U.S. patent application number 13/662939 was filed with the patent office on 2013-05-02 for nozzle reactor systems and methods of use.
This patent application is currently assigned to MARATHON OIL CANADA CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is Christopher Daniel Ard, Mahendra Joshi, Jose Armando Salazar. Invention is credited to Christopher Daniel Ard, Mahendra Joshi, Jose Armando Salazar.
Application Number | 20130105361 13/662939 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48168644 |
Filed Date | 2013-05-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130105361 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Salazar; Jose Armando ; et
al. |
May 2, 2013 |
Nozzle Reactor Systems and Methods of Use
Abstract
A nozzle reactor system for increasing the conversion rate of
material feed injected into the nozzle reactor system. The system
includes two or more nozzle reactors aligned in parallel. A main
stream of material to be upgraded is divided such that one stream
is produced for each nozzle reactor in the system. Each nozzle
reactor includes an interior reactor chamber and an injection
passage and material feed passage that are each in material
injecting communication with the interior reactor chamber.
Furthermore, the injection passage is aligned transversely to the
injection passage. The injection passage is configured to
accelerate cracking material passed therethrough to a supersonic
speed. The product produced from each of the nozzle reactors is
combined into one product stream.
Inventors: |
Salazar; Jose Armando;
(Ashland, KY) ; Joshi; Mahendra; (Katy, TX)
; Ard; Christopher Daniel; (Sparks, NV) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Salazar; Jose Armando
Joshi; Mahendra
Ard; Christopher Daniel |
Ashland
Katy
Sparks |
KY
TX
NV |
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
MARATHON OIL CANADA
CORPORATION
Calgary
CA
|
Family ID: |
48168644 |
Appl. No.: |
13/662939 |
Filed: |
October 29, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61553009 |
Oct 28, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
208/80 ;
196/46 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C10G 51/06 20130101;
C10C 3/002 20130101; C10G 47/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
208/80 ;
196/46 |
International
Class: |
C10G 47/32 20060101
C10G047/32; C10C 3/00 20060101 C10C003/00 |
Claims
1. A nozzle reactor system comprising: a stream dividing apparatus
comprising a first output port and a second output port; a first
nozzle reactor having a feed material injection port in fluid
communication with the first output port of the stream dividing
apparatus, and an ejection end; a second nozzle reactor having a
feed material injection port in fluid communication with the second
output port of the stream dividing apparatus, and an ejection end;
and a mixing apparatus having a first input port in fluid
communication with the ejection end of the first nozzle reactor,
and a second input port in fluid communication with the ejection
end of the second nozzle reactor.
2. The nozzle reactor system as recited in claim 1, wherein: the
first nozzle reactor comprising in combination: a reactor body
having an interior reactor chamber with an injection end and an
ejection end; an injection passage mounted in the nozzle reactor in
material injecting communication with the interior reactor chamber,
the injection passage having (a) an enlarged volume injection
section, an enlarged volume ejection section, and a reduced volume
mid-section intermediate the enlarged volume injection section and
enlarged volume ejection section, (b) a material injection end, and
(c) a material ejection end in injecting communication with the
interior reactor chamber; a material feed passage penetrating the
reactor body and being (a) adjacent to the material ejection end of
the injection passage and (b) transverse to an injection passage
axis extending from the material injection end to the material
ejection end in the injection passage; and the second nozzle
reactor comprising in combination: a reactor body having an
interior reactor chamber with an injection end and an ejection end;
an injection passage mounted in the nozzle reactor in material
injecting communication with the interior reactor chamber, the
injection passage having (a) an enlarged volume injection section,
an enlarged volume ejection section, and a reduced volume
mid-section intermediate the enlarged volume injection section and
enlarged volume ejection section, (b) a material injection end, and
(c) a material ejection end in injecting communication with the
interior reactor chamber; a material feed passage penetrating the
reactor body and being (a) adjacent to the material ejection end of
the injection passage and (b) transverse to an injection passage
axis extending from the material injection end to the material
ejection end in the injection passage; and
3. The nozzle reactor system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
enlarged volume injection section of each of the first and second
nozzle reactors includes a converging central passage section, and
the reduced volume mid-section and the enlarged volume ejection
section of each of the first and second nozzle reactors includes a
diverging central passage section.
4. The nozzle reactor system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
converging central passage section, the reduced volume mid-section,
and the diverging central passage section of each of the first and
second nozzle reactors provide a radially inwardly curved passage
side wall intermediate the material injection end and material
ejection end in the injection passage of each of the first and
second nozzle reactors.
5. The nozzle reactor system as claimed in claim 2, wherein (a) the
interior reactor chamber of each of the first and second nozzle
reactors has a central interior reactor chamber axis extending from
the injection end to the ejection end of the interior reactor
chamber and (b) an injection passage axis of each of the first and
second nozzle reactors is coaxial with the central interior reactor
chamber axis of each of the first and second nozzle reactors.
6. The nozzle reactor system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
enlarged volume injection section, reduced volume mid-section, and
enlarged volume ejection section in the injection passage of each
of the first and second nozzle reactors cooperatively provide a
substantially isentropic passage for a cracking material through
the injection passage of each of the first and second nozzle
reactors.
7. The nozzle reactor system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
material feed passage of each of the first and second nozzle
reactors is annular.
8. The nozzle reactor system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
interior reactor chamber of each of the first and second nozzle
reactors includes a cross-sectional area and wherein the
cross-sectional area alternates between maintaining constant and
increasing in a direction from the injection end to the ejection
end.
9. The nozzle reactor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
stream dividing apparatus comprises a distillation tower.
10. The nozzle reactor system as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising: an upstream nozzle reactor located upstream of the
stream dividing apparatus and wherein an ejection of the upstream
nozzle reactor is in fluid communication with an input port of the
stream dividing apparatus.
11. A material cracking method comprising: injecting a first
material stream into a stream dividing apparatus and producing a
first divided stream and a second divided stream; injecting the
first divided stream into a first nozzle reactor and injecting the
second divided stream into a second nozzle reactor; injecting a
stream of cracking material into the first nozzle reactor and
injecting a stream of cracking material into the second nozzle
reactor; and combining a first nozzle reactor product from the
first nozzle reactor and a second nozzle reactor product from the
second nozzle reactor in a mixing apparatus.
12. The material cracking method as claimed in claim 11, wherein
the first divided stream and the second divided stream are injected
into the first and second nozzle reactor at a direction transverse
to the direction the cracking material is injected into the first
and second nozzle reactor.
13. The material cracking method as claimed in claim 11, wherein
the cracking material is steam.
14. The material cracking method as claimed in claim 11, wherein
the first material stream hydrocarbon material.
15. The material cracking method as claimed in claim 14, wherein
the hydrocarbon material comprises bitumen.
16. The material cracking method as claimed in claim 11, wherein
the first divided stream has a different composition from the
second divided stream.
17. The material cracking method as claimed in claim 11, wherein
the first material stream comprises material collected from the
ejection end of an upstream nozzle reactor.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 61/553,009, filed Oct. 28, 2011, the entirety of
which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Nozzle reactors have long been used to cause materials to
interact and achieve alteration of the mechanical or chemical
composition of the materials. Typically, this involves injecting
differing types of materials into a reactor chamber of a nozzle
reactor and allowing the materials to interact.
[0003] One example of a nozzle reactor disclosure is Canadian
Patent Application No. 2,224,615 (the '615 Publication). This
reference states that its disclosed nozzle reactor is designed to
receive a bitumen/steam flow mixture into a single central nozzle
reactor passage extending along the axial length of the nozzle
reactor. The reference states that the nozzle forms a flow
passageway of circular diametric cross-section having the following
sections in sequence from the bitumen/steam flow mixture inlet: a
first contraction section of reducing diameter for accelerating the
flow and reducing the size of bitumen droplets; a diffuser section
of expanding diameter to decelerate the flow and induce a shock
wave; a second contraction section to accelerate the mixture more
than the first contraction section; and an orifice outlet for
producing an output jet or spray. The '615 Publication further
states that the disclosed nozzle reactor reduces bitumen droplet
size from about 12,000 .mu.m to about 300 .mu.m.
[0004] Among other things, the nozzle reactor of the '615
Publication receives a pre-mixed bitumen/steam liquid medium. As a
result, the nozzle reactor technique of the '615 Publication
requires implementation of one or more substantial pre-mixing steps
in order to generate and deliver the desired bitumen/steam liquid
medium to the central nozzle reactor passage. In addition, the
pre-mixed liquid medium (including bitumen in the mixture)
inherently yields limited velocities of the medium through the
nozzle reactor.
[0005] Another example of a nozzle reactor is described in U.S.
Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0065589 (the '589
Publication). The nozzle reactor discussed in the '589 Publication
has two steam injectors disposed: (i) laterally separated from
opposing sides of a central, axially extending vapor expansion feed
stock injector, (ii) at an acute angle to the axis of the central
vapor expansion feed stock injector. The steam injectors are thus
disposed for ejection from the steam injectors in the direction of
travel of material feed stock injected by the feed stock injector.
Each of the three injectors has a discharge end feeding into a
central reactor ring or tube extending coaxially from the central
feed stock injector. As shown in the '589 Publication, the central
feed stock injector appears as if it may have a
divergent-to-convergent axial cross-section with a nearly plugged
convergent end; but as shown in related Canadian Patent Application
No, 2,346,181 (the '181 Publication), the central feed stock
injector has a straight-through bore. As the '589 Publication
explains, superheated steam is injected through the two laterally
opposed steam injectors into the interior of reactor tube in order
to impact a pre-heated, centrally-located feed stream of certain
types of heavy hydrocarbon simultaneously injected through the
vapor expansion feed stock injector into the interior of the
reactor tube. The '589 Publication states that the object of '589
nozzle reactor is to crack the feed stream into lighter
hydrocarbons through the impact of the steam feeds with the heavy
hydrocarbon feed within the reactor tube. According to the '589
Publication, the types of heavy hydrocarbons processed with the
'589 nozzle reactor are crude oil, atmospheric residue, and heavy
distillates. With the nozzle reactors of either the '589
Publication and the '181 Publication, a central oil feed stock jet
intersects the steam jets at some distance from the ejection of
these jets from their respective injectors.
[0006] The applicants have discovered that, among other things,
nozzle reactors of the type shown in the '589 Publication, the '181
Publication and associated methods of use: (i) are inefficient;
(ii) typically and perhaps always provide only sonic or subsonic
velocity of a feed stock into the associated reactor tube; and
(iii) yield excessive un-cracked or insufficiently cracked heavy
hydrocarbons. These same nozzle reactors also typically yield
excessive coke formation and scaling of the nozzle reactor walls,
reducing the efficiency of the nozzle reactor and requiring
substantial effort to remove the scale formation within the nozzle
reactor.
SUMMARY
[0007] Disclosed below are representative embodiments that are not
intended to be limiting in any way. Instead, the present disclosure
is directed toward features, aspects, and equivalents of the
embodiments of the nozzle reactor and method of use described
below. The disclosed features and aspects of the embodiments can be
used alone or in various combinations and sub-combinations with one
another.
[0008] Generally, a nozzle reactor having a variety of aspects and
methods of use are described herein. In certain embodiments, the
nozzle reactor provides a hydrocarbon cracking nozzle reactor. In
certain embodiments, the method includes generating a supersonic
stream of cracking material and impacting hydrocarbon material with
the supersonic stream of cracking material.
[0009] In some embodiments of the nozzle reactor, the nozzle
reactor has a material feed passage extending into an interior
reactor chamber section generally transverse to the exit or
injection axis of at least one injection passage. In some
embodiments, at least one injection passage is coaxial with the
axis of an associated interior reactor chamber and at least one
material feed passage is disposed to inject material feed to impact
the cracking material injected at the ejection end of the injection
passage.
[0010] In some embodiments, the nozzle reactor has an injection
passage abutting an interior reactor chamber and a material feed
passage extending into the interior reactor chamber transverse to
the axis of the injection passage and adjacent the ejection end of
the injection passage. The injection passage can be a non-linear
injection passage injectingly penetrating the interior reactor
chamber.
