Using supercritical fluids to refine hydrocarbons
Abstract
A system and method for reactively refining hydrocarbons, such as heavy oils with API gravities of less than 20 degrees and bitumen-like hydrocarbons with viscosities greater than 1000 cp at standard temperature and pressure, using a selected fluid at supercritical conditions. A reaction portion of the system and method delivers lightweight, volatile hydrocarbons to an associated contacting unit which operates in mixed subcritical/supercritical or supercritical modes. Using thermal diffusion, multiphase contact, or a momentum generating pressure gradient, the contacting unit separates the reaction products into portions that are viable for use or sale without further conventional refining and hydro-processing techniques.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1183937
- Patent Number(s):
- 9051521
- Application Number:
- 13/838,746
- Assignee:
- LANL
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B01 - PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL B01D - SEPARATION
C - CHEMISTRY C10 - PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES C10G - CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS; 02 PETROLEUM
Citation Formats
Yarbro, Stephen Lee. Using supercritical fluids to refine hydrocarbons. United States: N. p., 2015.
Web.
Yarbro, Stephen Lee. Using supercritical fluids to refine hydrocarbons. United States.
Yarbro, Stephen Lee. Tue .
"Using supercritical fluids to refine hydrocarbons". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1183937.
@article{osti_1183937,
title = {Using supercritical fluids to refine hydrocarbons},
author = {Yarbro, Stephen Lee},
abstractNote = {A system and method for reactively refining hydrocarbons, such as heavy oils with API gravities of less than 20 degrees and bitumen-like hydrocarbons with viscosities greater than 1000 cp at standard temperature and pressure, using a selected fluid at supercritical conditions. A reaction portion of the system and method delivers lightweight, volatile hydrocarbons to an associated contacting unit which operates in mixed subcritical/supercritical or supercritical modes. Using thermal diffusion, multiphase contact, or a momentum generating pressure gradient, the contacting unit separates the reaction products into portions that are viable for use or sale without further conventional refining and hydro-processing techniques.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2015},
month = {6}
}
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