Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PROCESS FOR EXTRACTING CRUDE OIL FROM SUBSTRATES
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of
hydrocarbon processing and
more specifically relates to extraction of crude oils.
Related Art
[0002] The following includes information that may be useful in
understanding the present
disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein
is prior art nor
material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any
publication or document
that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
[0003] Hydrocarbon compounds form the vast majority of fuel energy
sources in modern
industry. Accordingly, processing a wide variety of hydrocarbon types into
purities suitable for
combustion is a critical technology. However, the economic viability of such
processing varies by
hydrocarbon. In particular, a distinction is made between "light" hydrocarbons
(typically defined
as having API gravity over 200) and "heavy" hydrocarbons (having API gravity
less than 20 ).
Generally, "light" hydrocarbons are more valuable and are also easier to
process and transport
due to their flow characteristics. "Heavy" hydrocarbons (i.e. crude oil)
present problems in
processing and transportation since they do not flow easily. Since heavy
hydrocarbons are also
worth less, purifying heavy hydrocarbons is disincentivized in the industry.
If heavy
hydrocarbons can be purified, they can be subjected to cracking processes to
convert the long-
chain hydrocarbon molecules into more useful forms, generally by use of
catalysts. However, it is
the purification of heavy hydrocarbons prior to reaching this stage which is
of particular
difficulty.
[0004] This disincentivization of purifying heavy hydrocarbons is
problematic for two
primary reasons. First, this leaves an untapped source of profit, especially
when light
hydrocarbons and heavy hydrocarbons are harvested together in the same
extraction process.
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Second, heavy hydrocarbons can be a detriment to the environment when left as
waste product.
Examples may include naturally or artificially occurring oil-saturated soils,
asphalt roof shingles,
aqueous oil spills, and bitumen from degrading or deconstructed roadways.
Accordingly, there is
seen a need to develop a practical and economically viable process for
purifying crude oil out of
.. solid substrates.
[0005] Various attempts have been made to solve problems found in the
oil processing art.
Among these are found in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,415,738, 1,908,616, and 8,790,509.
This prior art is
representative of processes for purifying heavy hydrocarbons.
[0006] None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or
in combination, is
seen to describe the invention as claimed. Thus, a need exists for a reliable
process for extracting
crude oil from substrates, and to avoid the above-mentioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known
hydrocarbon processing
art, the present disclosure provides a novel process for extracting crude oil
from substrates. The
general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described
subsequently in greater detail,
is to provide a process for extracting crude oil from substrates.
[0008] The process allows the extraction of heavy hydrocarbon compounds
from solid
substrates in an economical and efficient fashion. Materials containing heavy
hydrocarbons (i.e.
oil sands or roofing shingles) are broken up into an auger and then mixed with
light
hydrocarbons. Subsequently, the resulting slurry is shaken to separate fluids
from solids, and the
fluids are subjected to one or more filtering processes to remove waste
sediment. These filtering
processes may include a series of one or more of centrifuges and nozzle
purifier machines.
Filtered fluids are distilled to separate heavy hydrocarbons from light
hydrocarbons.
Simultaneously, the solids are heated to remove the remaining light
hydrocarbons as vapors.
Light hydrocarbons are cooled in a condenser and coalesced in a holding tank,
wherefrom they
may be recirculated into the process and used repeatedly. The now-isolated
heavy hydrocarbons
resulting from the distillation process may be removed as a purified product.
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[0009] For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects,
advantages, and novel
features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood
that not necessarily all
such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular
embodiment of the
invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that
achieves or
optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without
necessarily achieving
other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the
invention which are
believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in
the concluding portion
of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the
present invention
will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and
detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The figures which accompany the written portion of this
specification illustrate
embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a process for
extracting crude oil
from substrates, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the
present disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating a process for extracting
crude oil from substrates.
[0012] FIG. 2 is chart illustrating the process for extracting crude oil
from substrates and the
interaction of auxiliary systems according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0013] The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter
be described in
conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like
elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to
a hydrocarbon
separation process and more particularly to a process for extracting crude oil
from substrates as
used to improve the efficiency of harvesting heavy hydrocarbons.
[0015] Generally, the process may be divided into a number of distinct
steps. FIG. 1 shows
an extraction process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
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[0016] Step 1 (101): Initial contaminated hydrocarbons (the object of
the process) are added
to an auger (specifically, a feed-auger). The auger may be used to break up
the material feed. In
some instances, more solid material (such as bitumen or roofing shingles) may
require more
aggressive deconstruction. The auger further acts as a barrier for vapors
during this process.
Augers may be slightly heated in some embodiments; however, heating is not a
primary process
at this stage.
[0017] Step 2 (102): The contaminated hydrocarbons are added to a mixing
tank. Light
hydrocarbons are added to the mixing tank via injection nozzles. The lights
serve to increase API
and flowability, and also act as a solvent to remove heavy oil from the solid
substrate. Nitrogen
purge occurs to displace oxygen in the tank. (Nitrogen may be generated from
atmosphere in
auxiliary process.) Additionally, a vacuum may pull evaporate fumes into a
vapor recovery
system. Slight warming may occur to improve flow characteristics.