[0011] In some embodiments, the injection passage can have a
cross-sectional configuration in which opposing side wall portions
are curved inwardly toward the central axis of the injection
passage along the axial length of the injection passage.
Preferably, the curved side wall portions of the injection passage
has a smooth finish without sharp edges or sudden changes in
surface contour, most preferably along the entire axial length of
the injection passage. In some embodiments, the curved side wall
portions of the injection passage can provide a nearly or
substantially isentropic or frictionless passage for cracking
material passing through the injection passage into the interior
reactor chamber.
[0012] In some embodiments, the nozzle reactor includes a material
feed passage having at least one or more material feed ports, and
if desired one or more partially or completely annular material
feed ports, injectingly abutting the interior reactor chamber. In
some embodiments, a material feed passage can include a reactor
chamber material feed slot injectingly penetrating at least a
substantial portion, or if desired, the entire outer
circumferential periphery of an annular material feed port. The
latter configuration can, in the case of a completely annular
material feed port for example, provide impact of the material feed
stream with the entire circumference of the injected cracking
material stream.
[0013] In sonic embodiments, the reactor chamber material feed slot
or end of the annular material feed port is disposed axially
adjacent the end of the injection passage injectingly penetrating
the interior reactor chamber. In this fashion, material feed can be
injected through the material feed passage radially inwardly
toward, and optionally transverse to, an adjacent cracking material
injected through the injection passage.
[0014] In some embodiments, the nozzle reactor comprises an annular
or other port insert member mounted intermediate the interior
reactor chamber and the injection passage. The ejection port of the
interior reactor chamber, opposite the injection passage, can
provide a passage through which cracking material and other
material can pass out of the reactor body. The injection passage
may have a frustoconical configuration.
[0015] Some embodiments of the present invention provide a conical,
stepped, or telescoped interior reactor chamber, or a combined
conical and otherwise shaped interior reactor chamber, extending
along the axial length of the interior reactor chamber. The
interior reactor chamber can be configured to generally provide
interfering, turbulence-inducing contact, optionally limited
contact, between the cracking material and the material feed
injected into the interior reactor chamber.
[0016] In some embodiments, the injection passage includes an
insert mounted within the injection passage and has a
thin-thick-thin cross-section along the axial length of the insert.
The insert can have a radially outwardly curved periphery along the
axial length of the insert.
[0017] Some embodiments provide a method of injecting cracking
material and a feed material into a nozzle reactor. Some
embodiments can include injecting cracking material from an
injection passage into an interior reactor chamber along the axial
length of the interior reactor chamber section and injecting feed
material into the interior reactor chamber transverse to the axis
of the interior reactor chamber. In some embodiments, the feed
material is injected adjacent the end of the injection passage
injectingly abutting the interior reactor chamber. As a result, the
cracking material impacts the feed material virtually immediately
after ejection from the injection passage. This impact can thus
take place before the velocity of the cracking material diminishes
appreciably.
[0018] In some embodiments, cracking material comprises superheated
steam and the feed material comprises pre-heated heavy
hydrocarbons. The heavy hydrocarbons can include or consist largely
or even essentially of bitumen. Cracking material also can include
natural gas, carbon dioxide, or other gases.
[0019] In some embodiments, the feed material is injected to impact
the cracking material upon its ejection from the injection passage,
at an angle of about 90.degree..
[0020] In some embodiments, the bar pressure level of the
superheated steam cracking material is substantially greater than,
and preferably more than double, the pressure level within the
interior reactor chamber.
[0021] In some embodiments, the cracking material is injected
through the injection passage into the interior reactor chamber at
supersonic speeds. In some embodiments, the cracking material
injection speed is twice the speed of sound or more.
[0022] Some embodiments provide reduced back flow and enhanced
mechanical shear within the interior reactor chamber. Some
embodiments may do so and accomplish substantial cracking of a
desired hydrocarbon very quickly and generally without substantial
regard to retention time of the material feeds within the reactor
body. In other embodiments, increased retention time of the
material feed within the reactor body can result in higher cracking
rates.
[0023] Some embodiments of the apparatus and methods provide more
efficient generation and transfer of kinetic energy from a cracking
material to a material feed. Some embodiments also provide
increased material processing capability and output and reduced
uncracked material or other by-products in the output from the
nozzle reactor or retained within the confines of the nozzle
reactor, such as reduced scale formation on the side walls of the
interior reactor chamber. Some embodiments also provide a
relatively economical, durable, and easy-to-maintain or repair
nozzle reactor.
[0024] Some embodiments provide mechanical cracking of heavy oils
or asphaltenes. In certain of these embodiments, the cracking
reaction can be caused primarily mechanically by the application of
extreme shear rather than by temperature, retention time, or
interaction with a catalyst. In some embodiments, the cracking may
be selective, such as by selectively cracking primarily only the
larger molecules making up certain heavy hydrocarbons in a
hydrocarbon feed stock.
[0025] In some embodiments, the nozzle reactor provides not only
more selective and efficient cracking of material feed but also, or
alternatively, reduced coke formation and reactor chamber scaling.
In some embodiments, reactor chamber scaling may even be
eliminated.
[0026] In some embodiments, a nozzle reactor system is disclosed.
The nozzle reactor system generally comprises a first nozzle
reactor and a second nozzle reactor. Each of the first nozzle
reactor and the second nozzle reactor can be a nozzle reactor as
described herein. The nozzle reactor system can also include a
first separation unit. The first separation unit is in fluid
communication with an ejection end of the first nozzle reactor such
that material leaving the nozzle reactor flows into the separation
unit. The first separation unit includes a light stream outlet and
a heavy stream outlet. The heavy stream outlet is in fluid
communication with the material feed passage of the second nozzle
reactor such that the heavy stream is injected into the nozzle
reactor for further cracking.
[0027] In some embodiments, a feed material cracking method is
disclosed. The method includes a step of injecting a first stream
of cracking material through an injection passage of a first nozzle
reactor into an interior reaction chamber of a first nozzle reactor
The method further includes a step of injecting a material feed
into the interior reactor chamber of the first nozzle reactor
adjacent to the injection passage of the first nozzle reactor and
transverse to the first stream of cracking material entering the
interior reactor chamber of the first nozzle reactor from the
injection passage of the first nozzle reactor to produce first
light material and first heavy material. The method also includes a
step of injecting a second stream of cracking material through an
injection passage of a second nozzle reactor into a reaction
chamber of a second nozzle reactor. Finally, the method includes a
step of injecting the first heavy material into the interior
reactor chamber of the second nozzle reactor adjacent to the
injection passage of the second nozzle reactor and transverse to
the second stream of cracking material entering the interior
reactor chamber of the second nozzle reactor from the injection
passage of the second nozzle reactor to thereby produce second
light material and second heavy material.
[0028] In some embodiments, a nozzle reactor system comprises: a
stream dividing apparatus comprising a first output port and a
second output port; a first nozzle reactor having a feed material
injection port in fluid communication with the first output port of
the stream dividing apparatus, and an ejection end; a second nozzle
reactor having a feed material injection port in fluid
communication with the second output port of the stream dividing
apparatus, and an ejection end; and a mixing apparatus having a
first input port in fluid communication with the ejection end of
the first nozzle reactor, and a second input port in fluid
communication with the ejection end of the second nozzle
reactor.
[0029] In some embodiments, a material cracking method comprises
injecting a first material stream into a stream dividing apparatus
and producing a first divided stream and a second divided stream,
injecting the first divided stream into a first nozzle reactor and
injecting the second divided stream into a second nozzle reactor,
injecting a stream of cracking material into the first nozzle
reactor and injecting a stream of cracking material into the second
nozzle reactor, and combining a first nozzle reactor product from
the first nozzle reactor and a second nozzle reactor product from
the second nozzle reactor in a mixing apparatus.
[0030] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the
present application will become more apparent from the following
detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the
accompanying figures. In this regard, it is to be understood that
the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims as
issued and not by whether given subject includes any or all
features or aspects noted in this Summary or addresses any issues
noted in the Background.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional, schematic view of one
embodiment of a nozzle reactor suitable for use in various
embodiments of the methods and systems described herein;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle reactor of
FIG. 1, showing further construction details for the nozzle
reactor;
[0033] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a
nozzle reactor suitable for use in various embodiments of the
systems and methods described herein;
[0034] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the top portion of
the nozzle reactor shown in FIG. 3;
[0035] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional perspective view of the
mixing chamber in the nozzle reactor shown in FIG. 3;
[0036] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional perspective view of the
distributor from the nozzle reactor shown in FIG. 3;
[0037] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of
a nozzle reactor suitable for use in various embodiments of the
systems and methods described herein; and
[0038] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the top portion of
the nozzle reactor shown in FIG. 7.
[0039] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a feed material
cracking method according to various embodiments disclosed
herein;
[0040] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a nozzle reactor
system according to various embodiments disclosed herein;
[0041] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a nozzle reactor
system according to various embodiments described herein;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0042] Before describing the details of the various embodiments
herein, it should be appreciated that the term "hydrocarbon" and
"hydrocarbons" as used herein may include organic material besides
hydrogen and carbon, such as vanadyl, sulfur, nitrogen, and any
other organic compound that may be in oil.
[0043] With reference to FIG. 1, the nozzle reactor, indicated
generally at 10, has a reactor body injection end 12, a reactor
body 14 extending from the reactor body injection end 12, and an
ejection port 13 in the reactor body 14 opposite its injection end
12. The reactor body injection end 12 includes an injection passage
15 extending into the interior reactor chamber 16 of the reactor
body 14. The central axis A of the injection passage 15 is coaxial
with the central axis B of the interior reactor chamber 16.
[0044] With continuing reference to FIG. 1, the injection passage
15 has a circular diametric cross-section and, as shown in the
axially-extending cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, opposing inwardly
curved side wall portions 17, 19 (i.e., curved inwardly toward the
central axis A of the injection passage 15) extending along the
axial length of the injection passage 15. In certain embodiments,
the axially inwardly curved side wall portions 17, 19 of the
injection passage 15 allow for a higher speed of injection gas when
passing through the injection passage 15 into the interior reactor
chamber 16.
[0045] In certain embodiments, the side wall of the injection
passage 15 can provide one or more among: (i) uniform axial
acceleration of cracking material passing through the injection
passage; (ii) minimal radial acceleration of such material; (iii) a
smooth finish; (iv) absence of sharp edges; and (v) absence of
sudden or sharp changes in direction. The side wall configuration
can render the injection passage 15 substantially isentropic. These
latter types of side wall and injection passage 15 features can be,
among other things, particularly useful for pilot plant nozzle
reactors of minimal size.
[0046] A material feed passage 18 extends from the exterior of the
reactor body 14 toward the interior reactor chamber 16 transversely
to the axis 13 of the interior reactor chamber 16. The material
feed passage 18 penetrates an annular material feed port 20
adjacent the interior reactor chamber wall 22 at the interior
reactor chamber injection end 24 abutting the reactor body
injection end 12. The material feed port 20 includes an annular,
radially extending reactor chamber feed slot 26 in
material-injecting communication with the interior reactor chamber
16. The material feed port 20 is thus configured to inject feed
material: (i) at about a 90.degree. angle to the axis of travel of
cracking material injected from the injection passage 15; (ii)
around the entire circumference of a cracking material injected
through the injection passage 15; and (iii) to impact the entire
circumference of the free cracking material stream virtually
immediately upon its emission from the injection passage 15 into
the interior reactor chamber 16.
[0047] The annular material feed port 20 may have a U-shaped or
C-shaped cross-section among others. In certain embodiments, the
annular material feed port 20 may be open to the interior reactor
chamber 16, with no arms or barrier in the path of fluid flow from
the material feed passage 18 toward the interior reactor chamber
16. The junction of the annular material feed port 20 and material
feed passage 18 can have a radiused cross-section.
[0048] In alternative embodiments, the material feed passage 18,
annular material feed port 20, and/or injection passage 15 may have
differing orientations and configurations, and there can be more
than one material feed port and associated structure. Similarly, in
certain embodiments the injection passage 15 may be located on or
in the interior reactor chamber side 23 (and if desired may include
an annular cracking material port) rather than at the reactor body
injection end 12 of the reactor body 14, and the annular material
feed port 20 may be non-annular and located at the reactor body
injection end 12 of the reactor body 14.
