The present invention relates to a system and a process for converting heavy oils into light hydrocarbon products and electric power. The system comprises a CFB reactor for thermal cracking of heavy oils to generate light hydrocarbon products, coupled with a CFB boiler power plant for converting coke particles produced in the CFB reactor into flue gas and then producing steam for generation of electric power. The system and process of the present invention efficiently produces valuable products from heavy oils (electric power and a full range of hydrocarbon products ranging from Heavy Coker Gas Oil to refinery fuel gas) with negligible coke production and minimal or no generation of low heating value gas.

This invention relates to a process for the conversion of a feedstock comprising a lignin-comprising material, comprising the steps (a) to (c): (a) charging the feedstock to a fluidized bed reactor; (b) pyrolyzing at least part of the feedstock in the fluidized bed reactor while introducing a carrier gas into the reactor, to produce pyrolysis vapors; (c) reacting at least part of the pyrolysis vapors coming from step (b) in a second reactor comprising a catalyst, to produce hydrocarbon products comprising aromatics.

This invention relates to a process for the conversion of a feedstock comprising a lignin-comprising material, comprising the steps (a) to (c): (a) charging the feedstock to a fluidized bed reactor; (b) pyrolyzing at least part of the feedstock in the fluidized bed reactor while introducing a carrier gas into the reactor, to produce pyrolysis vapors; (c) reacting at least part of the pyrolysis vapors coming from step (b) in a second reactor comprising a catalyst, to produce hydrocarbon products comprising aromatics.

A process for converting a heavy hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to liquid products is provided comprising introducing the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock into a fluid coker comprised in part of a fluidized bed of heated coke particles, the fluidized bed having a high velocity core region of heated coke particles and a low velocity annular region of unreacted hydrocarbon and coke particles using a plurality of high thrust nozzles and reacting the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock with the heated coke particles in the fluid coker to produce the liquid products.

A process for converting a heavy hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to liquid products is provided comprising introducing the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock into a fluid coker comprised in part of a fluidized bed of heated coke particles, the fluidized bed having a high velocity core region of heated coke particles and a low velocity annular region of unreacted hydrocarbon and coke particles using a plurality of high thrust nozzles and reacting the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock with the heated coke particles in the fluid coker to produce the liquid products.

Systems and methods are provided for integrating a fluidized coking process, optionally a coke gasification process, and processes for production of additional liquid products from the coking and/or gasification process. In some aspects, the integrated processes can allow for conversion of olefins generated during a fluidized coking process to form additional liquid products. Additionally or alternately, in some aspects the integrated processes can allow for separation of syngas from the flue gas/fuel gas generated by a gasifier integrated with a fluidized coking process. This syngas can then be used to form methanol, which can then be converted in a methanol conversion process to form heavier products. In such aspects, olefins generated during the fluidized coking process can be added to the methanol conversion process to improve the yield. Additionally, in various aspects, the off-gas from the integrated conversion process can be used as an additional paraffin feed that can be recycled to one of the heat integration conduits in the fluidized coker for additional generation of olefins. This can provide a further increase in liquid yields using a carbon source (C.sub.4 paraffins) that is conventionally viewed as a low value product from coking.

A Flexicoking unit which retains the capability of converting heavy oil feeds to lower boiling liquid hydrocarbon products while making a fuel gas from rejected coke to provide only a minimal coke yield. The heater section of the conventional three section unit (reactor, heater, gasifier) is eliminated and all or a portion of the cold coke from the reactor is passed directly to the gasifier which is modified by the installation of separators to remove coke particles from the product gas which is taken out of the gasifier for ultization. In one embodiment, a portion of cold coke is transferred directly from the reactor to the gasifier, and another portion of cold coke is combined with hot, partly gasified coke particles transferred directly from the gasifier to the reactor. The hot coke from the gasifier is passed directly to the coking zone of the reactor to supply heat to support the endothermic cracking reactions and supply seed nuclei for the formation of coke in the reactor. Coke is withdrawn from the gasifier to remove excess coke and to purge the system of metals and ash.

A Flexicoking unit which retains the capability of converting heavy oil feeds to lower boiling liquid hydrocarbon products while making a fuel gas from rejected coke to provide only a minimal coke yield. The heater section of the conventional three section unit (reactor, heater, gasifier) is eliminated and all or a portion of the cold coke from the reactor is passed directly to the gasifier which is modified by the installation of separators to remove coke particles from the product gas which is taken out of the gasifier for ultization. In one embodiment, a portion of cold coke is transferred directly from the reactor to the gasifier, and another portion of cold coke is combined with hot, partly gasified coke particles transferred directly from the gasifier to the reactor. The hot coke from the gasifier is passed directly to the coking zone of the reactor to supply heat to support the endothermic cracking reactions and supply seed nuclei for the formation of coke in the reactor. Coke is withdrawn from the gasifier to remove excess coke and to purge the system of metals and ash.

Steam cracking of naphtha is one of the major unit processes used in refineries for producing light olefins such as ethylene, propylene which is essentially a thermal cracking process wherein heat energy is supplied to crack the feed molecules. In recent times, the process has gained more importance due to emergence of requirement of increasing petrochemical production from crude oils. The furnace is the heart of the thermal cracking processes in which convection and radiation zone plays a role in providing heat required to crack the naphtha molecules. The conventional preheating of naphtha is done along with steam using heat load of the furnace which consumes huge amount of energy and in turn is expensive as well as results in significant CO.sub.2 emissions due to fuel burning. On the other hand, several refiners are exploring ways and means to find greener use of low value Fuel grade Petroleum coke, minimizing the carbon footprint. The present invention discloses a preheating process module integrated with coke handling system in which the overall CO.sub.2 emissions of Thermal steam cracking furnace can be reduced substantially by utilizing convection zone energy while making use of energy generation from petcoke coupled with carbon capture.

Steam cracking of naphtha is one of the major unit processes used in refineries for producing light olefins such as ethylene, propylene which is essentially a thermal cracking process wherein heat energy is supplied to crack the feed molecules. In recent times, the process has gained more importance due to emergence of requirement of increasing petrochemical production from crude oils. The furnace is the heart of the thermal cracking processes in which convection and radiation zone plays a role in providing heat required to crack the naphtha molecules. The conventional preheating of naphtha is done along with steam using heat load of the furnace which consumes huge amount of energy and in turn is expensive as well as results in significant CO.sub.2 emissions due to fuel burning. On the other hand, several refiners are exploring ways and means to find greener use of low value Fuel grade Petroleum coke, minimizing the carbon footprint. The present invention discloses a preheating process module integrated with coke handling system in which the overall CO.sub.2 emissions of Thermal steam cracking furnace can be reduced substantially by utilizing convection zone energy while making use of energy generation from petcoke coupled with carbon capture.