Recent Trends in Fluid Catalytic Cracking Patents, 2012: Part 1

Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) remains a vital unit in refinery operations due to its shear impact on overall refinery profitability.  Because of its importance, operation of the FCC must shift to meet changing market demands for particular fuel specifications, or to maximize particular products, such as diesel fuel.  Research and development in equipment, catalysts and process are expected to shift to further these goals, with companies who invest research dollars in these areas often seeking to protect such investment by obtaining patent protection.

To get a snapshot of recent patent activity in the FCC area, a search of the patent database of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office was conducted.  It revealed that a number of patent applications in the area of fluid catalytic cracking were granted as patents in 2012.  These patents relate to the full range of FCC operation: general process, equipment and catalysts, and reflect the decision companies have made to protect their Intellectual Property assets.  In this and blogs to follow, I’ll briefly summarize the recently granted patents roughly corresponding to these FCC areas.  Attached Table 1 lists relevant information on the patents.  Table 2 contains a representative independent claim from each.

Six patents are summarized below.  The first, U.S. Patent No. 8,110,092, relates to power recovery in the FCC, so is concerned with energy savings.  Two others, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,226,818 and 8,323,477, relate to recycling coked catalyst to the reactor, a process used to independently adjust the FCC heat balance.  Three of the patents, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,128,806, 8,163,168 and 8,246,914 relate to processes for affecting light olefins or distillate production, and are obviously of interest since they affect product selectivities.  In particular, the area of maximizing distillate production in the FCC is of key current interest because of the high demand for diesel.  Recent patent grants in this area reflect its importance, since even after exhausting the normal operating tools for increasing distillate production from the FCC,[1] there remains a need for further expenditure of technology resources.

U.S. Patent No. 8,110,092 of Petri, assigned to UOP LLC, generally relates to a process for heat recovery from the reactor section.  Heat is (indirectly) exchanged between product gases exiting the reactor and a product stream off the main column, and a heat exchange media.  The resulting superheated heat exchange media is then routed to an expander.  The patent contains three independent claims (1, 6, and 9).  Claim 1 is listed in Table 2.

U.S. Patent No. 8,128,806 of Baptista et al., assigned to Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras, generally relates to a process for the production of middle distillates of low aromaticity.  Feed is contacted with a catalyst of low activity, of reduced acidity or of basic character, at a temperature of 520 to 560°C, cat/oil ratio of 8 to 15 and for a contact time of 30 to 120 seconds in the riser of a dense-bed reactor.  Effluent from the reactor is routed to a fractionator where it is split into a gas fraction, a light naphtha fraction and a middle distillate, where the naphtha and distillate streams are of low aromaticity.  The patent contains a single independent claim, which is listed in Table 2.

U.S. Patent No. 8,163,168 of Gorbaty et al., assigned to ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, generally relates to a process for feed conversion utilizing thermal conversion and catalytic cracking to increase distillate production.  A hydrocarbon feed is thermally treated to produce a thermally cracked product, which is then separated into a cracked bottoms fraction and a lower boiling fraction containing at least one of naphtha and distillate.  A portion of the thermally cracked bottoms fraction is routed to the FCC where the resultant catalytically cracked product is then separated into a naphtha product, a distillate product and a fractionator bottoms.  The patent contains a single independent claim, which is listed in Table 2.

U.S. Patent No. 8,226,818 of Sandacz, assigned to UOP LLC, generally relates to an FCC process where coked catalyst is recycled to the riser through a passage within the riser, where it is contacted with fresh feed.  Coked catalyst is blended with regenerated catalyst to form a blended catalyst.  The blended catalyst is contacted with the hydrocarbon feed within an outer wall of a riser to produce products and a coked catalyst.  Part of the coked catalyst is regenerated, and another part is recycled back to the riser.  An inlet to the passage is disposed in a disengaging chamber, where the disengaging chamber is in downstream communication with the outlet of the riser.  The patent contains a single independent claim, which is listed in Table 2.