[0049] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the interior reactor chamber 16
can be bounded by stepped, telescoping side walls 28, 30, 32
extending along the axial length of the reactor body 14. In certain
embodiments, the stepped side walls 28, 30, 32 are configured to:
(i) allow a free jet of injected cracking material, such as
superheated steam, natural gas, carbon dioxide, or other gas, to
travel generally along and within the conical jet path C generated
by the injection passage 15 along the axis B of the interior
reactor chamber 16, while (ii) reducing the size or involvement of
back flow areas, e.g., 34, 36, outside the conical or expanding jet
path C, thereby forcing increased contact between the high speed
cracking material jet stream within the conical jet path C and feed
material, such as heavy hydrocarbons, injected through the annular
material feed port 20.
[0050] As indicated by the drawing gaps 38, 40 in the embodiment of
FIG. 1, the reactor body 14 has an axial length (along axis B) that
is much greater than its width. In the FIG. 1 embodiment, exemplary
length-to-width ratios are typically in the range of 2 to 4 or
more.
[0051] The dimensions of the various components of the nozzle
reactor shown in FIG. 1 are not limited, and may generally be
adjusted based on the amount of material feed to be cracked inside
the nozzle reactor. Table 1 provides exemplary dimensions for the
various components of the nozzle reactor based on the hydrocarbon
input in barrels per day (BPD).
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Material Feed Input (BPD) Nozzle Reactor
Component (mm) 5,000 10,000 20,000 Injection Passage, Enlarged
Volume 148 207 295 Injection Section Diameter Injection Passage,
Reduced Volume 50 70 101 Mid-Section Diameter Injection Passage,
Enlarged Volume 105 147 210 Ejection Section Diameter Injection
Passage Length 600 840 1,200 Interior Reactor Chamber Injection End
187 262 375 Diameter Interior Reactor Chamber Ejection End 1,231
1,435 1,821 Diameter Interior Reactor Chamber Length 6,400 7,160
8,800 Overall Nozzle Reactor Length 7,000 8,000 10,000 Overall
Nozzle Reactor Outside 1,300 1,600 2,000 Diameter
[0052] With reference now to FIG. 2 and the particular embodiment
shown therein, the reactor body 44 includes a generally tubular
central section 46 and a frustoconical ejection end 48 extending
from the central section 46 opposite an insert end 50 of the
central section 46, with the insert end 50 in turn abutting the
injection nozzle 52. The insert end 50 of the central section 46
consists of a generally tubular central body 51. The central body
51 has a tubular material feed passage 54 extending from the
external periphery 56 of the insert end 50 radially inwardly to
injectingly communicate with the annular circumferential feed port
depression or channel 58 in the otherwise planar, radially inwardly
extending portion 59 of the axially stepped face 61 of the insert
end 50. The inwardly extending portion 59 abuts the planar radially
internally extending portion 53 of a matingly stepped face 55 of
the injection nozzle 52. The feed port channel 58 and axially
opposed radially internally extending portion 53 of the injection
nozzle 52 cooperatively provide an annular feed port 57 disposed
transversely laterally, or radially outwardly, from the axis A of a
preferably non-linear injection passage 60 in the injection nozzle
52.
[0053] The tubular body 51 of the insert, end 50 is secured within
and adjacent the interior periphery 64 of the reactor body 44. The
mechanism for securing the insert end 50 in this position may
consist of an axially-extending nut-and-bolt arrangement (not
shown) penetrating co-linearly mating passages (not shown) in: (i)
an upper radially extending lip 66 on the reactor body 44; (ii) an
abutting, radially outwardly extending thickened neck section 68 on
the insert end 50; and (iii) in turn, the abutting injector nozzle
52. Other mechanisms for securing the insert end 50 within the
reactor body 44 may include a press fit (not shown) or mating
threads (not shown) on the outer periphery 62 of the tubular body
51 and on the inner periphery 64 of the reactor body 44. Seals,
e.g., 70, may be mounted as desired between, for example, the
radially extending lip 66 and the abutting the neck section 68 and
the neck section 68 and the abutting injector nozzle 52.
[0054] The non-linear injection passage 60 has, from an
axially-extending cross-sectional perspective, mating, radially
inwardly curved opposing side wall sections 72, 74 extending along
the axial length of the non-linear injection passage 60. The entry
end 76 of injection passage 60 provides a rounded circumferential
face abutting an injection feed tube 78, which can be bolted (not
shown) to the mating planar, radially outwardly extending distal
face 80 on the injection nozzle 52.
[0055] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the injection passage 60 is a
DeLaval type of nozzle and has an axially convergent section 82
abutting an intermediate relatively narrower throat section 84,
which in turn abuts an axially divergent section 86. The injection
passage 60 also has a circular diametric cross-section (i.e., in
cross-sectional view perpendicular to the axis of the nozzle
passage) all along its axial length. In certain embodiments, the
injection passage 60 may also present a somewhat roundly curved
thick 82, less curved thicker 84, and relatively even less curved
and more gently sloped relatively thin 86 axially extending
cross-sectional configuration from the entry end 76 to the
injection end 88 of the injection passage 60 in the injection
nozzle 52.
[0056] The injection passage 60 can thus be configured to present a
substantially isentropic or frictionless configuration for the
injection nozzle 52. This configuration may vary, however,
depending on the application involved in order to yield a
substantially isentropic configuration for the application.
[0057] The injection passage 60 is formed in a replaceable
injection nozzle insert 90 press-fit or threaded into a mating
injection nozzle mounting passage 92 extending axially through an
injection nozzle body 94 of the injection nozzle 52. The injection
nozzle insert 90 is preferably made of hardened steel alloy, and
the balance of the nozzle reactor 100 components other than seals,
if any, are preferably made of steel or stainless steel.
[0058] In the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the diameter D
within the injection passage 60 is 140 mm. The diameter E of the
ejection passage opening 96 in the ejection end 48 of the reactor
body 44 is 2,2 meters. The axial length of the reactor body 44,
from the injection end 88 of the injector passage 60 to the
ejection passage opening 96, is 10 meters.
[0059] The interior peripheries 89, 91 of the insert end 50 and the
tubular central section 46, respectively, cooperatively provide a
stepped or telescoped structure expanding radially outwardly from
the injection end 88 of the injection passage 60 toward the
frustoconical end 48 of the reactor body 44. The particular
dimensions of the various components, however, will vary based on
the particular application for the nozzle reactor, generally 100.
Factors taken into account in determining the particular dimensions
include the physical properties of the cracking gas (density,
enthalpy, entropy, heat capacity, etc.) and the pressure ratio from
the entry end 76 to the injection end 88 of the injection passage
60.
[0060] The embodiment of FIG. 2 may be used to, for example, crack
heavy hydrocarbon material, including bitumen if desired, into
lighter hydrocarbons and other components. In order to do so in
certain embodiments, superheated steam (not shown) is injected into
the injection passage 60. The pressure differential from the entry
end 76, where the pressure is relatively high, to the ejection end
88, where the pressure is relatively lower, aids in accelerating
the superheated steam through the injection passage 60.
[0061] In certain embodiments having one or more non-linear
cracking material injection passages, e.g., 60, such as the
convergent/divergent configuration of FIG. 2, the pressure
differential can yield a steady increase in the kinetic energy of
the cracking material as it moves along the axial length of the
cracking material injection passage(s) 60. The cracking material
may thereby eject from the ejection end 88 of the injection passage
60 into the interior of the reactor body 44 at supersonic speed
with a commensurately relatively high level of kinetic energy. In
these embodiments, the level of kinetic energy of the supersonic
discharge cracking material is therefore greater than can be
achieved by certain prior art straight-through injectors or other
injectors such as the convergent, divergent, convergent nozzle
reactor of the '615 Publication.
[0062] Other embodiments of a cracking material injection passage
may not be as isentropic but may provide a substantial increase in
the speed and kinetic energy of the cracking material as it moves
through the injection passage 60. For example, an injection passage
60 may comprise a series of conical or toroidal sections (not
shown) to provide varying cracking material acceleration through
the passage 60 and, in certain embodiments, supersonic discharge of
the cracking material from the passage 60.
[0063] In certain methods of use of the nozzle reactor embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 2, heavy hydrocarbon feed stock (not shown) is
pre-heated, for example at 2-15 bar, which is generally the same
pressure as that in the reactor body 44. In the case of bitumen
feed stock, the preheat should provide a feed stock temperature of
300 to 500.degree., and most advantageously 400 to 450.degree. C.
Contemporaneously, the preheated feed stock is injected into the
Material feed passage 54 and then through the mating annular feed
port 57. The feed stock thereby travels radially inwardly to impact
a transversely (i.e., axially) traveling high speed cracking
material jet (for example, steam, natural gas, carbon dioxide or
other gas not shown) virtually immediately upon its ejection from
the ejection end 88 of the injection passage 60. The collision of
the radially injected feed stock with the axially traveling high
speed steam jet delivers kinetic energy to the feed stock. The
applicants believe that this process may continue, but with
diminished intensity and productivity, through the length of the
reactor body 44 as injected feed stock is forced along the axis of
the reactor body 44 and yet constrained from avoiding contact with
the jet stream by the telescoping interior walls, e.g., 89, 91 101,
of the reactor body 44. Depending on the nature of the feed stock
and its pre-feed treatment, differing results can be procured, such
as cracking of heavy hydrocarbons, including bitumen, into lighter
hydrocarbons and, if present in the heavy hydrocarbons or injected
material, other materials.
[0064] In some embodiments, a catalyst can be introduced into the
nozzle reactor to enhance cracking of the material feed stock by
the cracking gas ejection stream.
[0065] In the applicant's view, the methodology of nozzles of the
type shown in the illustrated embodiments, to inject a cracking gas
such as steam, can be based on the following equation
KE.sub.1=H.sub.1-H.sub.0+KE.sub.0 (1)
[0066] where KE.sub.1 is the kinetic energy of the cracking
material (referred to as the free jet) immediately upon emission
from an injection nozzle, H.sub.0 is the enthalpy of cracking
material upon entry into the injection nozzle, H.sub.1 is the
enthalpy of cracking material upon emission from the injection
nozzle, and KE.sub.0 is the kinetic energy of the cracking material
at the inlet of the nozzle.
[0067] This equation derives from the first law of
thermodynamics--that regarding the conservation of energy--in which
the types of energy to be considered include: potential energy,
kinetic energy, chemical energy, thermal energy, and work energy.
In the case of the use of the nozzles of the illustrated
embodiments to inject steam, the only significantly pertinent types
of energy are kinetic energy and thermal energy. The others
potential, chemical, and work energy--can be zero or low enough to
be disregarded. Also, the inlet kinetic energy can be low enough to
be disregarded. Thus, the resulting kinetic energy of the cracking
material as set forth in the above equation is simplified to the
change in enthalpy .DELTA.H.
[0068] The second law of thermodynamics--an expression of the
universal law of increasing entropy, stating that the entropy of an
isolated system that is not in equilibrium will tend to increase
over time, approaching a maximum value at equilibrium means that no
real process is perfectly isentropic. However, a practically
isentropic nozzle (i.e., a nozzle commonly referred to as
"isentropic" in the art) is one in which the increase in entropy
through the nozzle results in a relatively complete or very high
conversion of thermal energy into kinetic energy. On the other
hand, non-isentropic nozzles such as a straight-bore nozzle not
only result in much less efficiency in conversion of thermal energy
into kinetic energy but also can impose upper limits on the amount
of kinetic energy available from them.
[0069] For example, since the velocity of an ideal gas through a
nozzle is represented by the equation
V=(-2.DELTA.H).sup.1/2 (2)
[0070] and the velocity in a straight-bore nozzle is limited to the
speed of sound, the kinetic energy of a gas jet delivered by a
straight-bore nozzle is limited. However, a practically
"isentropic" converging/diverging nozzle, such as shown in, for
example, FIGS. 1 and 2, can yield, i.e., eject, a gas jet that is
supersonic. Consequently, the kinetic energy of the gas jet
delivered by such an isentropic converging/diverging nozzle can be
substantially greater than that of the straight-bore nozzle, such
as that shown in the '181 Publication.
