Patent Application
20240384180
Waste plastic pyrolysis plays a part in a variety of chemical recycling technologies. Typically, waste plastic pyrolysis facilities produce recycled content pyrolysis oil (r-pyoil) and recycled content pyrolysis gas (r-pygas) that can be further processed to provide a variety of recycled content chemical products and intermediates, such as recycled content ethylene (r-ethylene), recycled content ethane (r-ethane), recycled content propylene (r-propylene), recycled content propane (r-propane) and others. Unfortunately, under conventional operation, interconnected pyrolysis and product separation facilities can lack energy efficiency, which can be costly from both a financial and environmental standpoint.
In one aspect, the present technology concerns a process for making a recycled content hydrocarbon product (r-product), the process comprising: (a) pyrolyzing waste plastic in a pyrolysis facility to thereby produce a recycled content pyrolysis vapor (r-pyrolysis vapor); (b) withdrawing at least a portion of the r-pyrolysis vapor from a first location within the pyrolysis facility, wherein the r-pyrolysis vapor has a temperature at the first location, T1; (c) combining the r-pyrolysis vapor with a cracker stream to form a combined cracker stream a second location within a cracker furnace of a co-located cracking facility, wherein the r-pyrolysis vapor has a temperature at the second location, T2; and (d) cracking the combined cracker stream in the cracker furnace to form a recycled content olefin-containing effluent (r-olefin effluent), wherein the absolute value of the difference between T2 and T1 is not more than 250° C.
In one aspect, the present technology concerns a process for making a recycled content hydrocarbon product (r-product), the process comprising: (a) pyrolyzing waste plastic in a pyrolysis facility to thereby produce a recycled content pyrolysis vapor (r-pyrolysis vapor); and (b) introducing at least a portion of the r-pyrolysis vapor into a cross-over pipe of a cracker furnace in a cracking facility, wherein at least 50 weight percent of the r-pyrolysis vapor introduced into the cross-over pipe in step (b) has not been condensed.
In one aspect, the present technology concerns a process for making a recycled content hydrocarbon product (r-product), the process comprising: (a) pyrolyzing waste plastic in a pyrolysis facility to thereby produce a recycled content pyrolysis vapor (r-pyrolysis vapor); (b) cracking a hydrocarbon-containing cracker feed in a cracking furnace in a cracker facility to provide a cracked effluent, wherein the cracker furnace comprises a convection section, a radiant section, and a cross-over pipe therebetween, wherein none of the r-pyrolysis vapor is introduced into the cross-over pipe of the cracker furnace; (c) subsequent to step (b), reducing the flow rate of cracker feed to the convection section; (d) subsequent to step (c), initiating the introduction of at least a portion of the r-pyrolysis vapor into the cross-over pipe of the cracker furnace; and (e) modifying the convection section of the cracker furnace or its operation to maintain a furnace heat balance despite the reduction in cracker feed to the convection section.
We have discovered a method of heat integrating pyrolysis and cracking facilities in order to enhance energy efficiency. By eliminating cooling steps for streams passed from a pyrolysis facility to a co-located cracker facility, more efficient energy usage can be realized, which also helps minimize global warming potential (GWP) of the entire process, while also providing valuable recycled content chemicals and intermediates.
Turning first to
When two or more facilities are co-located, the facilities may be integrated in one or more ways. Examples of integration include, but are not limited to, heat integration, utility integration, waste-water integration, mass flow integration via conduits, office space, cafeterias, integration of plant management, IT department, maintenance department, and sharing of common equipment and parts, such as seals, gaskets, and the like.
In some embodiments, the pyrolysis facility/process 20 is a commercial scale facility/process receiving the waste plastic feedstock 110 at an average annual feed rate of at least 100, or at least 500, or at least 1,000, at least 2,000, at least 5,000, at least 10,000, at least 50,000, or at least 100,000 pounds per hour, averaged over one year. Further, the pyrolysis facility 20 can produce the one or more recycled content product streams at an average annual rate of at least 100, or at least 1,000, or at least 5,000, at least 10,000, at least 50,000, or at least 75,000 pounds per hour, averaged over one year. When more than one r-product stream is produced, these rates can apply to the combined rate of all r-products.
