a cold separator to separate gaseous components and provide a bottoms light oil stream; and 
 separating water from said bottoms light oil stream to produce said light upgraded bio-oil stream. 
 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 8  further comprising:
 separating a catalyst containing stream from said hot bottoms stream to provide a heavy oil stream and a recycle oil stream comprising the catalyst. 
 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10  further comprising:
 separating a concentrated catalyst stream from said heavy oil stream to provide a heavy oil product stream and a concentrated catalyst stream; 
 combining said concentrated catalyst stream with said recycle oil stream to provide a combined recycle oil stream; and 
 recycling said combined recycle oil stream to the reactor to provide said upgraded bio-oil stream. 
 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein said heavy oil stream is passed to a filtration vessel, a vacuum distillation column, a wiped film evaporator, a centrifuge, or a combination thereof for separating the catalyst. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 6  further comprising decreasing a flow rate of a petroleum stream to the reactor based on the measured concentration of the oxygenate in said recycle stream. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the recycle oil stream is recycled to the reactor at a flow rate to provide a ratio of a mixed stream comprising said recycle oil stream and said bio-oil stream to a partially upgraded bio-oil stream inside the reactor of about 5:95 to about 85:15 by mass. 
     
     
         15 . A process for upgrading a bio-oil stream comprising:
 reacting a bio-oil stream with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst in a reactor to produce an upgraded bio-oil stream;   separating said upgraded bio-oil stream to provide a light upgraded bio-oil stream and a recycle oil stream comprising the catalyst;   recycling said recycle oil stream to the reactor;   measuring the concentration of an oxygenate in said recycle oil stream; and   adjusting the recycle rate of said recycle oil stream based on the measurement of the concentration of the oxygenate in said recycle oil stream.   
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein said recycle oil stream is recycled to the reactor if the measured concentration of the oxygenate is within a predetermined range. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined range comprises at least one or more of an aldehyde at a concentration of about 0 mol % H to about 3 mol % H, at least one of the group ketones and aldehydes at a concentration of about 0 mol % C to about 6 mol % C, at least one of the group carboxylic acids and esters at a concentration of about 0 mol % C to about 6 mol % C, at least one of the group ethers, alcohols, phenyl methoxy groups, and carbohydrates at a concentration of about 0 mol % C to about 6 mol % C. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 15  further comprising taking a fuel oil stream or an intermediate blend or a fuel stream from said upgraded bio-oil stream. 
     
     
         19 . A process for upgrading a bio-oil stream comprising:
 reacting a bio-oil stream with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst in a reactor to produce an upgraded bio-oil stream;   separating said upgraded bio-oil stream to provide a light upgraded bio-oil stream and a recycle oil stream comprising the catalyst;   measuring the concentration of an oxygenate in said recycle oil stream; and   recycling said recycle oil stream to the reactor if the measured concentration of the oxygenate is within a predetermined range, or   adjusting the recycle rate of the recycle oil stream based on the measurement of the concentration of the oxygenate in the recycle oil stream if the measured concentration of the oxygenate is not within the predetermined range.   
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein the predetermined range comprises at least one or more of an aldehyde at a concentration of about 0 mol % H to about 3 mol % H, at least one of the group ketones and aldehydes at a concentration of about 0 mol % C to about 6 mol % C, at least one of the group carboxylic acids and esters at a concentration of about 0 mol % C to about 6 mol % C, at least one of the group ethers, alcohols, phenyl methoxy groups, and carbohydrates at a concentration of about 0 mol % C to about 6 mol % C.