[0018] Step 3 (103): This slurry (of contaminated hydrocarbons and added
lights) pass
through shakers to remove waste particulates. Resolution of the shakers may
range from 50 to
300 mesh API as desired for a particular process application by the end user.
Separated fluids
pass down into shakers to be passed to the decanter centrifuge. Waste solids
still containing some
hydrocarbons pass over shakers and directly into the distillation chamber.
Repeated nitrogen
purging.
[0019] Step 4 (104) (optional): Fluids passes through centrifuge to
further remove waste
particulates. Recommended minimum centrifugal force is 2500 G's. Preferably,
this is a decanter
type centrifuge.
[0020] Step 5 (105) (optional) Nozzle machine further removes waste
particulates from the
fluids. This step will generally be used if the contaminate content
(contaminants being basic
solids and water, or BS&W) is still over one percent of total mass. In some
embodiments, a
holding tank may be placed between steps 4 and 5 where this ratio can be
determined for quality
control.
[0021] Step 6: (106) Fluids from holding tank following the centrifuge
and the nozzle
machine enter distillation system. Meanwhile, solids from the shakers are
heating in augers.
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Heating is critical at this stage to remove light hydrocarbons as vapors.
Heating in one
embodiment may be approximately 500 to 650 degrees Fahrenheit. Nitrogen may be
applied to
purge oxygen. Solids are discarded following this step.
[0022] Step 7: (107) Light hydrocarbons are removed from the heated
augers and cooled in a
condenser. Condenser may use a glycol chiller or a fin fan cooler. Lights are
also collected from
the distillation column. The now re-liquified lights may be recirculated into
Step 2 with a new
batch of raw product to participate in the refining process repeatedly. In
order to continually
provide light hydrocarbons to an automated process, a storage tank collects
and stores re-liquified
lights between the condenser and the mixer in Step 2. Examples of light
hydrocarbons able to be
removed and condensed in this way include natural gas condensate and naphtha,
and generally
any hydrocarbon in the range of 45 to 65 API.
[0023] Step 8: (108) The isolates, the now purified heavy hydrocarbons
(i.e. crude oil, etc.),
may be removed from the distillation column as product.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the extraction process of FIG.
1, according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure. This figure illustrates a process flow
including auxiliary
processes. As before, the process begins when substrates to be purified enter
augers 201.
Masticated substrates enter mixing chamber 202, where light hydrocarbons are
added and a
nitrogen purge occurs. As illustrated, it is here that nitrogen is injected
from nitrogen generator
301. Nitrogen generator may harvest nitrogen directly from the atmosphere,
such as via fractional
distillation or any other practical method. Nitrogen purging may also occur in
shakers 203 and
heater augers 207. From mixing chamber 202, the slurry of substrate and light
hydrocarbons
passes into shakers 203. Here, fluids pass down through the shakers and move
on to centrifuge
204, storage tank 205, and nozzle machine 206, reaching secondary tank 210 in
a decontaminated
form. Hydrocarbons pass from tank 210 into distillation column 211, separating
light
hydrocarbons which can be vaporized from heavy hydrocarbons. In some
embodiments, some of
these steps (generally either 206, or 204-206) may be skipped if such
extensive purification is not
necessary. Meanwhile, the solids pass from shakers 203 into heated augers 207.
Preferably,
heated augers move material for a minimum of 40 feet. Heated augers 207
separate vaporized
hydrocarbons from the solids. Heat is applied (preferably to a climax of
between 500- and 650-
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degrees Fahrenheit) to remove light hydrocarbons as vapors. From here, vapors
enter condenser
208, where condensation occurs to return the light hydrocarbons to a liquid
form. Light
hydrocarbons from distillation column 211 also collect in condenser 208.
Vacuum 212 provides
the force to draw light hydrocarbon vapors into condenser 208. These
condensates may be stored
in a holding chamber feeding mixing chamber 202. Purified heavy hydrocarbons
may be
removed from distillation stage 211 as a final product and collected in
holding tank 213.
Concurrently, oil heater 302 may operated in a closed circuit, with passages
in contact with
augers 201 and distillation stage 207 for heating purposes.
[0025]
Some auxiliary systems may be implemented. Firstly, an oil heater may heat
a process
oil to 650 degrees Fahrenheit and circulate oil in contact with the augers and
distillation system to
heat these components of the system process. A vacuum pump may operate to pull
vapors from
both the augers and shaker enclosure to add these to the condenser (in
addition to those removed
from the distillation stage). Lastly, a nitrogen generator may produce purge
gas to use in the
augers.
[0026]
The exact specifications, materials used, and method of use of the process for
extracting crude oil from substrates may vary upon manufacturing. Additional
steps may be
implemented where necessary for varying input products, output goals,
environmental factors,
etc.
[0027]
The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and
numerous
modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to
achieve substantially
equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit
and scope of the
invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the
U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist,
engineers and
practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or
phraseology, to
determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the
technical disclosure of
the application.
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