Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the enhancements to a slurry phase hydrocracking (SHC) platform to process a broad range of carbonaceous feedstocks. In particular, the disclosure relates to systems and method for: 1) improving mass and energy transferthereby facilitating direct incorporation of light hydrocarbons, 2) integrated processing of various carbonaceous feedstocks including plastic and biorenewable, 3) creating an integrated process for the recycling of carbonaceous waste, 4) creating a process that can be integrated into conventional crude transportation, refining, chemicals and marketing infrastructure, 5) minimizing greenhouse gas (GHG) generation, and 6) integrating biorenewable hydrogen and carbon into the fuels and chemical supply chain.

Background

[0002] Given the proliferation of carbonaceous waste streams, be they plastic or biorenewable, improved methods of recovering their hydrocarbon value are required. The potentially valuable hydrocarbons that can be derived from such materials could be utilized through conversion to useful liquid, gas and solid hydrocarbons that would have utility as fuel or as petrochemical feedstocks. A valuable product derived from these waste materials creates a monetary value for these carbonaceous waste streams creating an additional incentive to divert these materials from our landfills, incinerators and oceans.

[0003] Mixed waste plastic encompasses a large percentage of the used plastic market. There is a high purity requirement for recycling by mechanical means. Generally these materials require cleaning and sorting for a particular purpose. This adds cost and complexity which results in potentially valuable waste material being discarded. A process that could utilize a mixed waste plastic, especially one that could operate with a high degree of contamination, would greatly reduce the barriers to recycling this material and ultimately divert plastics away from a landfill.

[0004] Environmental concerns over the generation of greenhouse gas (GHG) from hydrocarbons have increased the importance of sourcing hydrocarbons from carbon neutral feedstocks. This has spurred a pursuit for technologies enabling biorenewable feedstocks to be processed with the objective of generating green carbon and hydrogen for the marketplace. Current technologies and processes tend to be inefficient and result in multiple integration issues in utilizing established oil refining and distribution infrastructure. A process is required to efficiently convert biorenewable feedstocks to liquid fuels that are compatible with the current infrastructure.

[0005] The commonly accepted methods for upgrading heavy hydrocarbons are hydrogen incorporation and carbon rejection. Integrated Thermal Process (ITP) identifies a third method for upgrading hydrocarbons via direct incorporation of carbon and hydrogen. ITP is an effective system for heavy oil upgrading that greatly increases product yields and dramatically reduces the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of producing products from heavy oil.

[0006] The roots of ITP are in slurry phase hydrocracking (SHC) though there are substantial differences between the two. ITP incorporates advances in managing the Toluene Insoluble Organic Residue (TIOR) generated as a consequence of thermal conversion of the feedstock using the management of polar aromatics in the reactor using the methods disclosed in Canadian Patent No. 2,240,376 entitled HYDROCRACKING OF HEAVY HYDROCARBON OILS WITH CONVERSION FACILITATED BY CONTROL OF POLAR AROMATICS, Canadian Patent No. 2,248,342 entitled HYDROTREATING OF H EAVY HYDROCARBON OILS WITH CONTROL OF PARTICLE SIZE OF PARTICULATE ADDITIVES, and Canadian Patent No. 2,368,788 entitled HYDROCRACKING OF HEAVY HYDROCARBON OILS WITH IM PROVED GAS AND LIQUID DISTRIBUTION. These advances enable stable, non-coking operations at a lower hydrogen partial pressure than SHC, as discussed in the paper "The Role of Polar Aromatics in Residuum Hydrocracking" by N.K. Benham and Barry B. Pruden. This paper concludes that no compounds intrinsically form coke and that coking can be avoided by suspending the additive and asphaltenes until they are converted or exit the reactor. ITP allows for the uptake of less hydrogen and higher amounts of high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons into the liquid products. Controlling TIOR concentration is critical due to the generation of coke following the path of TIOR to mesophase to coke. If TIOR can be suppressed or reversed, then coke will not be formed. Increased temperature and reaction time results in higher TIOR concentration, however, to reach high conversion of 975F+ materials both high temperatures and sufficient residence time are required. In a SHC system, the TIOR build up is mitigated by having a high H2 partial pressure.