[0071] It can thus be seen that certain embodiments disclosed above
can provide a nozzle reactor providing enhanced transfer of kinetic
energy to the material feed stock through many aspects such as, for
example, by providing a supersonic cracking gas jet, improved
orientation of the direction of flow of a cracking gas (or cracking
gas mixture) with respect to that of the material feed stock,
and/or more complete cracking gas stream impact with the material
feed stock as a result of, for example, an annular material feed
port and the telescoped reactor body interior. Certain embodiments
also can result in reduced retention of by-products, such as
coking, on the side walls of the reactor chamber. Embodiments of
the nozzle reactor can also be relatively rapid in operation,
efficient, reliable, easy to maintain and repair, and relatively
economical to make and use.
[0072] It should be noted that, in certain embodiments including in
conjunction with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 above, the
injection material may comprise a cracking fluid or other motive
material rather than, or in addition to, a cracking gas.
Accordingly, it is to be understood that certain embodiments may
utilize components that comprise motive material compatible
components rather than, as described in particular embodiments
above, cracking material compatible components such as, for
example, the injection passage, e.g., 60, referenced above. When
utilized in conjunction with an inwardly narrowed motive material
injection passage, however, the motive material preferably is
compressible.
[0073] The applicants believe that a non-linear injector passage
nozzle reactor embodiment (as generally shown in FIG. 1) and a
linear injector passage nozzle reactor one inch in axial length
provide the following theoretical results for 30 bar steam cracking
material supplied at 660.degree. C. with interior reactor chamber
pressures of 10 bar and 3 bar as shown. For both of these types of
nozzle reactors, however, the injector passage configurations must
be changed (by varying the position of the throat 84 and the
diameter of the discharge or injection end 88) in order to deliver
2 barrels per day (water volume) of steam at 10 bars and 3 bars.
The results listed in Table 2 are based on the assumption of
perfect gas behavior and the use of k (C.sub.p/C.sub.v, ratio of
specific heats).
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Straight-Through Convergent/Divergent
Injector Nozzle reactor Injection 10 bar 3 bar 10 bar 3 bar Throat
Diameter, mm 1.60 2.80 1.20 1.20 Steam Temp., .degree. C. 560.0
544.3 464.4 296.7 Steam Velocity, m/s 647.1 690.0 914.1 1244.1 Mach
Number 0.93 1.00 1.39 2.12 Kinetic energy, kW 0.72 1.12 1.43
2.64
[0074] As can be seen from the results of applicants' calculations
above, the theoretically tested straight-through injection passage
nozzle reactors of the prior art theoretically provide steam jet
velocity at, or less than, the speed of sound. In contrast, the
theoretically tested convergent/divergent injection passage nozzle
reactors of the present application theoretically can provide a
steam jet velocity in the interior reactor chamber well in excess
of the speed of sound and, at 3 bar interior reactor chamber
pressure, in excess of twice the speed of sound. Similarly and as a
result, the associated kinetic energies of steam jets of the
convergent/divergent injection passage nozzle reactors are
theoretically significantly greater than the associated kinetic
energies of the steam jets of the linear injection passage nozzle
reactors.
[0075] The applicants therefore believe that the theoretically
tested convergent/divergent injection passage nozzle reactors of
the present application are significantly closer to isentropic than
the theoretically tested straight-through injection passage nozzle
reactor. As shown by the theoretical kinetic energy data above, the
applicants also believe that the theoretically tested
convergent/divergent injection passage nozzle reactors can be 2 to
2.5 times more efficient than the theoretically tested
straight-through injection passage nozzle reactors identified
above. The above theoretical results were obtained using steam as
the cracking material and therefore, are based on thermodynamic
properties of steam. However, similar theoretical results can be
obtained using other gaseous motive fluids as the cracking gas.
[0076] Similarly, the kinetic energies of cracking gas jet of the
convergent/divergent injection passage nozzle reactors can also be
significantly greater than the associated kinetic energies of the
medium of the convergent/divergent/convergent injection passage of
the type disclosed in the '615 Publication.
[0077] In the convergent/divergent/convergent injection passage of
the '615 Publication, however, the velocity and kinetic energy of
the bitumen/steam medium is designed to substantially decrease at
least via the second convergent section, thus diminishing the
ultimate velocity and kinetic energy of the medium when ejected
from the '615 Publication's nozzle reactor. In addition, the '615
Publication's use of a mixed bitumen/steam medium itself reduces
the velocity of the medium as compared to the velocities, and
resulting shear, attainable by injection of separate steam and
pre-heated bitumen feeds, for example.
[0078] Certain embodiments of the present reactor nozzle and method
of use can therefore accomplish cracking of bitumen and other feed
stocks primarily, or at least more substantially, by mechanical
shear at a molecular level rather than by temperature, retention
time, or involvement of catalysts. Although such cracking of the
hydrocarbon molecules yields smaller, charge imbalanced hydrocarbon
chains which subsequently satisfy their charge imbalance by
chemical interaction with other materials in the mixed jet stream
or otherwise, the driving force of the hydrocarbon cracking process
can be mechanical rather than chemical. In addition, certain
embodiments can utilize the greater susceptibility of at least
certain heavy hydrocarbons to mechanical cracking in order to
selectively crack particular hydrocarbons (such as relatively heavy
bitumen for example) as opposed to other lighter hydrocarbons or
other materials that may be in the material feed stock as it passes
through the nozzle reactor.
[0079] Also, in certain embodiments, the configuration of the
nozzle reactor can reduce and even virtually eliminate back mixing
while enhancing, for example, plug flow of the cracking material
and material feed mixture through the reactor body and cooling of
the mixture through the reactor body. This can aid in not only
enhancing mechanical cracking of the material feed but also in
reducing coke formation and wall seating within the reactor body.
In combination with injection of a high velocity cracking material
or other motive material from the injection nozzle into the reactor
body, coke formation and wall scaling can be even more
significantly reduced if not virtually or practically eliminated.
In these embodiments, the nozzle reactor can thus provide more
efficient and complete cracking, and if desired selective cracking,
of heavy hydrocarbons, while reducing and in certain embodiments
virtually eliminating wail scaling within the reactor body.
[0080] Another embodiment of a nozzle reactor suitable for use in
the methods and systems described herein is illustrated in FIGS. 3
to 8. FIGS. 3 and 4 show cross-sectional views of one embodiment of
a nozzle reactor 1000 suitable for use in the methods described
herein. The nozzle reactor 1000 includes a head portion 1002
coupled to a body portion 1004. A main passage 1006 extends through
both the head portion 1002 and the body portion 1004. The head and
body portions 1002, 1004 are coupled together so that the central
axes of the main passage 1006 in each portion 1002, 1004 are
coaxial so that the main passage 1006 extends straight through the
nozzle reactor 1000.
[0081] It should be noted that for purposes of this disclosure, the
term "coupled" means the joining of two members directly or
indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature
or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two
members or the two members and any additional intermediate members
being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another
or with the two members or the two members and any additional
intermediate member being attached to one another. Such joining may
be permanent in nature or alternatively may be removable or
releasable in nature.
[0082] The nozzle reactor 1000 includes a feed passage 1008 that is
in fluid communication with the main passage 1006. The feed passage
1008 intersects the main passage 1006 at a location between the
portions 1002, 1004. The main passage 1006 includes an entry
opening 1010 at the top of the head portion 1002 and an exit
opening 1012 at the bottom of the body portion 1004. The feed
passage 1008 also includes an entry opening 1014 on the side of the
body portion 1004 and an exit opening 1016 that is located where
the feed passage 1008 meets the main passage 1006.
[0083] During operation, the nozzle reactor 1000 includes a
reacting fluid that flows through the main passage 1006. The
reacting fluid enters through the entry opening 1010, travels the
length of the main passage 1006, and exits the nozzle reactor 1000
out of the exit opening 1012. A feed material flows through the
feed passage 1008. The feed material enters through the entry
opening 1014, travels through the feed passage 1006, and exits into
the main passage 1008 at exit opening 1016.
[0084] The main passage 1006 is shaped to accelerate the reacting
fluid. The main passage 1006 may have any suitable geometry that is
capable of doing this. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the main passage
1006 includes a first region having a convergent section 1020 (also
referred to herein as a contraction section), a throat 1022, and a
divergent section 1024 (also referred to herein as an expansion
section). The first region is in the head portion 1002 of the
nozzle reactor 1000.
[0085] The convergent section 1020 is where the main passage 1006
narrows from a wide diameter to a smaller diameter, and the
divergent section 1024 is where the main passage 1006 expands from
a smaller diameter to a larger diameter. The throat 1022 is the
narrowest point of the main passage 1006 between the convergent
section 1020 and the divergent section 1024. When viewed from the
side, the main passage 1006 appears to be pinched in the middle,
making a carefully balanced, asymmetric hourglass-like shape. This
configuration is commonly referred to as a convergent-divergent
nozzle or "con-di nozzle".
[0086] The convergent section of the main passage 1006 accelerates
subsonic fluids since the mass flow rate is constant and the
material must accelerate to pass through the smaller opening. The
flow will reach sonic velocity or Mach 1 at the throat 1022
provided that the pressure ratio is high enough. In this situation,
the main passage 1006 is said to be in a choked flow condition.
[0087] Increasing the pressure ratio further does not increase the
Mach number at the throat 1022 beyond unity. However, the flow
downstream from the throat 1022 is free to expand and can reach
supersonic velocities. It should be noted that Mach 1 can be a very
high speed for a hot fluid since the speed of sound varies as the
square root of absolute temperature. Thus the speed reached at the
throat 1022 can be far higher than the speed of sound at sea
level.
[0088] The divergent section 1024 of the main passage 1006 slows
subsonic fluids, but accelerates sonic or supersonic fluids. A
convergent-divergent geometry can therefore accelerate fluids in a
choked flow condition to supersonic speeds. The
convergent-divergent geometry can be used to accelerate the hot,
pressurized reacting fluid to supersonic speeds, and upon
expansion, to shape the exhaust flow so that the heat energy
propelling the flow is maximally converted into kinetic energy.
[0089] The flow rate of the reacting fluid through the
convergent-divergent nozzle is isentropic (fluid entropy is nearly
constant). At subsonic flow the fluid is compressible so that
sound, a small pressure wave, can propagate through it. At the
throat 1022, where the cross sectional area is a minimum, the fluid
velocity locally becomes sonic (Mach number=1.0). As the cross
sectional area increases the gas begins to expand and the gas flow
increases to supersonic velocities where a sound wave cannot
propagate backwards through the fluid as viewed in the frame of
reference of the nozzle (Mach number >1.0).
[0090] The main passage 1006 only reaches a choked flow condition
at the throat 1022 if the pressure and mass flow rate is sufficient
to reach sonic speeds, otherwise supersonic flow is not achieved
and the main passage will act as a venturi tube. In order to
achieve supersonic flow, the entry pressure to the nozzle reactor
1000 should be significantly above ambient pressure.
[0091] The pressure of the fluid at the exit of the divergent
section 1024 of the main passage 1006 can be low, but should not be
too low. The exit pressure can be significantly below ambient
pressure since pressure cannot travel upstream through the
supersonic flow. However, if the pressure is too far below ambient,
then the flow will cease to be supersonic or the flow will separate
within the divergent section 1024 of the main passage 1006 forming
an unstable jet that "flops" around and damages the main passage
1006. In one embodiment, the ambient pressure is no higher than
approximately 2-3 times the pressure in the supersonic gas at the
exit.
[0092] The supersonic reacting fluid collides and mixes with the
feed material in the nozzle reactor 1000 to produce the desired
reaction. The high speeds involved and the resulting collision
produces a significant amount of kinetic energy that helps
facilitate the desired reaction. The reacting fluid and/or the feed
material may also be pre-heated to provide additional thermal
energy to react the materials.
[0093] The nozzle reactor 1000 may be configured to accelerate the
reacting fluid to at least approximately Mach 1, at least
approximately Mach 1.5, or, desirably, at least approximately Mach
2. The nozzle reactor may also be configured to accelerate the
reacting fluid to approximately Mach 1 to approximately Mach 7,
approximately Mach 1.5 to approximately Mach 6, or, desirably,
approximately Mach 2 to approximately Mach 5.
