John Robert Lambert

US Patent:

44216394, Dec 20, 1983

Filed:

Jul 27, 1982

Appl. No.:

6/402447

Inventors:

John S. Lambert - New Providence NJ
Joseph W. Gleitsmann - late of Springfield NJ

Assignee:

Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation - Livingston NJ

International Classification:

C10G 2100
C10G 2128

US Classification:

208309

Abstract:

The invention is an energy-efficient improvement in a continuous deasphalting process in which a mixture of viscous hydrocarbon oils with resins and/or asphaltenes is contacted with a quantity of pure or mixed hydrocarbon solvents including, but not limited to, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, heptane, isomers thereof, and unsaturated hydrocarbons of similar molecular weights, in order to separate a primary extract phase comprising high viscosity oil, resins and/or asphaltenes, and solvent. The primary raffinate phase is further contacted with an additional quantity of solvent comprising similar components to those in the primary solvent (but not necessarily identical thereto) to separate a secondary extract phase comprising high viscosity oil and solvent, and a secondary raffinate phase comprising resins and/or asphaltenes and solvent. The contacting step may be repeated as often as desired to make additional extract phases which are recovered separately. The solvents from the extract and raffinate phases are separated from the associated viscous oils, resins and/or asphaltenes, and reused in the contacting process.