The present invention relates to a method for producing a hydrocarbon product from mixed polymer waste, preferably plastic waste and/or post consumer plastic waste, wherein said mixed polymer waste comprises 50-99.5 wt % polyolefins and 0.5-50 wt % polymer comprising heteroatoms, based on the total weight of the mixed polymer waste, comprising: (i) feeding said mixed polymer waste into an extruder, preferably a single screw extruder; (ii) adding chemicals, preferably alkali metal salt and/or alkali earth metal salt, to said mixed polymer waste to degrade said polymer comprising heteroatoms; (iii) removing degradation products derived from said polymer comprising heteroatoms from said hydrocarbon product; and (iv) collecting the hydrocarbon product. The method and system of the present invention may be used as a pre-treatment in recycling mixed polymer waste to produce a hydrocarbon product ideally suited for pyrolysis.

A reactor and method for the conversion of hydrocarbon gases utilizes a reactor (12, 312, 412, 512, 612) having a unique feed assembly with an original vortex combustion chamber (40, 340, 436, 536, 636), a diverging conduit (48, 348, 448, 548, 648), and a cylindrical reactor chamber (40, 340, 436, 536, 636). This design creates a compact reaction zone and an inwardly swirling fluid flow pattern of the feed gases to form a swirling gas mixture that passes through a diverging conduit (48, 348, 448, 548, 648). The feed streams can be introduced into the reactor (12, 312, 412, 512, 612) at any angle (radial, axial, or something between, or a combination of the above forms) with swirling flow components. The feed streams comprise preheated steam and hydrocarbons for cracking. This system provides conditions suitable for efficient cracking of hydrocarbons, such as ethane, to form olefins.

A reactor and method for the conversion of hydrocarbon gases utilizes a reactor (12, 312, 412, 512, 612) having a unique feed assembly with an original vortex combustion chamber (40, 340, 436, 536, 636), a diverging conduit (48, 348, 448, 548, 648), and a cylindrical reactor chamber (40, 340, 436, 536, 636). This design creates a compact reaction zone and an inwardly swirling fluid flow pattern of the feed gases to form a swirling gas mixture that passes through a diverging conduit (48, 348, 448, 548, 648). The feed streams can be introduced into the reactor (12, 312, 412, 512, 612) at any angle (radial, axial, or something between, or a combination of the above forms) with swirling flow components. The feed streams comprise preheated steam and hydrocarbons for cracking. This system provides conditions suitable for efficient cracking of hydrocarbons, such as ethane, to form olefins.

The present invention is directed to methods for converting feedstock comprising synthetic polymers into a product, comprising: generating a melt stream comprising the synthetic polymers under heat and pressure, and generating heated and pressurised water independently of the melt stream; injecting the heated and pressurised water from apertures of an injection device into the melt stream to form a reaction mixture, wherein the apertures are located internally of the melt stream; using a mixing device to separate and then combine components of the reaction mixture facilitating further mixing of the water and the melt stream, wherein the mixing device comprises two adjacent lattice modules in communication and each rotated at an angle relative to the other; and further treating the reaction mixture at a reaction temperature and pressure to thereby provide the product, as well as apparatus for conducting such methods.

The present invention is directed to methods for converting feedstock comprising synthetic polymers into a product, comprising: generating a melt stream comprising the synthetic polymers under heat and pressure, and generating heated and pressurised water independently of the melt stream; injecting the heated and pressurised water from apertures of an injection device into the melt stream to form a reaction mixture, wherein the apertures are located internally of the melt stream; using a mixing device to separate and then combine components of the reaction mixture facilitating further mixing of the water and the melt stream, wherein the mixing device comprises two adjacent lattice modules in communication and each rotated at an angle relative to the other; and further treating the reaction mixture at a reaction temperature and pressure to thereby provide the product, as well as apparatus for conducting such methods.

Processes for rapidly and accurately predicting the fouling potential of a heavy petroleum fraction in a commercial refinery, informing the selection of one or more interventions to prevent or decrease the rate of said fouling. The process utilizes several specialized .sup.13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance procedures to more accurately quantify tertiary and quaternary bridgehead aromatic carbon in the heavy petroleum fraction This permits more accurate calculation of a Condensation Index for the heavy petroleum fraction to more accurately predict fouling potential of the fraction. When the condensation index is at or above a threshold value, the process implements one or more responses to improve operational efficiency of the commercial refinery.

Processes for rapidly and accurately predicting the fouling potential of a heavy petroleum fraction in a commercial refinery, informing the selection of one or more interventions to prevent or decrease the rate of said fouling. The process utilizes several specialized .sup.13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance procedures to more accurately quantify tertiary and quaternary bridgehead aromatic carbon in the heavy petroleum fraction This permits more accurate calculation of a Condensation Index for the heavy petroleum fraction to more accurately predict fouling potential of the fraction. When the condensation index is at or above a threshold value, the process implements one or more responses to improve operational efficiency of the commercial refinery.

The invention relates to an integrated method for thermal conversion and indirect combustion of a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock in a redox chemical loop for producing hydrocarbon streams. The heavy hydrocarbon feedstock (1) is brought into contact with inert particles (2) in a thermal conversion zone (100). Thermal conversion in the absence of hydrogen, water vapour and a catalyst produces a first gaseous effluent of hydrocarbon compounds (4) and coke, which effluent is deposited on the inert particles (5). The latter is then burned in a redox chemical loop (200) in the presence of oxygen-carrying solid particles (6). The inert particles thus flow between the thermal conversion zone (100) and a reduction zone (300) of the chemical loop while the oxygen-carrying solid particles flow between the oxidation (400) and reduction zones (300) of the chemical loop.

The invention relates to an integrated method for thermal conversion and indirect combustion of a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock in a redox chemical loop for producing hydrocarbon streams. The heavy hydrocarbon feedstock (1) is brought into contact with inert particles (2) in a thermal conversion zone (100). Thermal conversion in the absence of hydrogen, water vapour and a catalyst produces a first gaseous effluent of hydrocarbon compounds (4) and coke, which effluent is deposited on the inert particles (5). The latter is then burned in a redox chemical loop (200) in the presence of oxygen-carrying solid particles (6). The inert particles thus flow between the thermal conversion zone (100) and a reduction zone (300) of the chemical loop while the oxygen-carrying solid particles flow between the oxidation (400) and reduction zones (300) of the chemical loop.