[0094] As shown in FIG. 4, the main passage 1006 has a circular
cross-section and opposing converging side walls 1026, 1028. The
side walls 1026, 1028 curve inwardly toward the central axis of the
main passage 1006. The side walls 1026, 1028 form the convergent
section 1020 of the main passage 1006 and accelerate the reacting
fluid as described above.
[0095] The main passage 1006 also includes opposing diverging side
walls 1030, 1032. The side walls 1030, 1032 curve outwardly (when
viewed in the direction of flow) away from the central axis of the
main passage 106. The side walls 1030, 1032 form the divergent
section 1024 of the main passage 106 that allows the sonic fluid to
expand and reach supersonic velocities.
[0096] The side walls 1026, 1028, 1030, 1032 of the main passage
1006 provide uniform axial acceleration of the reacting fluid with
minimal radial acceleration. The side walls 1026, 1028, 1030, 1032
may also have a smooth surface or finish with an absence of sharp
edges that may disrupt the flow. The configuration of the side
walls 1026, 1028, 1030, 1032 renders the main passage 1006
substantially isentropic.
[0097] The feed passage 1008 extends from the exterior of the body
portion 1004 to an annular chamber 1034 formed by head and body
portions 1002, 1004. The portions 1002, 1004 each have an opposing
cavity so that when they are coupled together the cavities combine
to form the annular chamber 1034. A seal 1036 is positioned along
the outer circumference of the annular chamber 1034 to prevent the
feed material from leaking through the space between the head and
body portions 1002, 1004.
[0098] It should be appreciated that the head and body portions
1002, 1004 may be coupled together in any suitable manner.
Regardless of the method or devices used, the head and body
portions 1002, 1004 should be coupled together in a way that
prevents the feed material from leaking and withstands the forces
generated in the interior. In one embodiment, the portions 1002,
1004 are coupled together using bolts that extend through holes in
the outer flanges of the portions 1002, 1004.
[0099] The nozzle reactor 1000 includes a distributor 1040
positioned between the head and body portions 1002, 1004. The
distributor 1040 prevents the feed material from flowing directly
from the opening 1041 of the feed passage 1008 to the main passage
1006. Instead, the distributor 1040 annularly and uniformly
distributes the feed material into contact with the reacting fluid
flowing in the main passage 1006.
[0100] As shown in FIG. 6, the distributor 1040 includes an outer
circular wall 1048 that extends between the head and body portions
1002, 1004 and forms the inner boundary of the annular chamber
1034. A seal or gasket may be provided at the interface between the
distributor 140 and the head and body portions 1002, 1004 to
prevent feed material from leaking around the edges.
[0101] The distributor 1040 includes a plurality of holes 1044 that
extend through the outer wall 1048 and into an interior chamber
1046. The holes 1044 are evenly spaced around the outside of the
distributor 1040 to provide even flow into the interior chamber
1046. The interior chamber 1046 is where the main passage 1006 and
the feed passage 1008 meet and the feed material conies into
contact with the supersonic reacting fluid.
[0102] The distributor 1040 is thus configured to inject the feed
material at about a 90.degree. angle to the axis of travel of the
reacting fluid in the main passage 1006 around the entire
circumference of the reacting fluid. The feed material thus forms
an annulus of flow that extends toward the main passage 1006. The
number and size of the holes 1044 are selected to provide a
pressure drop across the distributor 1040 that ensures that the
flow through each hole 1044 is approximately the same. In one
embodiment, the pressure drop across the distributor is at least
approximately 2000 pascals, at least approximately 3000 pascals, or
at least approximately 5000 pascals.
[0103] The distributor 1040 includes a wear ring 1050 positioned
immediately adjacent to and downstream of the location where the
feed passage 108 meets the main passage 1006. The collision of the
reacting fluid and the feed material causes a lot of wear in this
area. The wear ring is a physically separate component that is
capable of being periodically removed and replaced.
[0104] As shown in FIG. 6, the distributor 1040 includes an annular
recess 1052 that is sized to receive and support the wear ring
1050. The wear ring 1050 is coupled to the distributor 1040 to
prevent it from moving during operation. The wear ring 1050 may be
coupled to the distributor in any suitable manner. For example, the
wear ring 1050 may be welded or bolted to the distributor 1040. If
the wear ring 1050 is welded to the distributor 1040, as shown in
FIG. 5, the wear ring 1050 can be removed by grinding the weld off.
In some embodiments, the weld or bolt need not protrude upward into
the interior chamber 1046 to a significant degree.
[0105] The wear ring 1050 can be removed by separating the head
portion 1002 from the body portion 1004. With the head portion 1002
removed, the distributor 1040 and/or the wear ring 1050 are readily
accessible. The user can remove and/or replace the wear ring 1050
or the entire distributor 1040, if necessary.
[0106] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the main passage 1006 expands
after passing through the wear ring 1050. This can be referred to
as expansion area 1060 (also referred to herein as an expansion
chamber). The expansion area 1060 is formed largely by the
distributor 1040, but can also be formed by the body portion
1004.
[0107] Following the expansion area 1060, the main passage 1006
includes a second region having a converging-diverging shape. The
second region is in the body portion 1004 of the nozzle reactor
1000. In this region, the main passage includes a convergent
section 1070 (also referred to herein as a contraction section), a
throat 1072, and a divergent section 1074 (also referred to herein
as an expansion section). The converging-diverging shape of the
second region differs from that of the first region in that it is
much larger. In one embodiment, the throat 1072 is at least 2-5
times as large as the throat 1022.
[0108] The second region provides additional mixing and residence
time to react the reacting fluid and the feed material. The main
passage 1006 is configured to allow a portion of the reaction
mixture to flow backward from the exit opening 1012 along the outer
wall 1076 to the expansion area 1060. The backflow then mixes with
the stream of material exiting the distributor 1040. This mixing
action also helps drive the reaction to completion.
[0109] The dimensions of the nozzle reactor 1000 can vary based on
the amount of material that is fed through it. For example, at a
flow rate of approximately 590 kg/hr, the distributor 140 can
include sixteen holes 144 that are 3 mm in diameter. The dimensions
of the various components of the nozzle reactor shown in FIGS. 3
and 4 are not limited, and may generally be adjusted based on the
amount of feed flow rate if desired. Table 3 provides exemplary
dimensions for the various components of the nozzle reactor 1000
based on a hydrocarbon feed input measured in barrels per day
(BPD).
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Exemplary nozzle reactor specifications Feed
Input (BPD) Nozzle Reactor Component (mm) 5,000 10,000 20,000 Main
passage, first region, entry opening 254 359 508 diameter Main
passage, first region, throat diameter 75 106 150 Main passage,
first region, exit opening 101 143 202 diameter Main passage, first
region, length 1129 1290 1612 Wear ring internal diameter 414 585
828 Main passage, second region, entry opening 308 436 616 diameter
Main passage, second region, throat diameter 475 672 950 Main
passage, second region, exit opening 949 1336 1898 diameter Nozzle
reactor, body portion, outside diameter 1300 1830 2600 Nozzle
reactor, overall length 7000 8000 10000
[0110] It should be appreciated that the nozzle reactor 1000 can be
configured in a variety of ways that are different than the
specific design shown in the Figures. For example, the location of
the openings 1010, 1012, 1014, 1016 may be placed in any of a
number of different locations. Also, the nozzle reactor 1000 may be
made as an integral unit instead of comprising two or more portions
1002, 1004. Numerous other changes may be made to the nozzle
reactor 1000.
[0111] Turning to FIGS. 7 and 8, another embodiment of a nozzle
reactor 2000 is shown. This embodiment is similar in many ways to
the nozzle reactor 1000. Similar components are designated using
the same reference number used to illustrate the nozzle reactor
1000. The previous discussion of these components applies equally
to the similar or same components includes as part of the nozzle
reactor 2000.
[0112] The nozzle reactor 2000 differs a few ways from the nozzle
reactor 1000. The nozzle reactor 2000 includes a distributor 2040
that is formed as an integral part of the body portion 2004.
However, the wear ring 1050 is still a physically separate
component that can be removed and replaced. Also, the wear ring
1050 depicted in FIG. 18 is coupled to the distributor 2040 using
bolts instead of by welding. It should be noted that the bolts are
recessed in the top surface of the wear ring 1050 to prevent them
from interfering with the flow of the feed material.
[0113] In FIGS. 7 and 8, the head portion 1002 and the body portion
1004 are coupled together with a clamp 2080. The seal, which can be
metal or plastic, resembles a "T" shaped cross-section. The leg
2082 of the "T" forms a rib that is held by the opposing faces of
the head and body portions 1002, 1004. The two arms or lips 2084
form seals that create an area of sealing surface with the inner
surfaces 2076 of the portions 1002, 1004. Internal pressure works
to reinforce the seal.
[0114] The clamp 2080 fits over outer flanges 2086 of the head and
body portions 1002, 1004. As the portions 1002, 1004 are drawn
together by the clamp, the seal lips deflect against the inner
surfaces 2076 of the portions 1002, 1004. This deflection
elastically loads the lips 2084 against the inner surfaces 2076
forming a self-energized seal. In one embodiment, the clamp is made
by Grayloc Products, located in Houston, Tex.
[0115] In some embodiments, a nozzle reactor system may be used to
increase the overall conversion of material feed into lighter
components via cracking. The nozzle reactor system described herein
may achieve this increase in overall conversion by utilizing a
first nozzle reactor to conduct a first cracking step, and then
passing any material not cracked or not sufficiently cracked by the
first nozzle reactor into a second nozzle reactor that operates
under conditions selected for cracking the uncracked or not
sufficiently cracked material.
[0116] As shown in FIG. 9, the nozzle reactor system 300 may
generally include a first nozzle reactor 310 and a second nozzle
reactor 320. Nozzle reactor system 300 may also include a first
separation unit 330. First separation unit 330 may generally
separate the material leaving first nozzle reactor 310 into a light
stream and a heavy stream. Accordingly, first separation unit 330
may include a light stream outlet 332 and a heavy stream outlet
334. Heavy stream outlet 334 may be in fluid communication with the
material feed passage of second nozzle reactor 320 so that the
heavy components of heavy stream outlet 334 may be transported to
second nozzle reactor 320 for cracking.
[0117] First and second nozzle reactors 310, 320 may generally
include a nozzle reactor according to any embodiment or aspect
described herein. In one aspect, first and second nozzle reactors
310, 320 may each have a reactor body, an injection passage, and a
material feed passage. The reactor body may include an interior
reactor chamber with an injection end and an ejection end. The
injection passage may be mounted in the nozzle reactor in material
injecting communication with the injection end of the interior
reactor chamber. Furthermore, the injection passage may have an
enlarged volume injection section, an enlarged volume election
section, and a reduced volume mid-section intermediate the enlarged
volume injection section and enlarged volume ejection section. The
injection passage may also have a material injection end and a
material ejection end in injecting communication with the interior
reactor chamber. The material feed passage may penetrate the
reactor body. The location of the material feed passage may be
adjacent to the material ejection end of the injection passage and
transverse to an injection passage axis extending from the material
injection end to the material ejection end in the injection
passage.
[0118] First and second nozzle reactors 310, 320 may be identical
or first and second nozzle reactors 310, 320 may be different. In
one aspect of the embodiment, second nozzle reactor 320 has a
smaller interior body chamber volume than the interior reactor
chamber volume of first nozzle reactor 310. For example, the
interior reactor chamber volume of second nozzle reactor 320 may be
1/3 or less the interior reactor chamber volume of first nozzle
reactor 310. Additionally, nozzle reactor system 300 may include
more than two nozzle reactors. Other features of the nozzle reactor
are described in greater detail above.
[0119] First separation unit 330 may generally include any type of
separation unit capable of separating the lighter material that is
the product of cracking the material feed fed into first nozzle
reactor 310 from the heavy material that may generally be made up
of material feed that was not cracked or not sufficiently cracked
in first nozzle reactor 310. Examples of suitable separation units
include, but are not limited to, distillation units, gravity
separation units, filtration units, and cyclonic separation
units.