Similarly, the cracking facility/process 30 can be a commercial scale facility/process receiving hydrocarbon feed 116 at an average annual feed rate of at least at least 100, or at least 500, or at least 1,000, at least 2,000, at least 5,000, at least 10,000, at least 50,000, or at least 75,000 pounds per hour, averaged over one year. Further, the cracking facility 30 can produce at least one recycled content product stream (r-product) at an average annual rate of at least 100, or at least 1,000, or at least 5,000, at least 10,000, at least 50,000, or at least 75,000 pounds per hour, averaged over one year. When more than one r-product stream is produced, these rates can apply to the combined rate of all r-products.
As shown in
The pyrolysis reactor 22 depicted in
The pyrolysis reaction can involve heating and converting the waste plastic feedstock in an atmosphere that is substantially free of oxygen or in an atmosphere that contains less oxygen relative to ambient air. For example, the atmosphere within the pyrolysis reactor 22 may comprise not more than 5, not more than 4, not more than 3, not more than 2, not more than 1, or not more than 0.5 weight percent of oxygen.
The temperature in the pyrolysis reactor 22 can be adjusted to facilitate the production of certain end products. In some embodiments, the peak pyrolysis temperature in the pyrolysis reactor can be at least 325° C., or at least 350° C., or at least 375° C., or at least 400° C. Additionally or alternatively, the peak pyrolysis temperature in the pyrolysis reactor can be not more than 800° C., not more than 700° C., or not more than 650° C., or not more than 600° C., or not more than 550° C., or not more than 525° C., or not more than 500° C., or not more than 475° C., or not more than 450° C., or not more than 425° C., or not more than 400° C. More particularly, the peak pyrolysis temperature in the pyrolysis reactor can range from 325 to 800° C., or 350 to 600° C., or 375 to 500° C., or 390 to 450° C., or 400 to 500° C.
The residence time of the feedstock within the pyrolysis reactor 22 can be at least 1, or at least 5, or at least 10, or at least 20, or at least 30, or at least 60, or at least 180 seconds. Additionally, or alternatively, the residence time of the feedstock within the pyrolysis reactor 22 can be less than 2, or less than 1, or less than 0.5, or less than 0.25, or less than 0.1 hours. More particularly, the residence time of the feedstock within the pyrolysis reactor 22 can range from 1 second to 1 hour, or 10 seconds to 30 minutes, or 30 seconds to 10 minutes.
The pyrolysis reactor 22 can be maintained at a pressure of at least 0.1, or at least 0.2, or at least 0.3 barg and/or not more than 60, or not more than 50, or not more than 40, or not more than 30, or not more than 20, or not more than 10, or not more than 8, or not more than 5, or not more than 2, or not more than 1.5, or not more than 1.1 barg. The pressure within the pyrolysis reactor 22 can be maintained at atmospheric pressure or within the range of 0.1 to 60, or 0.2 to 10, or 0.3 to 1.5 barg.
The pyrolysis reaction in the reactor can be thermal pyrolysis, which is carried out in the absence of a catalyst, or catalytic pyrolysis, which is carried out in the presence of a catalyst. When a catalyst is used, the catalyst can be homogenous or heterogeneous and may include, for example, certain types of zeolites and other mesostructured catalysts.
As shown in
As used herein, the term “pyrolysis vapor” refers to the overhead or vapor-phase stream removed from the separator used to remove pyrolysis residue from the pyrolysis reactor effluent such as, for example, separator 24 shown in
When removed as single stream as shown in
In some embodiments, the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 can include C1 to C30 hydrocarbon components in an amount of at least 75, at least 90, at least 95, or at least 99 weight percent. The r-pyrolysis vapor 112 can include at least 30, at least 35, at least 40, at least 45, at least 50, at least 55, at least 60, at least 65, at least 70, at least 75, at least 80, or at least 85 weight percent of C5 and heavier components, or of C6 and heavier components, or of C8 and heavier components, or of C10 and heavier components. As used herein, the terms “Cx” or “Cx hydrocarbon” or “Cx component” refers to a hydrocarbon compound including “x” total carbons per molecule, and encompasses all olefins, paraffins, aromatics, heterocyclic, and isomers having that number of carbon atoms. For example, each of normal, iso, and tert-butane and butene and butadiene molecules would fall under the general description “C4” or “C4 components.” As used herein, the term “heavier” means having a higher boiling point and “lighter” means having a lower boiling point.