[0007] For an ITP system, a certain amount of TIOR generation in the intermediate stages is encouraged and is controlled by a TIOR regeneration system. For any given feedstock there is an incipient coking temperature, where the reaction starts to produce TIOR at a given set of conditions. ITP can operate past the incipient coking temperature and for a longer period due to its unique TIOR management system. Operating at higher temperature and longer periods allows for a higher level of conversion of 975F+ material.

[0008] When TIOR is formed it has a tendency to self associate due to its polar nature. This tendency to self associate, which is referred to as partitioning, is used to the benefit of ITP. As TIOR self associates, the particle size grows larger. As the TIOR and TIOR / Ash content increases, the TIOR and Ash will migrate to the bottom on reactor where the partitioning is controlled to a manageable level by a contacting system negating and reversing coke generation.

[0009] The ITP contacting system consists of nozzles that inject high temperature high hydrogen content hydrocarbons into the TIOR, ash and unconverted oil at high velocity. The higher molecular weight gas injected increases the energy input and thus increases shear forces. This greatly promotes the breakdown of the TIOR and ash complexes, reduces the polar partitioning effects and promotes the alkylation of the high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons onto the aromatic rings. [0010] The ITP process clearly demonstrates the increased contacting efficiency and associated ability to negate the polar partitioning effect with the contacting system relative to that achieved in the conventional slurry phase bubble column system. The ITP technology utilizes the difference in the contacting efficiency to separate TIOR formed during the conversion process from the unconverted oil and transport it to the bottom of the reaction system. The TIOR separation and upgrading characteristics demonstrated by the ITP process provide a platform for either processing other carbonaceous feedstocks or as a component for integrating with other processes.

Summary of the Invention

[0011] The present application illustrates enhancements that will extend the capability and application potential of a bubble column in a process for managing overall carbon life cycle. These include a separation and contacting zone at the top of the bubble column, separate sulphur and oxygen rich circuits, a more concentrated high pressure heteroatom stream for easier heteroatom removal, and incorporation of biorenewable and plastic feedstocks.

[0012] An apparatus for upgrading heavy hydrocarbon, according to the present invention, has:

a. An upflow reactor;

b. Wherein the reactor is operated with a liquid connective phase;

c. The reactor includes a high shear inducing contacting system; and

d. The reactor operates at high temperatures.

[0013] In another embodiment, the upflow reactor contains a minimum of a liquid and vapour phase.

[0014] In another embodiment, the reactor is operated in a slurry phase with liquid, vapour and solid phases.

[0015] In another embodiment, at least a portion of the liquid connective phase is a hydrocarbon.

[0016] In another embodiment, the hydrocarbon contains complexed multi ring aromatics.

[0017] In another embodiment, the hydrocarbon contains polar multi ring aromatics.

[0018] In another embodiment, the high shear inducing contacting system injects vapour into the liquid connective phase in the reactor.

[0019] In another embodiment, the vapour injected contains hydrogen.

[0020] In another embodiment, the vapour injected contains high hydrogen content light hydrocarbons. [0021] In another embodiment, the reactor or parts of the reactor operate at sufficient temperature for thermal decomposition of the feedstocks.

[0022] In another embodiment, the vapour injected into the reactor is at high temperature, thereby creating a high shear, localized high temperature contacting zone.

[0023] In another embodiment, the localized high temperature contacting zone is rapidly quenched by the bulk reactor contents.

[0024] In another embodiment, solids or ash promote hydrogen transfer and alkylation reactions.

[0025] In another embodiment, the reactor contains a zone 1 at the lower end of the reactor where at least the majority of high shear gas injection occurs.

[0026] In another embodiment, the reactor contains a zone 2 in the middle section of the reactor comprised of a bubble column providing residence time for the reaction.