[0120] First separation unit 330 may be in fluid communication with
the ejection end of first nozzle reactor 310 such that the material
leaving first nozzle reactor 310 is fed into first separation unit
330. Any manner of fluid communication may be used between first
nozzle reactor 310 and first separation unit 330. In one example,
the fluid communication may be piping extending between the
ejection end of first nozzle reactor 310 and first separation unit
330.
[0121] As noted above, first separation unit 330 may generally
include light stream outlet 332 and heavy stream outlet 334. Light
stream outlet 332 may generally include any materials having a
predetermined property or properties, such as a molecular weight,
boiling point, API gravity, or viscosity. As such, light stream
outlet 332 may include, for example, a) material feed that is not
cracked inside first nozzle reactor 310 but that possessed a
predetermined property prior to being introduced into first nozzle
reactor 310, and b) material feed that has been cracked inside
first nozzle reactor 310 such that the cracked material obtains the
predetermined property. Thus, where the material feed injected into
first nozzle reactor 310 via the material feed passage is bitumen,
light stream outlet 332 may comprise uncracked hydrocarbons that
had the predetermined property when injected into first nozzle
reactor 310 and cracked hydrocarbon molecules that obtained the
predetermined property upon being cracked inside of first nozzle
reactor 310. Correspondingly, heavy stream outlet 334 may generally
include any materials not having the predetermined property or
properties. As such, heavy stream outlet 334 may include, for
example, a) material feed that is not cracked inside first nozzle
reactor 310 and that did not possess the predetermined property
upon being introduced into first nozzle reactor 310, and b)
material feed that has been cracked inside first nozzle reactor 310
but that did not result in the cracked material possessing the
predetermined property. Thus, where the material feed is bitumen,
heavy stream outlet 334 may include uncracked hydrocarbon molecules
that did not have the predetermined property when injected into
first nozzle reactor 310 and cracked hydrocarbon molecules that did
not obtain the predetermined property upon being cracked inside of
first nozzle reactor 310.
[0122] Any property, property value Or property range may be
selected to determine whether a material is part of light stream
outlet 332 or heavy stream outlet 334. Examples of properties and
property values that may be used to classify the material leaving
first nozzle reactor 310 may include a molecular weight above a
selected value, a molecular weight below a selected value, a
molecular weight within a selected range, a boiling point above a
selected value, a boiling point below a selected value, a boiling
point within a selected range, an API gravity above a selected
value, an API gravity below a selected value, an API within a
selected range, a viscosity above a selected value, a viscosity
below a selected value, or a viscosity within a selected range.
Furthermore, multiple properties may be used to determine whether a
material leaving first nozzle reactor 310 is part of light stream
outlet 332 or heavy stream outlet 334. For example, the material
may have to have both a molecular weight below a selected value and
a boiling point below a selected value to be part of light stream
outlet 332. The value or range selected for the property is also
not limited. The value or range of values selected may be based on
known property values for useful fractions of a material feed.
[0123] In order to transport the components of heavy stream outlet
334 to second nozzle reactor 320, a fluid communication may be
established between heavy stream outlet 334 and second nozzle
reactor 320. More specifically, a fluid communication may be
established between heavy stream outlet 334 and the material feed
passage of second nozzle reactor 320. However, fluid communication
may also be established between heavy stream outlet 334 and any
portion of second nozzle reactor 320. Any manner of fluid
communication may be used between second nozzle reactor 320 and
heavy stream outlet 334. In one example, the fluid communication
may be piping extending between the heavy stream outlet 334 and
second nozzle reactor 320. A pump may also be used in connection
with the fluid communication to assist the flow of material through
the fluid communication.
[0124] Second nozzle reactor 320 may be operated at different
operating conditions than first nozzle reactor 310 so as to
increase the likelihood of cracking the components of heavy stream
outlet 334. It is generally theorized that nozzle reactors as
described herein crack the molecules having the largest molecular
mass first. In first nozzle reactor 310, a relatively high
operating temperature may be selected such that only a high boiling
point fraction of the feed material is present in the reaction
chamber as a liquid (or possibly a solid), while the remaining
fractions are present in the reaction chamber as a gas. As such,
the fraction that is present in the reaction chamber as a liquid or
solid has the largest molecular mass and will be the first material
cracked by the shock waves produced inside the nozzle reactor.
Gaseous fractions may pass through the reaction chamber without
being cracked. These gaseous fractions may then become part of the
heavy stream fed to second nozzle reactor 320. If second nozzle
reactor 320 is operated at the same operating conditions as first
nozzle reactor 310, the heavy stream will remain in the gas phase
and likely pass through second nozzle reactor 320 with no further
cracking being accomplished. Accordingly, the operating conditions
that may be altered between the first and second nozzle reactors
310, 320 are those which will increase the mass of the components
of heavy stream outlet 334 as they enter second nozzle reactor 320.
In other words, operating second nozzle reactor 320 under
conditions that will transform the gaseous heavy stream into a
liquid or solid may increase the rate at which second nozzle
reactor 320 cracks the components of heavy stream outlet 334.
Exemplary operating conditions that may be altered between first
nozzle reactor 310 and second nozzle reactor 320 and that will
increase the mass of the components of heavy stream outlet 334
include decreasing the temperature of the components of heavy
stream outlet 334. Reduction in temperature may be achieved by
reducing the ratio of cracking material mass to material feed mass
or by reducing the superheat in the cracking material while
maintaining the ratio of cracking material mass to material feed
mass.
[0125] In another aspect of this embodiment, nozzle reactor system
300 may further include a second separation unit 340. Second
separation unit 340 may be in fluid communication with the ejection
end of second nozzle reactor 320 such that material leaving second
nozzle reactor 320 is fed into second separation unit 340. Second
separation unit 340 may generally include a light stream outlet 342
and a heavy stream outlet 344.
[0126] Like first separation unit 330, second separation unit 340
may generally include any type of separation unit capable of
separating lighter material that possesses a predetermined property
when leaving second nozzle reactor 320 from the heavy material that
does not possesses the predetermined property when leaving second
nozzle reactor 320. Examples of suitable separation units include,
but are not limited to, distillation units, gravity separation
units, filtration units, and cyclonic separation units.
[0127] Second separation unit 340 may be in fluid communication
with the ejection end of second nozzle reactor 320 such that the
material leaving second nozzle reactor 320 is fed into second
separation unit 340. Any manner of fluid communication may be used
between second nozzle reactor 320 and second separation unit 340.
In one example, the fluid communication may be piping extending
between the ejection end of second nozzle reactor 320 and second
separation unit 340.
[0128] As noted above, second separation unit 340 may generally
include light stream outlet 342 and heavy stream outlet 344. Light
stream outlet 342 may generally include material that has a
predetermined property or properties when leaving second nozzle
reactor 320. Correspondingly, heavy stream outlet 344 may generally
be comprised of material that does not have the predetermined
property or properties when leaving second nozzle reactor 320. The
predetermined property or properties used to separate streams in
second separation unit 340 need not be the same predetermined
property or properties used to separate streams in first separation
unit 330. Alternatively, the same predetermined properly or
properties may be used in both first separation unit 330 and second
separation unit 340. As with first separation unit 330, any
property, property value or property value ranged may be selected
as the parameter for separating light and heavy streams.
[0129] In one aspect of the embodiment, light stream outlet 342 may
be in fluid communication with first nozzle reactor 310 or second
nozzle reactor 320 via a recycle stream. Despite possessing a
predetermined property or properties, the material that makes up
light stream outlet 342 may still be too large and heavy to be used
as useful product, and thus requires further cracking. Such
cracking may take place in either first nozzle reactor 310 or
second nozzle reactor 320 or both depending on the characteristics
(such as molecular weight or boiling point) of the material that
makes up light stream outlet 342. Accordingly, providing a fluid
communication between light stream outlet 342 and first nozzle
reactor 310 and/or second nozzle reactor 320 allows for this second
attempt at cracking the material, although this time in an improved
condition for cracking. Any manner of fluid communication may be
used between light stream output 342 and first nozzle reactor 310
and/or second nozzle reactor 320. In one example, the fluid
communication may be piping extending between the light stream
output 342 and the material feed passage of first nozzle reactor
310 and/or second nozzle reactor 320.
[0130] A similar recycle stream may be used to divert the material
of heavy stream outlet 344 back to either first nozzle reactor 310
or second nozzle reactor 320. The manner of providing such a
recycle stream may be similar to the recycle stream as described
above, such as by providing piping between heavy stream outlet 344
and either first nozzle reactor 310 or second nozzle reactor
320.
[0131] Similar recycle streams may also be provided between light
stream outlet 332 and first nozzle reactor 310. Additionally, a
portion of heavy stream outlet 334 may be recycled back to first
nozzle reactor, while the remainder of heavy stream outlet 334 is
injected into second nozzle reactor 320 as described in greater
detail above. Furthermore, a portion of light stream 332 may be
recycled back to first nozzle reactor 310.
[0132] In the above description, two nozzle reactors are discussed.
However, the nozzle reactor system is not limited to two nozzle
reactors. Any number of nozzle reactors arranged in series may be
used. Each nozzle reactor may operate at different conditions, with
each nozzle reactor operating under conditions specifically
selected to increase the likelihood of cracking a material that has
passed through a previous nozzle reactor uncracked or not
sufficiently cracked. Furthermore, the nozzle reactors may be
arranged in parallel in addition to a series arrangement. For
example, a first nozzle reactor may produce a heavy stream and a
light stream, with the heavy stream being transported to a second
nozzle reactor and a light stream being transported to a third
nozzle reactor.
[0133] In another embodiment, a material feed cracking method is
disclosed. The material feed cracking method may generally allow
for an increase in conversion of material feed into lighter
components by utilizing two or more reactor nozzles. The first
reactor nozzle is utilized in a similar fashion to the detailed
discussion above regarding the nozzle reactor. However, an
additional nozzle reactor is used to deal with the material that
passes through the first nozzle reactor but that is not cracked or
not sufficiently cracked. More specifically, the operating
conditions of the second nozzle reactor may be selected so that the
second nozzle reactor is more likely to break down material that
passes through the first nozzle reactor uncracked or not
sufficiently cracked.
[0134] The material feed cracking method may generally include a
first step of injecting a first stream of cracking material through
an injection passage of a first nozzle reactor into an interior
reactor chamber of a first nozzle reactor. Material feed may then
be injected into the interior reactor chamber of the first nozzle
reactor adjacent to the injection passage of the first nozzle
reactor and transverse to the first stream of cracking material
entering the interior reaction chamber of the first nozzle reactor
from the injection passage of the first nozzle reactor. In this
manner, a first light material and a first heavy material may be
produced. The method may then include a step of injecting a second
stream of cracking material through an injection passage of a
second nozzle reactor into an interior reactor chamber of a second
nozzle reactor. Additionally, the first heavy material may be
injected into the interior reactor chamber of the second nozzle
reactor adjacent to the injection passage of the second nozzle
reactor and transverse to the second stream of cracking material
entering the interior reactor chamber of the second nozzle reactor
from the injection passage of the second nozzle reactor. In this
manner, a second light material and a second heavy material may be
produced.
[0135] The first and second nozzle reactors referred to above may
generally include a nozzle reactor according to any embodiment or
aspect described herein. In one aspect, each nozzle reactor may
comprise a reactor body, an injection passage, and a material feed
passage. The reactor body may have an interior reactor chamber with
an injection end and an ejection end, The injection passage may be
mounted in the nozzle reactor in material injecting communication
with the injection end of the interior reactor chamber.
Furthermore, the injection passage may have an enlarged volume
injection section, an enlarged volume ejection section, and a
reduced volume mid-section intermediate the enlarged volume
injection section and enlarged volume ejection section. The
injection passage may also have a material injection end and a
material ejection end in injecting communication with the interior
reactor chamber. The material feed passage may penetrate the
reactor body. The location of the material feed passage may be
adjacent to the material ejection end of the injection passage and
transverse to an injection passage axis extending from the material
injection end to the material ejection end in the injection
passage.
