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K-Patents Applications in Oil Refining and Petrochemical Industry

8.01.00 Oil Refining Process 8.02.00 Natural Gas Processing 8.03.00 Bulk Petrochemicals and Intermediates


8.01.01 Oil Pipeline Interface Detection: Fuel oils are transported from oil refineries to end-users via a complex distribution system. Identifying the fuel type is a necessity, as different types of fuels are handled and passed through these distribution systems. The fuels are directed into the appropriate product tanks at the discharge end of the system. Accurate and reliable interface detection is required to ensure that each product ends up in the correct tank, as product contamination can be very costly.
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8.01.02 Hydrotreaters / Aromatic Content Measurement: Hydrotreating is a refining process used to purify and saturate olefins and aromatics in all final and intermediate refinery feedstocks. These include diesel, jet fuel, naphtha, gas oil, and coker feed. The impurities removed include sulfur, nitrogen and metals. The purpose of saturating the olefins and aromatics is to reduce their presence in the hydrocarbons, and to improve the feed stock to the other refinery processes such as the catalytic cracker. The process also has the benefit of mild cracking of heavier components.
Ref. 8.01.02 Hydrotreaters / Aromatic Content Measurement pdf

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8.01.03 Sulphuric Acid Alkylation: Motor fuel alkylation using sulfuric acid (H2SO4) or liquid hydrofluoric acid (HF) is one of the oldest catalytic processes used in petroleum refining. The purpose of the alkylation is to improve motor and aviation gasoline properties (higher octane) with up to 90% lower emissions compared to conventional fuel usage. The problem with HF is that the catalyst forms a hazardous air pollutant when released as a superheated liquid, while H2SO4 does not. Therefore nearly 90% of all alky units built since 1990 have adopted the H2SO4 technology. The leading H2SO4 alky unit licensor, with a 90% share of the market, is DuPont (Stratco®). Another licensor is EMRE (Exxon Mobile Research Engineering, formerly K.W. Kellogg).
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8.01.04 Hydrofluoric Acid Alkylation: Motor fuel alkylation using liquid hydrofluoric acid (HF) or sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is one of the oldest catalytic processes used in the refining of petroleum. The purpose of the alkylation is to improve motor and aviation gasoline properties (higher octane) resulting in as much as 90% lower emissions compared to conventional fuel. Alkylation is a catalytic process, combining low molecular weight olefins and aliphatics to form higher molecular weight isoparafinic compounds with superior stability and antiknock characteristics. The alkylation process used in refining is the reaction of isobutane with an olefin to form an isoparaffin. Usually, the olefin used is butylene, which combines with isobutane to yield iso-octane.
Ref. 8.01.04 Hydrofluoric Acid Alkylation pdf

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8.02.01 Glycol Dehydration: Natural gas processing consists of separating all the various hydrocarbons and fluids from the pure natural gas to produce what is known as “pipeline quality” dry natural gas. It means that before the natural gas can be transported, it must be purified and most of the associated water must be removed. Most of the liquid, free water associated with extracted natural gas, is removed by simple separation methods at, or near, the wellhead. However, the removal of the water vapour, which exists in natural gas solution, requires a more complex treatment. This treatment consists of “dehydrating” the natural gas, which usually involves one of two processes: either absorption or adsorption.
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8.02.02 Amine Gas Treating: H2S and CO2 Removal: Natural gas contains significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Natural gas is also referred to as “sour gas” because of its strong odor, caused by the sulfur content. These sulfur compounds render it extremely harmful, even lethal, to breathe. Natural gas can also be extremely corrosive. Carbon dioxide must be removed before the gas can be transformed into liquid form (liquefaction LNG) for transportation. Liquefaction results in an extremely low temperature (-161°C or -258°F) which carbon dioxide can freeze in and plug the lines. Amine gas treating, also known as gas sweetening and acid gas removal, refers to a group of processes that use aqueous solutions of various amines to remove H2S and CO2 from gases. It is a common unit process used in refineries, petrochemical plants, natural gas processing plants and other industries. The acid gas absorption in amine solution is conducted using a two column operation: the first column is used to absorb the acid gas into the absorbent amine, the second column is used to regenerate the amine. The process relies on counter current flow to achieve optimum mixing. A lean solution (low acid gas) enters the top of the absorber and flows to the bottom; acid gas enters the bottom of the absorber tower and bubbles to the top. The rich amine (high acid gas) enters the stripper, where the acid gases are released and the “clean” amine is returned to the absorber. The acid gases collect and exit at the top of the stripper.
Ref. 8.02.02 Amine Gas Treating: H2S and CO2 Removal pdf

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8.03.01 Lube Oil Refining Process: Continuous on-line monitoring of the Refractive Index in lube oil plants allows highly efficient refining process control. Before the development of the K-Patents Process Refractometer PR-23-GP, operators used to do waxy raffinates Refractive Index analysis with a laboratory refractometer. This analysis is described in the ASTM D 1747-89 Test Method for Refractive Index of Viscous Materials. When manufacturing different kinds of Viscosity Index (V.I.) oils, it has been established through laboratory experimentation that the Refractive Index (R.I.) of waxy raffinates should remain within defined limits. The operators need to adjust the process temperatures of the different catalytic beds to maintain the Refractive Index of the waxy raffinates within these limits.
Ref. 8.03.01 Lube Oil Refining Process pdf

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