Search

CN-122029257-A - Method and apparatus for hydroprocessing a feed stream comprising a biorenewable feedstock with an electric heater

CN122029257ACN 122029257 ACN122029257 ACN 122029257ACN-122029257-A

Abstract

A process and apparatus for hydrotreating a feed stream comprising a biorenewable feedstock. The process includes hydrotreating a feed stream in the presence of hydrogen and a hydrotreating catalyst to provide a hydrotreated stream, and isomerizing an isomerized feed stream in the presence of a hydrotreating catalyst to provide an isomerized stream. The isomerization feed stream includes at least a portion of the hydrotreated stream. An electric heater is provided for one or both of the recycle vapor streams.

Inventors

  • N. J. Tiwari
  • J. T. Wexler
  • S. O. Alibaba
  • P. Agraval

Assignees

  • 环球油品有限责任公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20241025
Priority Date
20231031

Claims (10)

  1. 1. A process for hydrotreating a feedstock, the process comprising: heating a feed stream (12) comprising a biorenewable feedstock to provide a heated feed stream; Hydrotreating the heated feed stream in a first reaction zone (28) comprising a first reaction vessel (26) with a hydrotreating catalyst and providing a hydrotreated stream (3); Separating the hydrotreated stream (34) into a hydrotreated liquid stream (48) and a hydrotreated gas stream (46); Heating an isomerization feed stream (38), wherein the isomerization feed stream (38) comprises at least a portion of the hydrotreated liquid stream (48); Isomerizing said isomerized feed stream (38) and providing an isomerized stream (84) in a second reaction zone (81) comprising a second reaction vessel (78) having an isomerization catalyst, and Separating the isomerized stream (84) into an isomerized liquid stream (88) and an isomerized gas stream (90); Wherein: Both the hydrotreated gas stream (46) and the isomerised gas stream (90) have been heated separately in an electric heater (74) to provide a heated hydrotreated gas stream and a heated isomerised gas stream, respectively, and the feed stream (12) is heated by mixing with the heated hydrotreated gas stream and the isomerised feed stream (38) is heated by mixing with the heated isomerised gas stream, or Only one of the hydrotreated gas stream (46) and the isomerised gas stream (90) has been heated in an electric heater (74) to provide a heated gas stream which is heated by mixing with one of the feed stream (12) or the isomerised feed stream (38) and the other of the feed stream (46) and the isomerised gas stream (90) is heated in an open flame heater (100).
  2. 2. The process of claim 1, both the hydrotreated gas stream (46) and the isomerized gas stream (90) having been heated separately in an electric heater (74) to provide a heated hydrotreated gas stream and a heated isomerized gas stream, respectively, and the feed stream (12) being heated by mixing with the heated hydrotreated gas stream and the isomerized feed stream (38) being heated by mixing with the heated isomerized gas stream.
  3. 3. The process of claim 1, wherein only one of the hydrotreated gas stream (46) and the isomerized gas stream (90) has been heated in an electric heater (74) to provide a heated gas stream that is heated by mixing with one of the feed stream (12) or the isomerized feed stream (38), and the other of the feed stream (46) and the isomerized gas stream (90) is heated in an open flame heater (100).
  4. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrotreated gas stream (46) has been heated in the electric heater (74) to provide the heated hydrotreated gas stream, and the feed stream (12) is heated by mixing with the heated hydrotreated gas stream.
  5. 5. The process of claim 4, wherein the isomerization feed stream (38) has been heated in the open flame heater (100).
  6. 6. The process of claim 1, wherein the isomerization gas stream (90) has been heated in the electric heater (74) to provide the heated isomerization gas stream, and the isomerization feed stream (38) is heated by mixing with the heated isomerization gas stream.
  7. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the feed stream (12) has been heated in the open flame heater (100).
  8. 8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: compressing the hydrotreated gas stream (46).
  9. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the hydrotreated gas stream (46) is compressed and then heated in the electric heater (74).
  10. 10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: Compressing the isomerised gas stream (90).