In some embodiments, at least a portion or all of the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 from pyrolysis facility 20 may be introduced directly into a cracker furnace 32 of the cracker facility 30. That is, at least 50, at least 75, at least 90, or at least 95 weight percent of the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 withdrawn from the pyrolysis facility 20 can be introduced into the cracker furnace 32 without any cooling and little, if any, condensation. For example, the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 after being withdrawn from the pyrolysis facility 20 may not pass through a cooler or condenser between the location from where it is withdrawn from the pyrolysis facility 20 (e.g., the pyrolysis separator 24 shown in
In some embodiments, at least 50, at least 60, at least 70, at least 75, at least 80, at least 85, at least 90, at least 95, or at least 99 weight percent of the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 has not been condensed when it is introduced into the cracker furnace 32. The r-pyrolysis vapor 112 can have a vapor mass fraction that does not drop below 0.75, below 0.80, below 0.85, or 0.90 as it travels from the pyrolysis facility 20 to the cracker furnace 32. Less than 50, less than 40, less than 30, less than 25, less than 15, less than 10, less than 5, less than 2, less than 1, or less than 0.5 weight percent of the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 is condensed as it travels from the pyrolysis facility 20 and the cracker furnace 32.
Turning now to
In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon feed 116 introduced into the cracker furnace 32 can comprise predominantly C2 to C5 hydrocarbon components, predominantly C2 to C4 hydrocarbon components, predominantly C2 hydrocarbon components, or predominantly C3 hydrocarbon components. As used herein, the term “predominantly” means at least 50 weight percent. In such cases, the hydrocarbon feed 116 may be in the gas phase and the cracker furnace 32 may be considered a gas cracker furnace.
In other embodiments, the hydrocarbon feed 116 may comprise predominantly C5 to C22 hydrocarbon components, or predominantly C5 to C20 components, or predominantly C5 to C18 components. In such cases, the hydrocarbon feed may be in the liquid phase and the cracker furnace 32 may be considered a liquid cracker furnace. Alternatively, at least a portion of the furnace coils in the cracker furnace 32 may be configured to receive and process a gas phase hydrocarbon feed and at least a portion of the furnace coils in the cracker furnace 32 may be configured to process a liquid hydrocarbon feed so that the cracker furnace 32 may be considered a split furnace.
In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon feed 116 introduced into the cracker furnace 32 can comprise a recycled content hydrocarbon feed (r-HC feed). The r-HC feed can directly or indirectly include recycled content from waste plastic. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon feed 116 may comprise non-recycled content hydrocarbon, or it may not include any recycled content hydrocarbon.
Referring now to
The cracker stream then passes through the cross-over pipe 148, which can be disposed within or external to the furnace, and into the inlet of the radiant section. The radiant section includes a plurality of burners 160 for providing high-temperature combustion gases to the furnace, and heat is transferred to the cracker stream as it passes through the tubes or coils 152b in firebox 146. As the cracker stream passe through the coils 152b in the radiant section, higher molecular weight hydrocarbons are cracked to lower molecular weight hydrocarbons, and the cracked effluent 122 is cooled after being removed from the furnace 132. Other configurations of a cracker furnace 132 may also be used including, for example, different shapes or configurations of tubes 152a and 152, as well as multiple convection boxes 144 and/or fire boxes 146.
Referring back to
In order to ensure no liquids are added to the radiant section 42, the pyrolysis vapor 112 must be maintained at a temperature similar to (e.g., greater than or equal to) the temperature of the cracker stream at the location in the furnace to which the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 is introduced. To facilitate this, the pyrolysis facility and the cracker facility may be co-located such that the facilities are within 2, within 1, within 0.5, or within 0.1 mile of one another. Additionally, the travel path of the r-pyrolysis vapor (e.g., through pipes, valves, etc.) between the point of its withdrawal from the pyrolysis facility and its point of introduction into the cracking facility should be less than 10, less than 5, less than 3, less than 1, less than 0.5, less than 0.25, or less than 0.1 miles. In some cases, the pyrolysis and cracking facilities can be operated by the same commercial entity, while in other embodiments, two or more commercial entities may be operating the facilities such as, under a joint venture or other commercial agreement.
