US Patent:
20100326882, Dec 30, 2010
Inventors:
James F. McGehee - Mount Prospect IL, US
Ronald S. Smyczynski - Northlake IL, US
International Classification:
C10C 3/00
Abstract:
A process and apparatus is disclosed for converting heavy hydrocarbon feed into lighter hydrocarbon products. The heavy hydrocarbon feed is slurried with a particulate solid material to form a heavy hydrocarbon slurry and hydrocracked in a slurry hydrocracking unit to produce vacuum gas oil (VGO) and pitch. A first vacuum column separates VGO from pitch, and a second vacuum column further separates VGO from pitch. As much as 15 wt-% of VGO can be recovered by the second vacuum column and recycled to the slurry hydrocracking unit. A pitch composition is obtained which can be made into particles and transported without sticking together.