[0027] In another embodiment, the reactor contains a zone 3 at the exit of the reactor comprised of an enhanced contacting device.

[0028] In another embodiment, the enhanced contacting device is an integrated reactor outlet and contacting device at the termination of an upflow reactor.

[0029] In another embodiment, the enhanced contacting device is the outlet of a slurry phase bubble column.

[0030] In another embodiment, the reactor includes an ITP or SHC bubble column.

[0031] In another embodiment, the enhanced contacting device comprises one or more outlets at the exit of the reactor.

[0032] In another embodiment, each of these enhanced contacting device outlets comprises one or more shearing zones in series.

[0033] In another embodiment, the enhanced contacting device effectively generates a continuous gas phase or a high voidage emulsion within the shearing zones

[0034] In another embodiment, the transition between the top of the reaction zone into the enhanced contacting device provides:

a. Dispersion of gas, liquid, and solids in an emulsion positioned at the inlet of the enhanced contacting device;

b. A separation of ash and associated TIOR by particle size preferentially retaining the TIOR and large particles within the bubble column; and c. The preferentially retained TIOR in the bubble column will continue to be upgraded and utilized within the reaction zone.

[0035] In another embodiment, the ability to operate the enhanced contacting device in very high operating temperatures typically in the range of 700F to 950F, thereby facilitating:

a. faster reaction time;

b. much lower viscosity of liquids and therefore smaller droplet size and improved mass transfer;

c. operation in the temperature zone where direct incorporation of methane and heavier hydrocarbons has been demonstrated; and

d. higher vapour density creating increased shear forces in the series of shear zones.

[0036] In another embodiment, components used to induce the shearing zones are selected from the group consisting of staged orifices, impingement and vortimetric atomization devices.

[0037] In another embodiment, the enhanced contacting device extends to and is incorporated into the first separator after the reactor.

[0038] In another embodiment, the first shearing zone extends into the top of the reactor.

[0039] In another embodiment, the first shearing zone is cylindrical and has openings along its sides.

[0040] In another embodiment, the first shearing zone has openings along the bottom.

[0041] In another embodiment, the first shearing zone openings create jets of high velocity causing shear and facilitating contact with other jets formed or impingements on components of the device.

[0042] In another embodiment, the shearing zone openings have mixed phase flow into an effectively continuous gas phase.

[0043] In another embodiment, the subsequent shearing zones have openings on the inlet and outlet.

[0044] In another embodiment, the inlet and outlet of the subsequent shearing zones constrict the flow and facilitate contacting of the multiphase system.

[0045] In another embodiment, the inlet and outlet of the subsequent shearing zones further reduce droplet size and / or potential partitioning of the liquids, solids and gases.

[0046] In another embodiment, the inlet and outlet of the subsequent shearing zones facilitate improved mass and energy transfer.

[0047] In another embodiment, a material is added through one or more quenches incorporated into the enhanced contacting device. [0048] In another embodiment, the efficiency of the integrated reactor outlet and enhanced contacting device can be manipulated through:

a. injection of an antifoam additive prior to the inlet of the enhanced contacting device;

b. adjusting the concentration of ash within the reactor;

c. adjusting the volume of gas flowing through the reactor;

d. adjusting the density of the gas flowing through the reactor;

e. manipulating the gas voidage at the exit of the reaction zone;

f. controlling particulate size distribution of ash within the reactor;

g. manipulating the liquid phase flow out of the reactor by feedstock conversion, pressure, and temperature; and

h. thereby facilitating the separation of large particulates such as silt from nano sized particulate.

[0049] In another embodiment, less erosion, fouling and sedimentation of the large particulates is experienced in the circuits downstream of the reactor.

[0050] In another embodiment, a wide range of ash compositions and particle sizes can be utilized in the slurry phase of the reactor.

[0051] In another embodiment, a molybdenum nanoparticulate system is used in the slurry phase of the reactor.

[0052] In another embodiment, larger ash and ash / TIOR particulates exit from another outlet in the reactor.

