A method of upgrading an overflash stream from a vacuum distillation unit comprising the steps of separating the overflash stream from an atmospheric residue stream, the overflash stream comprises an overflash fraction having a T10% between 475 and 530° C. and a T90% between 600 and 700° C.; introducing the reactor feed to a supercritical reactor at a temperature between 380° C. and 500° C. and a pressure between 25 MPa and 30 MPa; maintaining upgrading reactions in the supercritical reactor to upgrade the overflash fraction such that a reactor effluent comprises upgraded hydrocarbons relative to the overflash fraction; reducing a temperature of a reactor effluent in a cooling device to produce a cooled stream; reducing a pressure of the cooled stream in a depressurizing device to produce a discharged stream; and separating the discharged stream in a gas-liquid separator to produce a liquid phase product.

An apparatus and a method for continuous solvothermal synthesis of nanoparticles, are provided. The apparatus includes an inlet section, a reactor section, a flexible quenching unit, and an outlet section. The inlet section separately receives reactants including the solvent and a precursor solution that are allowed to flow into the reactor section. The reactor section includes multiple spiral turns such that each of the spiral turns includes a helical channel followed by a counter-helical channel for enabling mixing of the reactants to cause solvothermal reactions between them. The counter-helical channel changes the direction of flow of reactants upon flow of said reactants from the helical channel to the counter-helical channel. The flexible quenching section enclosing a portion of the reactor section quenches a slurry formed as a result of the solvothermal reactions, wherein the slurry includes the nanoparticles of targeted characteristics. The outlet section facilitates withdrawal of the slurry.

Apparatus for salt separation (2) under supercritical water conditions, comprising a heat exchanger (4) and a fluidized bed reactor (6). The fluidized bed reactor comprising a supercritical water pressure containing wall (8) defining therein a fluidized bed chamber (10) connected to an inlet system (16) at one end thereof and an outlet system (18) configured to separate solids from supercritical fluid at another end thereof. The fluidized bed chamber receives a fluidized bed (12) therein and is configured to receive through the inlet system (16) a liquefied aqueous substance (14) for treatment in the fluidized bed chamber. The inlet system (16) comprises an inlet chamber (20) and a fluidization plate (22) positioned between the inlet chamber (20) and the fluidized bed chamber (10). The fluidized bed chamber extends between the inlet system (16) and outlet system (18) and comprises an entry section (10a) adjacent the inlet system (16), an outlet section (10c) adjacent the outlet system (18), and a mid-section (10b) extending between the entry section and the outlet section. The heat exchanger (4) extends along the fluidized bed chamber (10) and is configured to generate a decreasing temperature gradient in the fluidized bed chamber from the outlet section (10c) to the entry section (10a), the temperature gradient in the outlet section and mid-section being supercritical for aqueous substances and being subcritical for aqueous substances in the entry section (10a) adjacent the fluidization plate (22).

A supercritical water separation process and system is disclosed for the removal of metals, minerals, particulate, asphaltenes, and resins from a contaminated organic material. The present invention takes advantage of the physical and chemical properties of supercritical water to effect the desired separation of contaminants from organic materials and permit scale-up. At a temperature and pressure above the critical point of water (374° C., 22.1 MPa), nonpolar organic compounds become miscible in supercritical water (SCW) and polar compounds and asphaltenes become immiscible. The process and system disclosed continuously separates immiscible contaminants and solids from the supercritical water and clean oil product solution. The present invention creates a density gradient that enables over 95% recovery of clean oil and over 99% reduction of contaminants such as asphaltenes and particulate matter depending on the properties of the contaminated organic material.

A Heated Airlock Feeder is disclosed. The Heated Airlock Feeder allows for the continuous feeding of solid, shredded plastic into a reactor tube surrounded by clamshell burner boxes. Inside of the reactor tube, two augers, one with right hand flights and one with left hand flights are welded to smooth augers to create two continuous augers that push solid plastic material, liquid plastic material and molten plastic material through two small holes. As the plastic is in its molten state while being forced through the two small holes, an airlock is formed preventing air form entering the system. As the solid, shredded plastic is fed into the system, an airlock is formed allowing for the continuous feeding of the system. The clamshell burner boxes allow for convection and radiant heat allowing for even, continuous heat.

The invention relates to a method for producing an oil rich fraction (OF) from primary feedstock (FS) that comprises water, first salt, second salt, and biomass. The feedstock (FS) is provided to a first reaction zone (Z1) of a conversion reactor (100), where it is allowed to react at a temperature of at least 350° C. in a pressure of at least 160 bar to form converted primary feedstock. The method comprises separating from the converted primary feedstock a first salt rich fraction (SF1), a second salt rich fraction (SF2), and an oil rich fraction (OF). The method comprises withdrawing the oil rich fraction (OF) from the first reaction zone (Z1) and withdrawing the first salt rich fraction (SF1) and the second salt rich fraction (SF2) from the conversion reactor (100). In the method the first salt rich fraction (SF1) comprises at least some of the first salt dissolved in the water, the second salt rich fraction (SF2) comprises at least some of the second salt in solid form, and at least one of the first salt and the second salt is a salt capable of catalysing the reaction of the biomass of the primary feedstock (FS) with the water of the primary feedstock (FS) to produce the oil rich fraction (OF). A device for the same.

The present invention provides methods and an apparatuses for converting polymeric material into hydrocarbon products.

An integrated catalytic process for upgrading a feed oil comprises the steps of introducing a catalyst precursor solution to a supercritical water (SCW) process unit, where the catalyst precursor solution comprises a catalyst precursor dissolved in liquid water; introducing a feed water to the SCW process unit; introducing the feed oil to the SCW process unit; treating the catalyst precursor solution, the feed water, and the feed oil in the SCW process unit to produce a SCW effluent, where the catalyst precursor is converted to catalyst particles; separating the SCW effluent in a separator unit to produce a SCW distillate product, a SCW residue product; introducing the SCW residue product to a slurry hydroprocessing unit, where the SCW residue product comprises the catalyst particles; treating the SCW residue product and the hydrogen gas in the slurry hydroprocessing unit to produce a product gas stream and an upgraded oil product.

A process for treating a feed oil in the presence of in situ produced catalyst particles comprising the steps of mixing the supercritical water feed with the pressurized precursor solution in a catalyst mixer to produce a supercritical water stream; withdrawing the supercritical water stream to a process line, where the catalyst precursor is converted to catalyst particles in the process line; mixing the supercritical water stream and the hot oil stream in the mixer to produce a mixed stream; introducing the mixed stream to a reactor; processing the heavy oil in the reactor in the presence of the catalyst particles to produce a reactor effluent; reducing a temperature of the reactor effluent to produce a cooled effluent; reducing a pressure of the cooled effluent to produce a depressurized effluent; and separating the depressurized effluent to produce a product gas, a product oil, and a product water.

A supercritical water oxidation vortex reactor has a reactor shell configured to contain a pressurized and heated material including water, a burner assembly configured to create a supercritical core region in the material in the reactor shell, the supercritical core region including water above its critical point, an injector assembly configured to inject into the enclosed volume a subcritical wash stream including water below its critical point and an aspirator arranged in the enclosed volume and configured to remove a processed flow including purified water from an upper portion of the supercritical core region. The supercritical water oxidation vortex reactor is configured with an upward helical flow to transfer precipitated ionic compounds out of the supercritical core region, through a transcritical intermediate region, and into the subcritical wash stream where they re-dissolve.