Description

Method and apparatus for hydroprocessing a feed stream comprising a biorenewable feedstock with an electric heater Priority statement The present application claims priority from indian patent application number 202311074080 filed on 10/31 of 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for hydroprocessing a feed stream that includes a biorenewable feedstock, and more particularly to such methods and apparatus that include an electric heater. Background As the need for reduced carbon emissions expands, there is an increasing interest in producing fuels and blending components from sources other than crude oil. These sources are commonly referred to as biorenewable sources, including, but not limited to, vegetable oils such as corn oil, rapeseed oil, canola oil, soybean oil, microbial oils such as algae oil, animal fats such as non-edible tallow, fish oils and various waste streams such as yellow and brown grease and sewage sludge. A common feature of these sources is that they consist of glycerides and Free Fatty Acids (FFA). Both triglycerides and FFAs comprise aliphatic carbon chains having 8 to 24 carbon atoms. The aliphatic carbon chains in the triglyceride or FFA may be fully saturated or mono-, di-, or polyunsaturated. Hydrotreating may include a process for converting hydrocarbons into more valuable products in the presence of a hydrotreating catalyst and hydrogen. Hydrotreating is a process in which hydrogen is contacted with hydrocarbons in the presence of a hydrotreating catalyst which is primarily actively used to remove heteroatoms such as sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, and metals from hydrocarbon feedstocks. In the hydrotreatment, hydrocarbons such as olefins having double bonds and triple bonds can be saturated. The production of hydrocarbon products in the diesel boiling range can be achieved by hydrotreating a biorenewable feedstock. The biorenewable feedstock may be hydrotreated by hydrotreating to remove metals and deoxygenate oxygenated hydrocarbons, followed by hydroisomerization to improve the cold flow properties of the product diesel. Hydroisomerization or hydrodewaxing is a hydrotreating process that increases alkyl branching on the hydrocarbon backbone in the presence of hydrogen and a hydroisomerization catalyst to improve the cold flow properties of the hydrocarbon. Hydroisomerization herein includes hydrodewaxing. In order to perform the desired chemical reaction, the feed stream must be heated to the desired or required temperature. In other words, there is a heating requirement for the feed stream. Heating of the feed stream is typically accomplished by open flame heating. This heating itself produces carbon dioxide from the combustion of the hydrocarbon-rich fuel gas. In some processes, there may be three or more open flame heaters. Recently, there is increasing concern about using an electric heater instead of an open flame heater. While potentially effective for its intended purpose, in the treatment of renewable feedstocks, electric heaters are used for vapor phase applications, and thus, either liquid phase or two-phase (vapor and liquid) streams may not be able to directly use electric heaters. It is therefore desirable to have a more effective and efficient way to hydrotreat a feed stream comprising a bio-renewable feedstock, wherein an electric heater provides heat to the liquid phase or two-phase stream. Disclosure of Invention The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for hydroprocessing a biorenewable feedstock that provide an electric heater on a recycle vapor stream. The heated vapor stream can be effectively and efficiently heated in an electric heater and then mixed with the feed stream to the reaction zone to heat the feed stream before it is passed into the reactor. In some aspects, the recycle streams to both the hydroprocessing reaction zone and the isomerization reaction zone are heated with an electric heater. In some aspects, only one of these recycle streams is heated with an electric heater, and a conventional open flame heater is used with the other recycle streams. By using at least one electric heater, the effect of carbon dioxide can be reduced. The invention may therefore be characterized, in at least one aspect, by providing a method of hydroprocessing a feedstock by heating a feed stream comprising a biorenewable feedstock to provide a heated feed stream, hydrotreating the heated feed stream in a first reaction zone comprising a first reaction vessel with a hydrotreating catalyst and providing a hydrotreated stream, separating the hydrotreated stream into a hydrotreated liquid stream and a hydrotreated gas stream, heating an isomerised feed stream, wherein the isomerised feed stream comprises at least a portion of the hydrotreated liquid stream, isomerising the isomerised feed stream in a second reaction zone comprising a second reac