[0053] In another embodiment, these larger particulates exit through an ash withdrawal system in the bottom section of the reactor.

[0054] In another embodiment, ash is used in a slurry phase reaction system selected from the group consisting of: zinc, titanium, vanadium, silt, clay, iron, molybdenum, cobalt, nickel, aluminium, and FCC fines.

[0055] In another embodiment, the reactor is configured with:

a. the drag line located in the bottom quarter of the reactor;

b. the primary liquid hydrocarbon inlet located in the bottom quarter of the reactor; and

c. the liquid hydrocarbon recycle inlet located in the bottom quarter of the reactor. [0056] In another embodiment, the process improvements associated with the present invention include one or more of:

a. generation of small droplets in continuous gas phase or high voidage emulsion yielding more efficient mass and energy transfer and more intimate contact with catalytic surface areas, as a result of reducing the partitioning effect developed by feedstock conversion in the bubble column reactor;

b. higher conversion of the liquid contents of the reactor;

c. higher conversion of the heavy aromatics and TIOR within the bubble column due to higher retention and higher effective residence time of the TIOR and ash within the bubble column reactor;

d. additional conversion yielding lower levels of heavy aromatics and TIOR exiting the enhanced contacting device than entering the enhanced contacting device; e. reduced gas make;

f. reduced hydrogen consumption;

g. reduced gas and liquid recycle to the reactor due to increased conversion in the contacting device;

h. higher effective residence time of liquid components in the reaction system thereby a more effective conversion of TIOR and heavy aromatics, including 975+ F boiling point materials;

i. increased ash concentration in the reactor; and

j. the reactor vessel outlet quench will be more efficient for mass and energy transfer.

[0057] In another embodiment, a method of making hydrocarbon products comprises the steps of: contacting hydrogen and/or light hydrocarbons, in the presence of a catalyst, with a biorenewable feedstock, and a high boiling point hydrocarbon feedstock under reaction conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the biorenewable feedstock and provide a product with a greater quantity of hydrocarbons relative to the high boiling point hydrocarbon feedstock.

[0058] In another embodiment, the light hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of: methane, ethane, propane, ethylene, butane, pentane, hexane, and naptha.

[0059] In another embodiment, the catalyst is sulphided.

[0060] In another embodiment, the biorenewable feedstock is a hydrocarbon feedstock selected from the group consisting of: bitumen, vacuum tower bottoms, atmospheric tower bottoms, methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, visbreaker, coker, and FCC fractionator bottoms.

[0061] In another embodiment, the biorenewable feedstock comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: Lignin, plant parts, vegetables, fruits, plant processing waste, wood chips, chaff, grain, grasses, corn weeds, aquatic plants, paper products, and any material of biological origin.

[0062] In another embodiment, the non liquid biorenewable feedstock is reduced in size through mechanical means prior to entering the reactor.

[0063] In another embodiment, the non liquid biorenewable feedstock is reduced in size in a dry process or as part of a slurry.

[0064] In another embodiment, the liquid biorenewable feedstocks is added directly to the reactor, whereas non liquid biorenewable feedstock slurry is created through mixing hydrocarbons with the biorenewable feedstock.

[0065] In another embodiment, the biorenewable feedstock slurry enters the ITP or SHC reactors through one or more inlets from the bottom of the reactor and one quarter, one third, one half, two thirds, or three quarters up the reactor.

[0066] In another embodiment, carbon and hydrogen from the biorenewable feedstock are incorporated into the final hydrocarbon product.

[0067] In another embodiment, the final hydrocarbon product will have a greater monoaromatic content than the biorenewable feedstock or hydrocarbon feedstock.

[0068] In another embodiment, polycyclic aromatic structures originating from the biorenewable feedstock are greatly reduced via capping of olefins that would lead to polymerization.

[0069] In another embodiment, polycyclic aromatic structures (i.e. char) that are generated are managed and ultimately upgraded or removed from the process.

