Major breakthrough achieved in the atmospheric pressure hydrogenation technology for lightening heavy oil!

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On July 16, the \"Satellite-type Cavitation-Induced Forced Circulation Bed (CCIB) technology for the hydrotreatment of heavy oil at atmospheric pressure,\" independently developed by Jietchuang (Dongying) Energy Technology Co., Ltd., passed the evaluation of its achievements organized by the Shaanxi Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation in Xi’an. The appraisal committee, headed by Li Wenhong, a professor at the School of Chemical Engineering at Northwest University, unanimously agreed that this achievement integrates multiple innovative technologies to enable the lightening of heavy oils such as medium- and low-temperature coal tar and vacuum residue under normal pressure. It features low investment and low energy consumption, and is at the international leading level. “During our research on the lightweighting of biomass, we accidentally discovered the unique mechanisms of cavitation, high shear, and liquid impact flow technologies. We further applied these technologies to the atmospheric-pressure hydrogenation process for lightweighting heavy oils, developed the satellite-type cavitation forced circulation bed (CCIB) reactor, and created a new process for lightweighting heavy oils through atmospheric-pressure hydrogenation. ”Gao Qun, the head of Jietchuang Company, said that the core equipment, the CCIB reactor, is composed of a main reactor and sub-reactors arranged in a “satellite” configuration. By utilizing chemical enhancement techniques, gaseous and liquid materials collide rapidly within the reactor; the resulting intense momentum generates high-efficiency mechanical energy. Through continuous mixing, compression, collision, and shearing, the molecular bonds of the materials are broken to produce new substances. It is reported that Jietchuang Company has built a pilot plant in Dongying, Shandong, to conduct experimental research using coal tar and vacuum residue as raw materials, in order to verify this entirely new reaction mechanism. In May this year, the Shaanxi Petrochemical Federation organized experts to conduct evaluations of this unit; the results showed that by using medium- and low-temperature coal tar produced in Fugu, Shaanxi, without any pretreatment, and without the need for a catalyst, at a reaction pressure of -0.034 to -0.017 MPa and a reaction temperature of 320 to 350°C, a yield of 75.9% of light mixed liquid could be obtained from the reaction, indicating that this unit has a significant effect in reducing the density of medium- and low-temperature coal tar. It is understood that as conventional oil resources decline, the use of heavy oil in our country will gradually increase, with 250-390 million tons of vacuum residue being produced each year. Current heavy oil hydrocracking processes and equipment all rely on foreign patented technologies; they require high temperature and pressure for reactions, and ultra-large reactors face challenges such as uneven reaction conditions, as well as high investment and operating costs. Compared with existing high-pressure hydrocracking technologies for heavy oils at 5–50 MPa, the CCIB process operates at lower reaction temperatures (370°C–420°C) and at atmospheric pressure, resulting in improved reaction efficiency with a heavy oil conversion rate of 60%–80%. Moreover, no catalyst is required, which reduces energy consumption by at least 50%; the investment cost is only 1/3 to 1/4 of that in traditional methods, and operating costs are also reduced by at least 50%, thereby significantly lowering the barriers to adoption. It is estimated that the investment for ton of residue oil as raw material is 150–350 yuan, while the operating cost is 200–500 yuan. To date, the patent achievements submitted by Jietchuang Company, such as those related to differential hydrogenation reactors, have been **authorized in 13 cases, of which 8 are invention patents. Experts believe that the atmospheric pressure hydrogenation technology for heavy oils holds great significance in the field of lightening petroleum-based/coal-based heavy oils; it enables the production of high-value-added oils and chemicals, and can also be applied in industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, and agriculture. They recommend accelerating its industrialization and widespread application.