Improvements in or relating to the production of lubricating oils form crude oils and the like by treatment with hydrogen at high temperatures and pressures

摘要

PICT:0352775/III/1 Lubricating oils are produced from heavy oils by passing the latter and gases rich in hydrogen in opposite directions through a deep bed of catalytic material at a temperature in excess of 700 DEG F. and under a pressure considerably in excess of atmospheric, and separately withdrawing liquid oil and gas from the catalytic bed. Heavy oil is passed rapidly through a heating coil 4 into the top of a vertical reaction drum packed with catalytic material while gas rich in hydrogen is forced through a heating coil 6 into the base of the drum which is maintained at the desired temperature by the heat of the incoming materials or may be heated internally. Gas and such light oil vapours as are formed are withdrawn through a line 8, heat exchanger 9, condenser 16 to a separator 11 from which the gases are returned to the system through a line 13, exchanger 9, purifier 14 and pump 15. The liquid oil is withdrawn with reduction of pressure through a pipe 18 and heat exchanger 19 to a flash tower 21 provided with heating coils 25, 24 and cooling coil 26. The vapours evolved are condensed in a condenser 28 and separated from gases in a separator 29, while the residual oil is evacuated through a heat exchanger 36 and cooler 37 to storage. The crude oil is preheated by passage through the heat exchangers 19, 36 and coil 26. The catalyst comprises preferably chromium and molybdenum oxides compressed in lump form or carried on resistant materials, e.g. kaolin in brick form. Formation of low boiling products is restricted to 5-20 per cent of the feed and temperatures of 700-825 DEG F. and pressures of 50-200 atmospheres are specified.