[0070] In another embodiment, any impurities contained in the biorenewable feedstock are upgraded in a similar fashion to multiring aromatics found in fossil fuels or are removed in a similar fashion to metals in fossil fuels, thereby permitting greater flexibility in the quality of biorenewable feedstock that may be used in the process.

[0071] In another embodiment, carbon dioxide generation is reduced by negating a combustion step.

[0072] In another embodiment, the carbon retained by avoiding combustion is incorporated into the hydrocarbon products generating greater volumes. [0073] In another embodiment, the carbon retained by avoiding combustion is of a renewable source.

[0074] In another embodiment, any heavy aromatics in the biorenewable feedstock or generated from upgrading the biorenewable feedstock incorporate hydrogen and the carbon and hydrogen sourced from the high hydrogen content light hydrocarbons.

[0075] In another embodiment, the biorenewable feedstock slurry enters the ITP or SHC reactor with a hydrocarbon feedstock.

[0076] In another embodiment, the co-processing of biorenewable and heavy hydrocarbons is achieved with integrated sulphur rich and oxygen rich circuits within the process. Wherein: a. The sulphur circuit comprises a reactor, heaters, a series of separators, a

hydrotreater, and a fractionator, and

b. The oxygen circuit comprises a reactor, heaters, a series of separators and a heteroatom removal system.

[0077] In another embodiment, the oxygen generated from the processing of biorenewable feedstock has a reduced desulphiding impact on the sulphur circuit additive system.

[0078] In another embodiment, the sulphur circuit generates sulphided additive / ash for utilization in the oxygen circuit.

[0079] In another embodiment, the sulphur circuit generates H2S that is used to maintain the sulphided state of the additive / ash within the oxygen circuit.

[0080] In another embodiment, the sulphur from the H2S generates some SOx thereby reducing the hydrogen uptake requirement of the system.

[0081] In another embodiment, the water concentration is reduced in the sulphur circuit, increasing throughput for the sulphur reactor for a given reactor size.

[0082] In another embodiment, the sulphur and oxygen circuit reactors are operated at different operating conditions, including separately controlling the hydrogen partial pressure to use a higher hydrogen partial pressure in the oxygen circuit, thereby increasing the generation of water from the feedstock oxygen content and removing more oxygen in the form of water from the oxygen circuit.

[0083] In another embodiment, the integrated sulphur and oxygen circuits take advantage of the low TIOR and asphaltene content of the hydrocarbon streams fed to the oxygen circuit from the sulphur circuit to use a lower hydrogen partial pressure in the oxygen circuit to:

a. minimize stability of oxygen with hydrogen to favour the reaction of the sulphur and oxygen species to form SOx species; b. minimize stabilization of oxygen with hydrogen to favour elevated levels of sulphur and oxygen species in the organic products; and

c. maximize direct incorporation of light hydrocarbons into the oxygen reactor products and minimize the stabilization of light hydrocarbons in the bubble phase column.

[0084] In another embodiment, the ability to use different reaction temperatures in the sulphur and oxygen circuits and thereby adjust the cracking rates of the generally high sulphur, multi-aromatic species in the sulphur circuit with the generally much higher oxygen content containing species in the biofuels feed to the oxygen circuit.

[0085] In another embodiment, the ability to use different heavy oil recycle rates through the reactors in the sulphur and oxygen circuits and thereby adjust the cracking rates of the generally high sulphur, multi-aromatic species in the sulphur circuit with the generally high higher oxygen content containing species in the biofuels feed to the oxygen circuit.

[0086] In another embodiment, all or a slip stream of the oxygen circuit reactor recycle gas is processed through one or more heteroatom removal systems.

[0087] In another embodiment, one or more conduits of concentrated heteroatoms exit the heteroatom removal systems.

[0088] In another embodiment, a conduit of hydrocarbon recycle with a lower concentration of heteroatoms exits the heteroatom removal system or systems for use in the oxygen circuit reactor.

[0089] In another embodiment, SOx species are effectively removed and sufficient H2S is retained in the gas recycle to facilitate generation of SOx within the oxygen circuit slurry reaction environment.

