Centrifugal Reactive-Molecular Distillation from High-Boiling-Point Petroleum Fractions. 2. Recent Experiments in Pilot-Scale for Upgrading of a Heavy Feedstock

Abstract

This work deals with the development of experimental campaign to accomplish the upgrading of a high-boiling-point petroleum fraction (atmospheric residue ATR-W 673.15 K+ with API gravity equals 11.9 and molar mass equals 2956 kg·kmol–1) by centrifugal reactive-molecular distillation (CRMD). In this process, 30 fractions (15 distillates and 15 residues) were obtained under different operating conditions. HT-SimDis GC played an important role to evaluate the conversion degree. Furthermore, physicochemical properties and colloidal characterization were determined by ASTM standard methods and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with UV–absorption detection, respectively. The pilot-scale experiments by the CRMD process showed that it successfully upgraded the feedstock into two process streams named as distillate and residue streams using 3 and 5 wt % of zeolite-based catalyst at 483.15 K and pressure system below 50.0 Pa. Under these conditions, in the distillate streams the conversion of ATR-W 673.15 K+ was found considerably higher (65.6% at 3 wt % of catalyst and 64.3% at 5 wt % of catalyst) than that of residue stream (49.6% at 3 wt % of catalyst and 53.1% at 5 wt % of catalyst). Moreover, it was found that distillate streams exhibited values of API gravity between 19 and 21 and molar mass up 200 kg·kmol–1. To analyze residue streams values of API gravity were approximately equal to 11.9 and molar mass between 2570 kg·kmol–1 and 2908 kg·kmol–1. In this respect, the CRMD process was successfully applied in order to upgrade a high-boiling-point petroleum fraction into lower boiling point products (corresponding to the distillate and residue streams).