In some embodiments, the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 can be maintained at a temperature above 375, above 400, above 450, above 500, above 550, above 600° C. and/or less than 850, less than 800, less than 750, less than 700, less than 650, less than 600, less than 550° C. during the travel from the location from which it is withdrawn in the pyrolysis facility 20 to the location into which it is introduced in the cracking facility 30. Optionally, additional dilution steam 120 may be added to the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 prior to or at its introduction into the cracker furnace 32, as shown in
Turning now to
When introduced into the cross-over pipe 148 as shown in
T1 can be at least 350° C., at least 375° C., at least 400° C., at least 425° C., or at least 450° C. and/or it can be not more than 675° C., not more than 650° C., not more than 625° C., not more than 600° C., not more than 575° C., not more than 550° C., not more than 525° C., or not more than 500° C., measured at the location from which the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 is withdrawn from the pyrolysis facility 20. For example, T1 can be measured at the outlet of the separator 24 shown in
T2 can be at least 450° C., at least 475° C., at least 500° C., at least 525° C., at least 550° C., at least 575° C., at least 600° C., at least 625° C. and/or it can be not more than 800° C., not more than 775° C., not more than 750° C., not more than 725° C., not more than 700° C., or not more than 675° C., measured at the location into which the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 is introduced into the cracker furnace 132. For example, T2 can be measured at the location the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 enters the cross-over pipe 148 between the convection 140 and radiant 142 sections of the furnace 132, as shown in
As shown in
Additionally, or alternatively, dilution steam 121 may be added to the hydrocarbon, or cracker, feed 116 introduced into the inlet of the convection section 140 of the cracker furnace 132. In some cases, dilution steam 121 can be added to the hydrocarbon feed 116 or dilution steam 120 may be added to the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 and not the other, while in other cases, it may be added to both. In some cases, the dilution steam 121 added to the hydrocarbon feed 116 can be saturated or superheated steam, while the dilution steam 120 added to the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 can be superheated.
In some embodiments, at least a portion of the dilution steam 120 or 121 can be formed by passing boiler feed water through tubes or coils in the convection section 140 of the cracker furnace, as generally shown in
When added to the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 as shown in
Additionally, the dilution steam 120 added to the r-pyrolysis vapor is superheated steam (not saturated steam), so that no condensation of the steam occurs upon contact with the cooler r-pyrolysis vapor 112. In some cases, the additional heat available from the superheated dilution steam 112 can help re-vaporize any portion of the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 that may have condensed, so that the stream of r-pyrolysis vapor 112 introduced into the furnace 132 (or cross-over pipe 148) can be a vapor-phase stream.
As shown in
The combined cracker stream can then pass through the coils in the radiant section 142 of the furnace 132, wherein the hydrocarbon components can be cracked to form lighter hydrocarbon components, including olefins. The cracked olefin effluent 122 withdrawn from the furnace 132 can be cooled in an exchanger 150, as shown in
Referring again to
Turning back to
In some cases, an existing cracker furnace can be retrofitted to begin accepting r-pyrolysis vapor from a nearby (e.g., co-located) pyrolysis facility. Such a retrofit includes modifications to the cracker furnace itself in order to maintain the heat balance of the furnace. Examples of specific modifications are shown in
Turning now to
In order to maintain the heat balance and temperature profile of the furnace 132, one or more modifications can be made to utilize the additional heat recoverable from the convection section 140 of the furnace 132. For example, as shown in
As shown in
Another type of heat recovery system shown in
In some embodiments, the modification to the cracker furnace 132 can include modifying how the dilution steam 120 is added to the convection section 140 of cracker furnace 132. For example, this may include adding more dilution steam 120 into the convection section 140 of the furnace 132. Not only will this provide the usual function of temperature and cracking control in the convection section, it will also help ensure a desirable steam-to-hydrocarbon ratio in the radiant section 142 of the furnace 132. For example, the addition of more dilution steam 120 to the hydrocarbon feed 116 in the convection section 140 may result in a higher-than-usual steam-to-hydrocarbon ratio such as at least 0.20:1, at least 0.25:1, at least 0.30:1, at least 0.45:1, at least 0.50:1, at least 0.55:1, or at least 0.60:1. When the hydrocarbon-containing r-pyrolysis vapor 112 is added at the cross-over pipe 148, then the steam-to-hydrocarbon ratio in the resulting combined stream (e.g., hydrocarbon stream 116, r-pyrolysis vapor 112, and dilution steam 120) can be in the range of from 0.10:1 to 0.40:1, 0.15:1 to 0.35:1, or 0.20:1 to 0.30:1.
