Hydrothermal cleanup process

• Main Authors: COPPOLA Edward N, RED Charles Jr, NANA Sanjay
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Hebrew
• Published: 01.07.2024
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; METALLURGY; MINERAL WAXES; PEAT; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVEHYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, ORGASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; SEPARATION; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; TRANSPORTING

A high-rate hydrothermal cleanup (HCU) process and system is disclosed for the rapid hydrolysis of renewable oils and reduction of inorganic and organic contaminants, such as salts, minerals, metals, asphaltenes, polymers, and coke precursors in both renewable oils and petroleum fractions. The process and system is characterized by a very short residence time, high-temperature, high-pressure, turbulent flow, hydrothermal operation. The HCU and integrated vapor-liquid separation system and process results in high yields of oil product that contains significantly reduced concentrations of inorganic and organic contaminants. The process may be operated to produce a concentrated clean glycerin byproduct and short-chain and long-chain free fatty acid product streams. The integrated vapor-liquid separation system and process performs at near atmospheric pressure by taking advantage of the water employed in the cleanup process and the energy imparted by the HCU reactor and eliminates the need for vacuum distillation.