U.S. Patent No. 8,246,914, assigned to UOP LLC, generally relates to an FCC system for producing light olefins.  The FCC reaction system comprises a reaction zone comprising at least one riser containing a mixture of two catalysts: a first catalyst having pores with openings greater than 0.7 nm and a second catalyst having openings smaller than the first catalyst; a source of a naphtha stream in fluid communication with the at least one riser via a naphtha line; a source of a C₄ hydrocarbon stream in fluid communication with the at least one riser via a C₄ line, and a source of a feed stream having a boiling point of about 180 to about 800°C in fluid communication with the at least one riser via a feed line, where an injection point for a naphtha stream is downstream of a C₄ hydrocarbon stream injection point and a feed stream injection point.  The patent contains two independent claims (1 and 6).  Claim 1 is listed in Table 2.

U.S. Patent No. 8,323,477 assigned to UOP LLC, generally relates to an FCC process where the upward flow of regenerated catalyst in the riser is partially obstructed with a baffle.  The baffle is located below the feed distributor and proximate to an intersection between the regenerated catalyst line from the regenerator and the riser, so as to mix the regenerated catalyst before contacting with hydrocarbon feed.  The effect of the baffle is to mix regenerated catalyst with carbonized catalyst in order to obtain a more uniform temperature in the regenerated catalyst/carbonized catalyst mixture prior to contacting the hydrocarbon feed.  The patent contains three independent claims (1, 8, and 15).  Claim 1 is listed in Table 2.

Table 1

Patent   Number	Inventor	Assignee	Title	Issue   Date
U.S.   8,110,092	Petri	UOP LLC	Process for recovering power from FCC product	February 7, 2012
U.S.   8,128,806	Baptista et al.	Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras	Process and equipment for fluid catalytic cracking for the production   of middle distillates of low aromaticity	March 6, 2012
U.S.   8,163,168	Gorbaty et al.	ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co.	Process for flexible vacuum gas oil conversion	April 24, 2012
U.S.   8,226,818	Sandacz	UOP LLC	FCC process with spent catalyst recycle	July 24, 2012
U.S.   8,246,914	Mehlberg et al.	UOP LLC	Fluid catalytic cracking system	August 21, 2012
U.S.   8,323,477	Couch et al.	UOP LLC	Process for mixing regenerated and carbonized catalyst	December 4, 2012