In such cases, little or no dilution steam may be added to the r-pyrolysis vapor 112 prior to entering the furnace 132 (or cross-over pipe 148). The increased rate of dilution steam 120 addition can be carried out by adding more steam to the hydrocarbon feed 116 fed to the convection section 140 and/or by adding more steam to one or more coils in the convection section 140 (not shown).
In some embodiments, the modification to the addition of the dilution steam 120 may include combining the cracker or hydrocarbon feed 116 with boiler feed water (not shown) and passing the combined stream through the convection section 140. As the stream is heated in the convection section 140, dilution steam can be generated in situ, which also utilizes some of the additional heat present in the convection section due to the reduction in hydrocarbon feed 116. While described with respect to boiler feed water, any other suitable source of water for steam generation can be used, such as, for example, stripped water from the plant water stripper, condensate, and/or water typically fed to the dilution steam generator (not shown). Combinations of water from one or more of these sources can also be utilized.
In one embodiment or in combination with one or more embodiments disclosed herein, the pyrolysis reaction performed in the pyrolysis reactor can be carried out at a temperature of less than 700, less than 650, or less than 600° C. and at least 300, at least 350, or at least 400° C. The feed to the pyrolysis reactor can comprise, consists essentially of, or consists of waste plastic. The feed stream, and/or the waste plastic component of the feed stream, can have a number average molecular weight (Mn) of at least 3000, at least 4000, at least 5000, or at least 6000 g/mole. If the feed to the pyrolysis reactor contains a mixture of components, the Mn of the pyrolysis feed is the weighted average Mn of all feed components, based on the mass of the individual feed components. The waste plastic in the feed to the pyrolysis reactor can include post-consumer waste plastic, post-industrial waste plastic, or combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, the feed to the pyrolysis reactor comprises less than 5, less than 2, less than 1, less than 0.5, or about 0.0 weight percent coal and/or biomass (e.g., lignocellulosic waste, switchgrass, fats and oils derived from animals, fats and oils derived from plants, etc.), based on the weight of solids in pyrolysis feed or based on the weight of the entire pyrolysis feed. The feed to the pyrolysis reaction can also comprise less than 5, less than 2, less than 1, or less than 0.5, or about 0.0 weight percent of a co-feed stream, including steam, sulfur-containing co-feed streams, and/or non-plastic hydrocarbons (e.g., non-plastic hydrocarbons having less than 50, less than 30, or less than 20 carbon atoms), based on the weight of the entire pyrolysis feed other than water or based on the weight of the entire pyrolysis feed.
Additionally, or alternatively, the pyrolysis reactor may comprise a film reactor, a screw extruder, a tubular reactor, a stirred tank reactor, a riser reactor, a fixed bed reactor, a fluidized bed reactor, a rotary kiln, a vacuum reactor, a microwave reactor, or an autoclave. The reactor may also utilize a feed gas and/or lift gas for facilitating the introduction of the feed into the pyrolysis reactor. The feed gas and/or lift gas can comprise nitrogen and can comprise less than 5, less than 2, less than 1, or less than 0.5, or about 0.0 weight percent of steam and/or sulfur-containing compounds.
In one embodiment or in combination with one or more embodiments disclosed herein, the cracker furnace can be operated at a product outlet temperature (e.g., coil outlet temperature) of at least 700, at least 750, at least 800, or at least 850° C. The feed to the cracker furnace can have a number average molecular weight (Mn) of less than 3000, less than 2000, less than 1000, or less than 500 g/mole. If the feed to the cracker furnace contains a mixture of components, the Mn of the cracker feed is the weighted average Mn of all feed components, based on the mass of the individual feed components. The feed to the cracker furnace can comprise less than 5, less than 2, less than 1, less than 0.5, or 0.0 weight percent of coal, biomass, and/or solids. In certain embodiments, a co-feed stream, such as steam or a sulfur-containing stream (for metal passivation) can be introduced into the cracker furnace. The cracker furnace can include both convection and radiant sections and can have a tubular reaction zone (e.g., coils in one or both of the convection and radiant sections). Typically, the residence time of the streams passing through the reaction zone (from the convection section inlet to the radiant section outlet) can be less than 20 seconds, less than 10 seconds, less than 5 seconds, or less than 2 seconds.
