REACTOR FOR THE THERMAL CRACKING OF HEAVY HYDROCARBONS AND A PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE DISTILLATION AND THERMAL CRACKING OF A CRUDE OIL FEEDSTOCK USING SUCH A REACTOR
Disclosed is an apparatus for cracking heavy hydrocarbons-for example, petroleum oil or coal tar. The reactor comprises an outer spherical pressure vessel and an inner vessel within the outer vessel. The inner vessel has an open bottom end. The cracking reaction takes place in the inner vessel and the products leave through the open bottom end. The reaction is inhibited in the outer vessel since the contents are maintained at a temperature insufficient to sustain the cracking reaction. The product is withdrawn, either continuously or intermittently, via an outlet. The coke produced may be fluidized in the outer vessel or may be allowed to settle. The inner vessel may be rotated slowly about its vertical axis and high pressure fluid jets directed at its surface to dislodge coke deposited on the inside and outside wall. The reactor may be used in a system for the simultaneous distillation and thermal cracking of crude oil. Feedstock is fed to a flash-settler having three sections. Liquid is withdrawn from the first section and fed to a reactor via a heater. The reaction products are quenched to inhibit cracking by means of a cooling stream prior to their introduction to the third section of the flash-settler. Coke is removed from the third section as a slurry. Gases flashed off from the feedstock and from the reaction products are fed to a distillation column where they are separated.