Table 2

Patent Number	Independent   Claim
U.S.   8,110,092	Claim 1.  A process for   recovering heat from a fluid catalytic cracking unit comprising:  contacting cracking catalyst with a   hydrocarbon feed stream to crack the hydrocarbons to gaseous product   hydrocarbons having lower molecular weight and deposit coke on the catalyst   to provide coked catalyst;  separating   said coked catalyst from said gaseous product hydrocarbons;  indirectly heat exchanging said gaseous   product hydrocarbons with a heat exchange media and provide superheated heat   exchange media and provide a hot product hydrocarbon stream;  directing said superheated heat exchange   media to an expander;  recovering power   from said superheated heat exchange media in said expander;  separating said hot product hydrocarbon   stream to obtain a plurality of product streams; and  feeding at least a portion of one of said   product streams along with said gaseous product hydrocarbons to be indirectly   heat exchanged with said heat exchange media.
U.S.   8,128,806	Claim 1.  A method of fluid   catalytic cracking for production of middle distillates of low aromaticity,   characterized in that it comprises the following steps:  a) submitting a feed A, consisting of heavy   fractions of hydrocarbons, such as a heavy vacuum gas oil, or an atmospheric   residue, or a mixture thereof in any proportions, to a reaction of fluid   catalytic cracking, in the absence of added hydrogen, in the riser of a   dense-bed FCC reactor, operated:  (i)   at temperatures that vary in the range from 520°C. to 560°C.;  (ii) using a cracking catalyst of low   activity, of reduced acidity or of basic character;  (iii) at a catalyst/oil ratio in the range   from 8 to 15, and  (iv) with a contact   time of the feed A with the cracking catalyst in the range from 30 to 120   seconds.  b) withdrawing an effluent B   obtained in the above reaction at the top of the dense-bed catalytic cracking   reactor, submitting it to fractionation in a fractionating tower that   produces a gas fraction C, which is sent to a gas recuperation section, plus   a light naphtha fraction D, and a middle distillate E, both of low   aromaticity, and sending these for subsequent treatment and sale.
U.S.   8,163,168	Claim 1.  A thermal and   catalytic conversion process for converting a hydrocarbon feed having a   Conradson Carbon Residue (“CCR”) content of from 0 to 6 wt%, based on the   hydrocarbon feed, which comprises:  a)   processing the hydrocarbon feed in a thermal conversion zone under effective   thermal conversion conditions to produce a thermally cracked product;  b) separating the thermally cracked product   into a thermally cracked bottoms fraction and a lower boiling fraction   containing at least one of naphtha and distillate;  c) conducting at least a portion of the   lower boiling fraction to a fractionator;    d) conducting at least a portion of the thermally cracked bottoms   fraction to a reactor riser of a fluid catalytic cracking unit where it   contacts a cracking catalyst;  e)   catalytically converting the thermally cracked bottoms fraction under fluid   catalytic cracking conditions to produce a catalytically cracked product;  f) conducting the catalytically cracked   product to the fractionator; and  g)   separating a naphtha product, a distillate product, and a fractionator   bottoms product from the fractionator.
U.S.   8,226,818	Claim 1.  A process for   fluidized catalytic cracking of a hydrocarbon feed stream to products, the   process comprising:  blending recycled   coked catalyst and regenerated catalyst to provide a blended catalyst;   contacting said hydrocarbon feed stream with said blended catalyst within an   outer wall of a riser to produce said products and coked catalyst;   regenerating a first portion of said coked catalyst to provide said   regenerated catalyst; and recycling a second portion of said coked catalyst   through a passage disposed within said outer wall of said riser, wherein an   inlet to said passage is disposed in a disengaging chamber, the disengaging   chamber being in downstream communication with an outlet of said riser.
U.S.   8,246,914	Claim 1.  A fluid catalytic   cracking system, comprising: a reaction zone comprising at least one riser   containing a mixture of a first catalyst having pores with openings greater   than about 0.7 nm and a catalyst having smaller openings than the first   catalyst provided by a conduit to the at least one riser, a source of a naphtha   stream comprising about 20-about 70%, by weight, of one or more C5-C10   olefin compounds in fluid communication with the at least one riser via a   naphtha line, a source of a C4 hydrocarbon stream in fluid   communication with the at least one riser via a C4 line, and a   source of a feed stream having a boiling point of about 180-about 800°C. in   fluid communication with the at least one riser via a feed line; wherein a   naphtha stream injection point on the at least one riser for the naphtha line   is downstream of a C4 hydrocarbon stream injection point and a   feed stream injection point on the at least one riser.
U.S.   8,323,477	Claim 1.  A   process for contacting regenerated catalyst with a hydrocarbon feed, said   process comprising: urging said regenerated catalyst upwardly in a reactor   riser with fluidizing gas; contacting said hydrocarbon feed with said   regenerated catalyst in said reactor riser to crack said hydrocarbon feed to   produce lighter gaseous hydrocarbons and deposit coke on the catalyst to   produce carbonized catalyst; separating said gaseous hydrocarbons from said   carbonized catalyst; contacting at least a portion of said carbonized   catalyst with oxygen to combust coke from said catalyst to produce   regenerated catalyst; passing said regenerated catalyst to said riser in a   regenerated catalyst conduit; and obstructing partially upward flow of said   regenerated catalyst in said riser by a baffle in said riser below said feed   distributor and proximate to an intersection between said regenerated catalyst   conduit and said riser to mix said regenerated catalyst in said riser before   contacting said hydrocarbon feed.

 

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