There is provided a process and system for producing carbon fiber products. The process can involve deasphalting a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, which can contain native asphaltenes, to produce a solid asphaltene particulate material, which can be further treated to produce the carbon fiber products. In some implementations, the solid asphaltene particulate material can be extruded in the presence of a polymer. In some implementations, the solid asphaltene particulate material can be chemically treated with a chemical agent including a Lewis acid, an oxidizing agent and/or a reducing agent before extrusion. In some implementations, the process can further produce activated carbon fibers.

A process for removing heavy polycyclic aromatic contaminants from a hydrocarbon stream using a quinolinium ionic liquid is described. The process includes contacting the hydrocarbon stream comprising the contaminant with a hydrocarbon-immiscible quinolinium ionic liquid to produce a mixture comprising the hydrocarbon and a hydrocarbon-immiscible quinolinium ionic liquid comprising at least a portion of the removed contaminant; and separating the mixture to produce a hydrocarbon effluent having a reduced level of the contaminant and a hydrocarbon-immiscible quinolinium ionic liquid effluent comprising the hydrocarbon-immiscible quinolinium ionic liquid comprising at least the portion of the removed contaminant.

An integrated refinery process for removing mercaptans from a hydrocarbon stream containing mercaptans and converting by-product disulfide oil to useful products. The process includes introducing the hydrocarbon stream containing mercaptans into an extraction vessel containing an alkaline solution and passing the hydrocarbon stream through an extraction section of the extraction vessel which includes one or more liquid-liquid contacting decks for reaction to convert the mercaptans to alkali metal alkanethiolates. Further, the process includes withdrawing a hydrocarbon product stream free of mercaptans from the extraction vessel and recovering spent caustic containing alkali metal alkanethiolates from the extraction vessel. Additionally, the process includes subjecting the spent caustic containing alkali metal alkanethiolates to air oxidation to produce a by-product stream containing disulfide oils (DSO) and sulfides and processing the by-product stream in a steam cracking unit to produce a DSO free product stream.

The present invention describes the coprocessing of a lignocellulosic liquid stream and an intermediate fossil stream in the oil refining process comprising the steps of (a) contacting said intermediate fossil stream and said lignocellulosic liquid stream with a stream of solvent of C.sub.3-C.sub.10 hydrocarbons in an extraction section, obtaining a stream of extract with solvent and a stream of raffinate with solvent; and (b) sending said stream of extract with solvent to a separation section, obtaining a deasphalted oil stream comprising solvent-free carbon of renewable origin and a stream of recovered solvent. The present invention further relates to a process for producing fuels from the deasphalted oil stream comprising carbon of renewable origin, wherein the process comprises sending the deasphalted oil stream to a conversion section of an oil refinery. The conversion section is selected from catalytic hydrocracking unit, thermal cracking, fluidized-bed catalytic cracking, visbreaking, delayed coking and catalytic reforming.

The present invention describes the coprocessing of a lignocellulosic liquid stream and an intermediate fossil stream in the oil refining process comprising the steps of (a) contacting said intermediate fossil stream and said lignocellulosic liquid stream with a stream of solvent of C.sub.3-C.sub.10 hydrocarbons in an extraction section, obtaining a stream of extract with solvent and a stream of raffinate with solvent; and (b) sending said stream of extract with solvent to a separation section, obtaining a deasphalted oil stream comprising solvent-free carbon of renewable origin and a stream of recovered solvent. The present invention further relates to a process for producing fuels from the deasphalted oil stream comprising carbon of renewable origin, wherein the process comprises sending the deasphalted oil stream to a conversion section of an oil refinery. The conversion section is selected from catalytic hydrocracking unit, thermal cracking, fluidized-bed catalytic cracking, visbreaking, delayed coking and catalytic reforming.

Methods for separation of oxygenates or other chemical components from fuels using chemical processes and separations including, but not limited to, onboard applications in vehicles. These separations may take place using a variety of materials and substances whereby a target material of interest is captured, held, and then released at a desired location and under desired conditions. In one set of experiments we demonstrated an enhancement in the separation of diaromatics by >38 times over gasoline and aromatics by >3.5 times over gasoline. This would give an advantage to reducing cold-start emissions, or emissions during transient conditions, in either gasoline or diesel.

A desulfurization system has an oxidation process unit, and a multi-stage, liquid-liquid extraction unit in series with the oxidation process unit. The multi-stage, liquid-liquid extraction unit spits a fuel input from the oxidation process unit into a desulfurized fuel that is output for use, and a by-product. A solvent/sulfur/hydrocarbon separation process unit receives the by-product from the multi-stage, liquid-liquid extraction unit.

A desulfurization system has an oxidation process unit, and a multi-stage, liquid-liquid extraction unit in series with the oxidation process unit. The multi-stage, liquid-liquid extraction unit spits a fuel input from the oxidation process unit into a desulfurized fuel that is output for use, and a by-product. A solvent/sulfur/hydrocarbon separation process unit receives the by-product from the multi-stage, liquid-liquid extraction unit.

A membrane separator comprising a membrane is used to separate various streams in processes for separating aromatic hydrocarbons from non-aromatic hydrocarbons. Such streams can be a lean-solvent stream, a rich-solvent stream, or a hydrocarbon stream comprising both aromatic and non- aromatic hydrocarbons. The membrane separator is advantageously used in combination with an extraction sub-system including a liquid—liquid distillation column and/or an extraction distillation column.

The invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from a liquid stream comprising aliphatic hydrocarbons, heteroatom containing organic compounds and optionally aromatic hydrocarbons, involving (i) contacting said liquid stream with a washing solvent thereby removing heteroatom containing organic compounds; a) liquid-liquid extraction of the washed stream with an extraction solvent; b) mixing the extract stream, comprising extraction solvent, heteroatom containing organic com-pounds and optionally aromatic hydrocarbons, with a demixing solvent to remove additional heteroatom containing organic compounds and optional aromatic hydrocarbons; and c) separation of the remaining stream into a demixing solvent stream and an extraction vent stream. Further, the invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from plastics comprising the above-mentioned process; and to a process for steam cracking a hydrocarbon feed comprising aliphatic hydrocarbons as recovered in one of the above-mentioned processes.