[0136] The first and second streams of cracking material may be any
suitable cracking material for cracking the material feed. In one
aspect the cracking material is a cracking gas, such as steam. The
first and second streams of cracking material may be introduced
into the injection passages at any suitable temperature and
pressure. In one embodiment, the first and second streams of
cracking material are injected into the injection passage at a
temperature of from about 600.degree. C. to about 850.degree. C.
and at a pressure of from about 15 bar to about 200 bar.
[0137] The material feed may be any type of material that may be
broken down into smaller and lighter components. In one aspect of
this method, the material feed is a hydrocarbon source, such as
heavy oil, bitumen, crude oil, or any residue with a high
asphaltene content. The residue may be any residual portion of a
separated hydrocarbon stream, such as the bottoms fraction from a
distillation unit. The high asphaltene content may be an asphaltene
content greater than 4 wt % of the residue. Hydrocarbon sources
such as these require cracking to break down the heavy and large
molecules of the hydrocarbon into light components that may be
beneficially used.
[0138] The material feed and first heavy stream may be introduced
into the material feed passages at any suitable temperature and
pressure. In one embodiment, the material feed and first heavy
stream are injected into the material feed passages at a
temperature of from about 300.degree. C. to 500.degree. C. and at a
pressure of from about 2 about to about 15 bar.
[0139] The pressure inside the interior reactor chamber of the
first and second nozzle reactor may range from about 0.5 bar to
about 15 bar. The ratio of cracking material to material feed may
range from about 0.5:1.0 to about 4:1. The ratio of cracking
material to first heavy material may range from about 0.1:1.0 to
about 3:1.0.
[0140] As noted above, the injection of the material feed and the
first stream of cracking material may result in the production of
first light material and first heavy material. This is because the
nozzle reactor does not achieve total cracking of all material feed
injected into the first nozzle reactor. The short retention time of
the material feed in the interior reactor chamber combined with the
preference of the nozzle reactor to crack the largest molecules
first does not allow for shockwaves generated by the injection
passage to crack all of the material feed, and some material feed
will therefore pass all the way through the first nozzle reactor
without being cracked. Specifically, fractions of the material feed
in a gaseous phase when passing through the interior reactor
chamber may pass through the nozzle reactor without being cracked.
These gaseous fractions may be considered non-participating in that
they will not be cracked by the shock waves. Where such material
feed passing through the nozzle uncracked comprises large
molecules, further work may need to be done to accomplish cracking
of the material into useful material.
[0141] In one aspect of this embodiment, the operating conditions
of the first nozzle reactor may be selected such that only a
fraction of the material feed in the nozzle reactor is in a liquid
or solid phase, while the remaining fractions of the material feed
are in a gaseous phase. This may be achieved by, for example,
pre-heating the material feed prior to injection into the nozzle
reactor. In an example where the material feed comprises bitumen,
the bitumen may comprise a fraction having a boiling point higher
than 200 deg C. The pre-heating temperature may be selected such
that only this fraction of the bitumen is in liquid or solid form,
and therefore is the fraction most likely to be cracked by the
first nozzle reactor. The remaining fractions of the bitumen in the
gaseous phase may pass through the first nozzle reactor uncracked,
at which point they may be fed to a second nozzle reactor. The
temperature of the gaseous material leaving the first nozzle
reactor may be altered such that the gas transforms into liquid or
solid and thereby increases the chances of the material being
cracked in the second nozzle reactor.
[0142] Accordingly, the first heavy material may be injected into
the second nozzle reactor to undergo another attempt at cracking
the material in the nozzle reactor. The second nozzle reactor may
be identical in size and dimension to the first nozzle reactor, or
may be different than the first nozzle reactor. In one aspect of
the embodiment, the operating conditions of the second nozzle
reactor are different from the operating conditions of the first
nozzle reactor as described in greater detail above. For example,
the temperature of the material injected into the second nozzle
reactor may be reduced to add mass to the gaseous components being
fed into the second nozzle reactor to better accomplish the
cracking of the hydrocarbons that make up the first heavy material
injected into the second nozzle reactor.
[0143] In another aspect of this embodiment, the first light
material and the first heavy material leaving the first nozzle
reactor may be separated prior to the introduction of the first
heavy material into the second nozzle reactor. In this manner, the
lighter and smaller components that make up the first light
material may be separated for consumption or recycle white the
heavy and large components that make up the first heavy material
may be sent to the second nozzle reactor. Sending only the first
heavy material to the second nozzle reactor may be beneficial
because the second nozzle reactor will function to specifically
crack these components white not being impeded by the presence of
the first light material.
[0144] Separation of the first light material and the first heavy
material ma be accomplished by any suitable means for separation of
the components. Properties such as density and boiling point may be
used to effect separation. Separation may include, but is not
limited to, separation by distillation units, gravity separation
units, filtration units, and cyclonic separation units.
[0145] As with the first light material and the first heavy
material, the second light material and the second heavy material
may also be separated. Any suitable means for separation, such as
those mentioned above, may be used to effect the separation.
[0146] The method may further comprise a step of injecting the
first light material, first heavy material, second light material,
or second heavy material into the reaction chamber of the first
nozzle reactor or second nozzle reactor. In addition or in place of
such a recycle stream, the method may further comprise a step of
injecting the first light material or second light material into
the reaction chamber of the first nozzle reactor.
[0147] In some embodiments, a nozzle reactor system includes two or
more nozzle reactors aligned in parallel and used for upgrading
hydrocarbon material. FIG. 10 illustrates a nozzle reactor system
400 including three nozzle reactors 401, 402, and 403 aligned in
parallel. The system also includes a stream dividing apparatus 410
located upstream of the nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403, and a
product mixing apparatus 420 located downstream of the nozzle
reactors 401, 402, 403. While not shown in FIG. 10, the system can
also include a stream heating unit located upstream of the nozzle
reactors 401, 402, 402. Stream dividing apparatus 410 is generally
configured to receive a stream of material to be processed in the
nozzle reactors and divide the stream of material into one stream
or each nozzle reactor in the nozzle reactor system 400. Each
stream produced can be easier to control and measure. As shown in
FIG. 10, three streams are produced by the stream dividing
apparatus 410, with each stream being directed to one of the nozzle
reactors 401, 402, 403. The product material leaving each of the
nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403 is then combined in a product mixing
apparatus 420. A portion of the combined product can be recycled
back to the stream dividing apparatus 410 for further processing in
the nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403.
[0148] Nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403 may generally include a nozzle
reactor according to any embodiment or aspect described herein. In
some embodiments, nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403 each have a reactor
body, an injection passage, and a material feed passage. The
reactor body includes an interior reactor chamber with an injection
end and an ejection end. The injection passage is mounted in the
nozzle reactor in material injecting communication with the
injection end of the interior reactor chamber. Furthermore, the
injection passage has an enlarged volume injection section, an
enlarged volume ejection section, and a reduced volume mid-section
intermediate the enlarged volume injection section and enlarged
volume ejection section. The injection passage also has a material
injection end and a material ejection end in injecting
communication with the interior reactor chamber. The material feed
passage penetrates the reactor body. The location of the material
feed passage is adjacent to the material ejection end of the
injection passage and transverse to an injection passage axis
extending from the material injection end to the material ejection
end in the injection passage.
[0149] In some embodiments, nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403 are
identical to one another in structure and dimension, although
nozzle reactors that differ in either or both of these
characteristics can also be used within the same nozzle reactor
system 400. The operating conditions of each nozzle reactor (e.g.,
temperature, pressure, etc.) can also be identical in each nozzle
reactor, or the nozzle reactors can operate under different
operating conditions.
[0150] Although only three nozzle reactors are shown in the nozzle
reactor system 400, the number of nozzle reactors aligned in
parallel in the nozzle reactor system 400 is not limited. In some
embodiments, the amount of material needing to be upgraded and the
relative capacity of each nozzle reactor that is part of the system
400 can play a role in the number of nozzle reactors selected for
the system 400.
[0151] Stream dividing apparatus 410 generally includes any type of
apparatus capable of dividing a larger stream into numerous smaller
streams. Stream dividing apparatus 410 can be adapted to create
streams of equal volumetric flow rates or can create streams having
different volumetric flow rates. Stream dividing apparatus 410 can
also be adapted to create any desired number of streams, but will
generally be set up to create one stream for each nozzle reactor
that is a part of the nozzle reactor system 400. Exemplary stream
dividing apparatus include, hut are not limited to, flow control
valves, limiting orifice valves, orifice plates, flow venturies,
pipe tees, pipe manifolds, and baffle plates.
[0152] In some embodiments, the stream dividing apparatus 410 can
also produce stream of varying composition. For example, the stream
dividing apparatus 410 can divide a stream of material based on
molecular weight or density to produce a stream of material having
a high molecular weight or high density, a stream of material
having a intermediate molecular weight or density, and a stream of
material having a low molecular weight or density. While molecular
weight is provided as example of the criteria on which the material
can be divided, any other suitable criteria can be used for
dividing the stream of material, including but not limited to,
presence or absence of certain compounds or class of compounds,
boiling point temperatures, and viscosity. In embodiments where the
stream dividing apparatus 410 produces streams of varying
composition, the stream dividing apparatus 410 can include but is
not limited to vacuum or atmospheric distillation towers.
[0153] When the stream dividing apparatus 410 produces streams of
varying composition, each stream can then be sent to a nozzle
reactor in the nozzle reactor system 400 that is specifically
tailored for upgrading streams having a specific composition.
Nozzle reactors in the nozzle reactor system 400 can be tailored to
upgrade a stream having a specific composition by any suitable
manner, such as adjusting operating conditions (e.g., temperature,
pressure, etc.) and/or by adjusting various dimensions of the
nozzle reactor.
[0154] Each outlet of the stream dividing apparatus 410 is in fluid
communication with the feed material injection inlet of one of the
nozzle reactors of the nozzle reactor system. In this manner, the
material leaving the stream dividing apparatus 410 can be injected
directly into one of the nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403 for being
subjected to cracking and upgrading. Any manner of fluid
communication may be used between the material dividing apparatus
410 and the feed material injection inlets of each nozzle reactors.
In one example, the fluid communication may be piping extending
between an outlet of the stream dividing apparatus and the material
feed injection inlet of each nozzle reactor.
[0155] The material feed fed into the stream dividing apparatus 410
and divided up into individual streams can include any type of
material that may be broken down into smaller and lighter
components. In some embodiments, the material feed is a hydrocarbon
source, such as heavy oil, bitumen, crude oil, or any residue with
a high asphaltene content. The residue may be any residual portion
of a separated hydrocarbon stream, such as the bottoms fraction
from a distillation unit. The high asphaltene content may be an
asphaltene content greater than 4 wt % of the residue. Hydrocarbon
sources such as these require cracking to break down the heavy and
large molecules of the hydrocarbon into light components that may
be beneficially used. In some embodiments, the material feed is
material stream exiting a nozzle reactor located upstream of the
nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403 aligned in parallel and part of the
nozzle reactor system 400.
[0156] The mixing apparatus 420 can include any suitable apparatus
for receiving the material exiting each of the nozzle reactors 401,
402, 403 and combining the material back into one stream. In some
embodiments, the mixing apparatus 420 generally includes a vessel
with multiple input ports for receiving the material leaving each
of the nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403 in the nozzle reactor system.
In some embodiments, the mixing apparatus 420 is a Kenics mixer. In
such configurations, the ejection ends of each nozzle reactor 401,
402, 403 is in fluid communication with the input port or ports of
the mixing apparatus 420. As described in greater detail above with
respect to the connection between the stream dividing apparatus 410
and the nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403, the fluid communication
between the ejection ends of the nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403 and
the injection port or ports of the mixing apparatus 420 can be
established in any suitable manner, including the use of
piping.
[0157] The vessel used for the mixing apparatus 420 can optionally
include equipment for mixing the various material streams entering
the mixing apparatus 420, such as a mixing blade. The volume of the
mixing apparatus 420 should generally be designed such that the
mixing apparatus 420 is capable of receiving all of the product
material leaving the nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403 of the nozzle
reactor system 400. The mixing apparatus 420 can also include an
outlet port for allowing combined and optionally mixed material to
leave the mixing apparatus 420 and be transported to further
processing equipment located downstream of the nozzle reactor
system 400. In some embodiments, the downstream processing
equipment can serve as the mixing apparatus 420, and thereby both
receive each stream leaving the nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403, and
then subject the combined product streams to further
processing.