When a numerical sequence is indicated, it is to be understood that each number is modified the same as the first number or last number in the numerical sequence or in the sentence, e.g., each number is “at least,” or “up to” or “not more than” as the case may be; and each number is in an “or” relationship. For example, “at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 75 wt. % . . . ” means the same as “at least 10 wt. %, or at least 20 wt. %, or at least 30 wt. %, or at least 40 wt. %, or at least 50 wt. %, or at least 75 wt. %,” etc.; and “not more than 90 wt. %, 85, 70, 60 . . . ” means the same as “not more than 90 wt. %, or not more than 85 wt. %, or not more than 70 wt. % . . . ” etc.; and “at least 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9% or 10% by weight . . . ” means the same as “at least 1 wt. %, or at least 2 wt. %, or at least 3 wt. % . . . ” etc.; and “at least 5, 10, 15, 20 and/or not more than 99, 95, 90 weight percent” means the same as “at least 5 wt. %, or at least 10 wt. %, or at least 15 wt. % or at least 20 wt. % and/or not more than 99 wt. %, or not more than 95 wt. %, or not more than 90 weight percent . . . ” etc.
It should be understood that the following is not intended to be an exclusive list of defined terms. Other definitions may be provided in the foregoing description, such as, for example, when accompanying the use of a defined term in context.
As used herein, the terms “a,” “an,” and “the” mean one or more.
As used herein, the term “and/or,” when used in a list of two or more items, means that any one of the listed items can be employed by itself or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be employed. For example, if a composition is described as containing components A, B, and/or C, the composition can contain A alone; B alone; C alone; A and B in combination; A and C in combination, B and C in combination; or A, B, and C in combination.
As used herein, the phrase “at least a portion” includes at least a portion and up to and including the entire amount or time period.
As used herein, the term “chemical recycling” refers to a waste plastic recycling process that includes a step of chemically converting waste plastic polymers into lower molecular weight polymers, oligomers, monomers, and/or non-polymeric molecules (e.g., hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, ethane, propane, ethylene, and propylene) that are useful by themselves and/or are useful as feedstocks to another chemical production process(es).
As used herein, the term “co-located” refers to the characteristic of at least two objects being situated on a common physical site, and/or within one mile of each other.
As used herein, the term “commercial scale facility” refers to a facility having an average annual feed rate of at least 500 pounds per hour, averaged over one year.
As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “comprises,” and “comprise” are open-ended transition terms used to transition from a subject recited before the term to one or more elements recited after the term, where the element or elements listed after the transition term are not necessarily the only elements that make up the subject.
As used herein, the term “cracking” refers to breaking down complex organic molecules into simpler molecules by the breaking of carbon-carbon bonds.
As used herein, the terms “including,” “include,” and “included” have the same open-ended meaning as “comprising,” “comprises,” and “comprise” provided above.
As used herein, the term “predominantly” means more than 50 percent by weight. For example, a predominantly propane stream, composition, feedstock, or product is a stream, composition, feedstock, or product that contains more than 50 weight percent propane.
As used herein, the term “pyrolysis” refers to thermal decomposition of one or more organic materials at elevated temperatures in an inert (i.e., substantially oxygen free) atmosphere.
As used herein, the term “pyrolysis effluent” refers to the outlet stream withdrawn from the pyrolysis reactor in a pyrolysis facility.
As used herein, the terms “pyrolysis gas” and “pygas” refer to a composition obtained from pyrolysis that is gaseous at 25° C.
As used herein, the terms “pyrolysis oil” or “pyoil” refers to a composition obtained from pyrolysis that is liquid at 25° C. and 1 atm.
As used herein, the term “pyrolysis residue” refers to a composition obtained from pyrolysis that is not pyrolysis gas or pyrolysis oil and that comprises predominantly pyrolysis char and pyrolysis heavy waxes.
As used herein, the term “pyrolysis vapor” refers to the overhead or vapor-phase stream withdrawn from the separator in a pyrolysis facility used to remove r-pyrolysis residue from the r-pyrolysis effluent.