[0090] In another embodiment, a fraction of the lower heteroatom containing hydrocarbons are directed back to the sulphur circuit.

[0091] In another embodiment, the conduit entering the heteroatom removal system is below 0 °C.

[0092] In another embodiment, the heteroatom removal system comprises one or more heteroatom removal processes.

[0093] In another embodiment, the hydrocarbon entering the oxygen reactor comes from:

a. a sulphur reactor drag stream;

b. heavy liquid from overhead of the sulphur circuit reactor going into the oxygen circuit reactor; and c. other sources of hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of: bitumen, vacuum tower bottoms, atmospheric tower bottoms, methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, visbreaker, FFC and coker fractionator bottoms.

[0094] In another embodiment, the enhanced contacting device may be part of the oxygen circuit reactor.

[0095] In another embodiment, a gas contacting system is positioned at the bottom of the oxygen circuit reactor.

[0096] In another embodiment, the two contacting systems increase the conversion and reduce the gas make of the process.

[0097] In another embodiment, the ash is withdrawn from the oxygen reactorthrough a drag line in fluid communication with a metals reclamation unit.

[0098] In another embodiment, the ash removed through the oxygen circuit reactor drag line has a greater oxygen content and reduced sulphur content compared to the ash entering the oxygen circuit reactor.

[0099] In another embodiment, the oxygenated or partially oxygenated ash is easier to process in downstream processes, such as metal reclamation, coking or ash disposal.

[0100] In another embodiment, the oxygen reactor can produce a hydrocarbon product with a greater monoaromatic content than the hydrocarbon feedstock.

[0101] In another embodiment, the high monoaromatic content of the naptha product from the oxygen circuit reactor is an ideal high octane gasoline precursor for gasoline blending, as a fuels reformer feedstock, and as a monoaromatic chemical extraction process feedstock.

[0102] In another embodiment, the combination of oxygen and suphur circuits reduces the GFIG emissions of the ITP or SHC process and increases the quantity of biorenewable feedstock that is incorporated into the hydrocarbon product through:

a. minimizing the oxygen introduced through other integrated processes such as combustion thereby maximizingthe overall carbon content that is retained in the final liquid products; and

b. maximizing the combination of sulphur and oxygen to generate SOx and thereby limiting hydrogen uptake and associated C02 generation.

[0103] In another embodiment, the generated SOx is captured in a solid substrate, such as gypsum.

[0104] In another embodiment, a method of making hydrocarbon products comprises the steps of: contacting hydrogen and/or light hydrocarbons, in the presence of a catalyst, with a plastic feedstock, and a high boiling point hydrocarbon feedstock under reaction conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the plastic feedstock and provide a product with a greater quantity of hydrocarbons relative to the high boiling point hydrocarbon feedstock.

[0105] In another embodiment, the plastic feedstock sources are one or more sources selected from the group consisting of: tires and plastics labelled 1-7, these being PETE, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS, and other polymers.

[0106] In another embodiment, the plastic feedstock is reduced in size through mechanical means prior to entering the reactor.

[0107] In another embodiment, the non-liquid plastic feedstock is reduced in size in a dry process or as part of a slurry.

[0108] In another embodiment, the liquid plastic feedstocks are added directly to the reactor whereas non-liquid plastic feedstock slurry can be created through mixing hydrocarbons with the plastic feedstock.

[0109] In another embodiment, the plastic feedstock slurry enters the ITP or SHC reactors through one or more inlets from the bottom of the reactor, and one quarter, one third, one half, two thirds, or three quarters up the reactor.

[0110] In another embodiment, the plastic feedstock slurry enters the ITP or SHC reactor with a hydrocarbon feedstock.

[0111] In another embodiment, the carbon and hydrogen from the plastic feedstock is incorporated into the final hydrocarbon product.

[0112] In another embodiment, polycyclic aromatic structures originating from the plastic feedstock are greatly reduced via capping of olefins leading to polymerization.