[0158] In some embodiments, the product streams exiting the nozzle
reactors 401, 402, 403 are subjected to further processing prior to
being combined in a mixing apparatus 420. As shown in FIG. 11,
processing apparatus 501, 502, 503 are provided for each nozzle
reactor 401, 402, 403. In such embodiments, the product stream
leaving each nozzle reactor 401, 402, 403 is sent to a processing
apparatus 501, 502, 503. The product streams leaving each process
apparatus 501, 502, 503 is then sent to the mixing apparatus 420
described above for combining the product streams. A portion of the
combined product stream leaving mixing apparatus 420 can be
recycled back to the nozzle reactors for further processing.
[0159] Any suitable processing equipment can be used for the
processing apparatus 501, 502, 503. In some embodiments, the
processing equipment is equipment capable of further upgrading the
product streams leaving the nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403. In some
embodiments, the processing equipment is a coil reactor, such as
the coil reactors described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.
12/816,844 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/292,747, both of
which are hereby incorporated by reference.
[0160] Although FIG. 11 illustrates only one piece of processing
equipment located between each nozzle reactor and the mixing
apparatus, multiple pieces of processing equipment can be provided
per nozzle reactor. In other words, each product stream leaving
nozzle reactors 401, 402, 403, can be subjected to multiple pieces
of processing equipment prior to being combined in the mixing
apparatus 420.
[0161] Although not shown in FIG. 10 or 11, the system 400 can
further include separation apparatus located down stream of the
mixing apparatus 420. The separation apparatus can be used to
separate the combined stream exiting mixing apparatus 420 into
various streams based on any of a variety of criteria. For example,
in some embodiments, the combined stream can be separated based on
the boiling points of the various components included in the
combined stream. Any suitable separation apparatus can be used for
this step, including, for example, distillation towers.
[0162] In some embodiments, a material feed cracking method is
disclosed. Methods of the embodiments can generally include a first
step of injecting a first material stream into a stream dividing
apparatus and producing a first divided stream and a second divided
stream. The method also includes a step of injecting the first
divided stream into a first nozzle reactor and injecting the second
divided stream into a second nozzle reactor. A next step includes
injecting a stream of cracking material into the first nozzle
reactor and injecting a stream of cracking material into the second
nozzle reactor. A next step includes combining a first nozzle
reactor product from the first nozzle reactor and a second nozzle
reactor product from the second nozzle reactor in a mixing
apparatus.
[0163] The stream dividing apparatus, the first nozzle reactor, the
second nozzle reactor, and the mixing apparatus used in the method
described above can all be similar or identical to the stream
dividing apparatus, the nozzle reactor, and the mixing apparatus
described in greater detail above.
[0164] The first material stream can include any type of material
that may be broken down into smaller and lighter components. In one
aspect of this method, the first material stream includes a
hydrocarbon source, such as heavy oil, bitumen, crude oil, or any
residue with a high asphaltene content. The residue may be any
residual portion of a separated hydrocarbon stream, such as the
bottoms fraction from a distillation unit. The high asphaltene
content may be an asphaltene content greater than 4 wt % of the
residue. Hydrocarbon sources such as these require cracking to
break down the heavy and large molecules of the hydrocarbon into
tight components that may be beneficially used. The first material
stream can also include the material leaving the ejection end of a
nozzle reactor located upstream of the stream dividing
apparatus.
[0165] The first divided stream and the second divided stream can
be a similar or identical, such as when the stream dividing
apparatus performs a simple physical separation of the first
material stream. Alternatively, the first divided stream and the
second divided stream can have different compositions, such as when
the stream dividing apparatus is a distillation tower that
separates the first material stream based on the boiling point of
the various components of the first material stream. The first
divided stream and the second divided stream can also be equal in
volumetric flow rate, or can have different volume flow rates. It
can also have a third divided stream with a different volumetric
flow rate used as a purge.
[0166] The first divided stream and the second divided stream can
be injected into the first nozzle reactor and the second nozzle
reactor, respectively, at any suitable temperature and pressure. In
one embodiment, the first divided stream and the second divided
stream are injected into the first nozzle reactor and the second
nozzle reactor at a temperature of from about 300.degree. C. to
500.degree. C. and at a pressure of from about 0.5 about to about
15 bar.
[0167] The streams of cracking material injected into the first and
second nozzle reactor can be any suitable cracking material for
cracking the first divided stream and the second divided stream. In
some embodiments, the cracking material is a cracking gas, such as
steam. The streams of cracking material can be injected into the
nozzle reactors at any suitable temperature and pressure. In some
embodiments, the streams of cracking material are injected into the
nozzle reactors at a temperature of from about 600.degree. C., to
about 850.degree. C., and at a pressure of from about 15 bar to
about 200 bar.
[0168] The pressure inside each of the first and the second nozzle
reactor may range from about 0.5 bar to about 15 bar. The ratio of
cracking material to material feed may range from about 0.1:1 to
about 4:1.
[0169] As described in greater detail above, the nozzle reactors
operate to crack and upgrade the feed material injected into the
nozzle reactor as a result of the feed material and the cracking
material interacting within the nozzle reactor. The product of this
interaction leaves the ejection end of each nozzle reactor as a
first nozzle reactor product and a second nozzle reactor product.
Each of these stream can be transported to and injected into a
mixing apparatus for combining the individual streams into one
larger stream. The operating conditions of the mixing apparatus can
be adjusted according to the material be injected into the mixing
apparatus. In some embodiments, the temperature and pressure inside
the mixing apparatus will be adjusted. For example, the mixing
apparatus can have a temperature in the range of from 350 to
420.degree. C. and a pressure in the range of from 0.2 to 15
bar.
[0170] Although the above method is described in terms of two
nozzle reactors, more than two nozzle reactors can be used.
Generally speaking, the stream dividing apparatus will produce one
divided stream for each nozzle reactor that is used in the nozzle
reactor system. When the divided streams have varying compositions,
each stream can be directed to a nozzle reactor tailored for
upgrading of the specific material composition.
[0171] The parallel configurations described above and illustrated
in FIGS. 10 and 11 can be particularly advantageous in situations
where events occur downstream of the parallel aligned nozzle
reactors that require production to be reduced, such as in the
event of a pipeline becoming unavailable or a product stream
storage facility reaching capacity. Generally speaking, it is
undesirable to reduce production by reducing the flow velocities of
the cracking material and the feed material into the nozzle reactor
because such alterations tend to negatively impact the conversion
rate and product quality. The nozzle reactors described herein
provide optimum conversion and product quality when operated at
specific flow velocities for both the cracking material stream and
the feed material stream. In the parallel configuration described
herein, production can be reduced by completely shutting down one
or more of the nozzle reactors while continuing to operate the
remaining on-line nozzle reactors at optimum operating conditions.
Thus, the parallel alignment described herein allows nozzle
reactors to continue to operate at optimum conditions while still
providing a mechanism for towering production in the case of
downstream events.
Example 1
[0172] Cold Lake bitumen is injected into the lower section of a
Vacuum Distillation Unit (VDU). The bottoms of the VDU are
withdrawn from the VDU and comprise a heavy hydrocarbon source
having a molecular weight range of from about 300 Daltons to 5,000
Daltons or more. The heavy hydrocarbon source is pre-heated to a
temperature of about 752 deg F. (400 deg C.). At this temperature,
only the hydrocarbon fraction with a molecular weight larger then
about 350 Dalton will be in the liquid and/or solid phase, white
the remainder of the hydrocarbon source is in a gaseous state. The
hydrocarbon source is injected into an interior reactor chamber of
a first nozzle reactor via the material feed passage of the first
nozzle reactor.
[0173] Simultaneously, superheated steam at a temperature of about
1256 deg F. (680 deg C.) is injected into the converging section of
the injection passage of the first nozzle reactor at a flow rate of
about 1.5 times the flow rate of the hydrocarbon source.
[0174] The first nozzle reactor has an overall length of 8,000 mm
and an outside diameter of 1,600 mm. The interior reactor chamber
is 7,160 mm long with an injection end diameter of 262 mm and an
ejection end diameter of 1,435 mm. The injection passage has a
length of 840 mm, with an enlarged volume injection section
diameter of 207 mm, a reduced volume mid-section diameter of 70 mm
and an enlarged volume ejection section diameter of 147 mm. The
pressure in the interior reactor chamber is about 2.
[0175] The hydrocarbon source and steam are retained in the first
nozzle reactor for a time period of around 1.2 seconds. Shockwaves
and thermal effects produced inside the nozzle convert
approximately 45% per pass of the hydrocarbon source that has a
boiling point of greater than 1050 deg F. (566 deg C.) into lighter
hydrocarbons with a boiling point of less than 1050 deg F. (566 deg
C.). The nozzle reactor emits a mixture of steam, cracked
hydrocarbons, and uncracked hydrocarbons at a temperature of about
788 deg F. (420 deg C.).
[0176] The mixture leaving the nozzle reactor is recycled to the
same VDU as noted before. Steam in the VDU is condensed. The VDU
separates the hydrocarbon into a gaseous hydrocarbon phase (C5 and
smaller), gas oil, vacuum distillate and VDU bottoms having a
molecular weight range of from 300 Daltons to 5,000 Daltons or
more. The gaseous hydrocarbon phase, gas oil and vacuum distillate
are collected for consumption. The VDU bottoms are split into two
individual streams. A first stream comprising about 75% of the
total VDU bottoms stream is recycled back to the first nozzle
reactor, while a second stream comprising the remaining 25% is
diverted to a second nozzle reactor. This split purges a fraction
of the bottoms that has an increased amount of inorganic material,
such as vanadium, nickel, and sulfur.
[0177] Prior to being introduced into the second nozzle reactor,
the second stream is cooled to a temperature of about 700 deg F.
(371 deg C.). At this temperature, all of the hydrocarbon material
of the second stream is in the liquid phase. The second stream is
injected into an interior reactor chamber of a second nozzle
reactor via the material feed passage of the second nozzle reactor.
Simultaneously, steam at a temperature of 1256 deg F. (680 deg C.)
is injected into the interior reactor chamber of the second nozzle
reactor via the injection passage at a flow rate of about 2.0 times
the flow rate of the hydrocarbon injected into the second nozzle
reactor.
[0178] The second nozzle reactor has an overall length of 7,000 mm
and an outside diameter of 1,300 mm. The interior reactor chamber
is 6,400 mm long with an injection end diameter of 187 mm and an
ejection end diameter of 1,231 mm. The injection passage has a
length of 600 mm, with an enlarged volume injection section
diameter of 148 mm, a reduced volume mid-section diameter of 50 mm
and an enlarged volume ejection section diameter of 105 mm. The
pressure in the interior reactor chamber is about 2.
[0179] The second stream and steam are injected into the second
nozzle reactor for a time period of no more than 0.6 seconds.
Shockwaves produced inside the nozzle reactor convert approximately
55% of the second stream into lighter hydrocarbons. The nozzle
reactor emits a mixture of steam, cracked hydrocarbons and
untracked hydrocarbons at a temperature of about 788 deg F.
[0180] The mixture leaving the second nozzle reactor is fed to a
small Vacuum Separation Unit (VSU). The small VSU separates the
mixture into a lighter hydrocarbon having a molecular weight in the
range of from about 25 to about 200 Daltons and a heavier
hydrocarbon stream having a molecular weight in the range of from
about 200 to about 1,000 Daltons. The light hydrocarbon stream is
recycled back to the first and large VSU while the heavier
hydrocarbon stream is cooled down to about 700 deg F. (371 deg C.)
and collected as the final pitch stream for disposal.
[0181] In view of the many possible embodiments to which the
principles of the disclosed invention may be applied, it should be
recognized that the illustrated embodiments are only preferred
examples of the invention and should not be taken as limiting the
scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is
defined by the following claims. We therefore claim as our
invention all that comes within the scope and spirit of these
claims.
* * * * *