As used herein, the term “recycled content” refers to being or comprising a composition that is directly and/or indirectly derived from recycled material.
As used herein, the term “waste material” refers to used, scrap, and/or discarded material.
As used herein, the terms “waste plastic” and “plastic waste” refer to used, scrap, and/or discarded plastic materials.
In a first embodiment of the present technology there is provided a recycled content hydrocarbon product (r-product), the process comprising: (a) pyrolyzing waste plastic in a pyrolysis facility to thereby produce a recycled content pyrolysis vapor (r-pyrolysis vapor); (b) withdrawing at least a portion of the r-pyrolysis vapor from a first location within the pyrolysis facility, wherein the r-pyrolysis vapor has a temperature at the first location, T1; (c) combining the r-pyrolysis vapor with a cracker stream to form a combined cracker stream a second location within a cracker furnace of a co-located cracking facility, wherein the r-pyrolysis vapor has a temperature at the second location, T2; and (d) cracking the combined cracker stream in the cracker furnace to form a recycled content olefin-containing effluent (r-olefin effluent), wherein the absolute value of the difference between T2 and T1 is not more than 250° C.
The first embodiment described in the preceding paragraph can also include one or more of the additional aspects/features listed in the following bullet pointed paragraphs. Each of the below additional features of the first embodiment can be standalone features or can be combined with one or more of the other additional features to the extent consistent. Additionally, the following bullet pointed paragraphs can be viewed as dependent claim features having levels of dependency indicated by the degree of indention in the bulleted list (i.e., a feature indented further than the feature(s) listed above it is considered dependent on the feature(s) listed above it).
In a second embodiment of the present technology there is provided a process for making a recycled content hydrocarbon product (r-product), the process comprising: (a) pyrolyzing waste plastic in a pyrolysis facility to thereby produce a recycled content pyrolysis vapor (r-pyrolysis vapor); and (b) introducing at least a portion of the r-pyrolysis vapor into a cross-over pipe of a cracker furnace in a cracking facility, wherein at least 50 weight percent of the r-pyrolysis vapor introduced into the cross-over pipe in step (b) has not been condensed.
The second embodiment described in the preceding paragraph can also include one or more of the additional aspects/features listed in the following bullet pointed paragraphs. Each of the below additional features of the second embodiment can be standalone features or can be combined with one or more of the other additional features to the extent consistent. Additionally, the following bullet pointed paragraphs can be viewed as dependent claim features having levels of dependency indicated by the degree of indention in the bulleted list (i.e., a feature indented further than the feature(s) listed above it is considered dependent on the feature(s) listed above it).
In a third embodiment of the present technology there is provided a process for making a recycled content hydrocarbon product (r-product), the process comprising: (a) pyrolyzing waste plastic in a pyrolysis facility to thereby produce a recycled content pyrolysis vapor (r-pyrolysis vapor); (b) cracking a hydrocarbon-containing cracker feed in a cracking furnace in a cracker facility to provide a cracked effluent, wherein the cracker furnace comprises a convection section, a radiant section, and a cross-over pipe therebetween, wherein none of the r-pyrolysis vapor is introduced into the cross-over pipe of the cracker furnace; (c) subsequent to step (b), reducing the flow rate of cracker feed to the convection section; (d) subsequent to step (c), initiating the introduction of at least a portion of the r-pyrolysis vapor into the cross-over pipe of the cracker furnace; and (e) modifying the convection section of the cracker furnace or its operation to maintain a furnace heat balance despite the reduction in cracker feed to the convection section.
The third embodiment described in the preceding paragraph can also include one or more of the additional aspects/features listed in the following bullet pointed paragraphs. Each of the below additional features of the third embodiment can be standalone features or can be combined with one or more of the other additional features to the extent consistent. Additionally, the following bullet pointed paragraphs can be viewed as dependent claim features having levels of dependency indicated by the degree of indention in the bulleted list (i.e., a feature indented further than the feature(s) listed above it is considered dependent on the feature(s) listed above it).
The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only and should not be used in a limiting sense to interpret the scope of the present invention. Modifications to the exemplary embodiments, set forth above, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as it pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2022/043748 | 9/16/2022 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63261420 | Sep 2021 | US |