[0113] In another embodiment, polycyclic aromatic structures (i.e. char) that are generated are managed and ultimately upgraded or removed from the process.

[0114] In another embodiment, any impurities contained in the plastic feedstock are upgraded in a similar fashion to multiring aromatics found in fossil fuels or are removed in a similar fashion to metals in fossil fuels thereby permitting greater flexibility in the quality of plastic feedstock used in the process.

[0115] In another embodiment, any heavy aromatics in the plastic feedstock or generated from upgrading the plastic feedstock, such as char, incorporate hydrogen and/or carbon and hydrogen sourced from the high hydrogen content light hydrocarbons. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0116] In orderthat the invention may be more clearly understood, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described in detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0117] Figure 1 is a side view of a reactor, according to the present invention.

[0118] Figure IB is a side view of another configuration for the reactor.

[0119] Figure 2 is a schematic view of the sulphur circuit.

[0120] Figure 3 is a side view of a reactor configuration for the oxygen rich circuit.

[0121] Figure 4 is a schematic view of the oxygen rich circuit.

Description of the Invention

Contacting System at Reactor Outlet

[0122] The original concept for the ITP reactor could be considered to be comprised of two zones. Zone 1 would be the high efficiency contacting system at or adjacent to the bottom of the reactor. The bubble column where there is high residence time but low contact efficiency can be considered Zone 2. This Zone 2 will generally result in a TIOR inventory in the reaction system. Zone 1 provides the mitigation system for managing the TIOR inventory generated in Zone 2. An improvement on this concept is the development of a Zone 3 where the vapour, liquid and solids exiting the reactor are recombined in a high shear environment, as shown in Figure 1. Such a high shear environment can be created by utilizing the vapour exiting the reactor as the continuous phase of the zone 3 reaction environment. Zone 3 can be created by manipulating the geometry and conditions at the top of the reactor to create a gas continuous phase facilitating greatly improved contacting of gas, liquid and solids leaving the reactor. As the gas volume leaving the reactor is generally a few orders of magnitude larger than that of the liquid and solids, an effective zone is created offering improvements in conversion and reduced gas make similar to those observed with the Zone 1 contacting system. This zone will effectively shear the liquids and solids creating a high surface area of gas-solid-liquid contact. The improved contacting achieved in this new Zone 3 will reduce gas make by reducing TIOR partitioning. As TIOR is generated with the conversion of the feedstock in the Zone 2 bubble column, this Zone 3 presents an ideal opportunity to shear the liquid and solid into small droplets in the generally continuous gas phase exiting the reactor.

[0123] A useful example of an apparatus that may be used as the Zone 3 contact system is described by US patent 8105480 B2 entitled "Process for Treating Fleavy Oil" but for ease of reference will be referred to herein as "Fractal". The examples in Fractal show that the process yielded a decrease in density greater than would be expected of only mixing the pentane and heavy oil feedstocks. A density decrease is indicative of the heavy oil being upgraded. The process describes pentane and heavy oil being heated to various temperatures and then combined in a mixing chamber. At the temperatures described, the pentane would likely be in vapour phase and the heavy oil would be primarily liquid phase. The contents of the mixing chamber have a 10 second residence time followed by passing through a nozzle at high velocity and a substantial pressure drop. As the hydrocarbons travel through the nozzle there will be shear and the pentane contact with heavy oil will be improved.

[0124] Fractal utilizes atomization of heavy oil to increase the surface area of the heavy oil liquid to pentane vapour for increased reactivity. The heavy oil liquid droplets are then further sheared going through the nozzle where they are in direct contact with the pentane vapour. The result suggests that the gas present including the pentane are combined with the heavy oil in some structural rearrangement of the heavy oil feed. Ultimately, there is insufficient contact time within the Fractal system as time and temperature are required to increase conversion.

[0125] Other similar examples can be found in the area of Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC). From these examples, it can be seen that a smaller liquid oil droplet results in higher conversion of a feed with lower coke and gas make. The effect is analogous to reducing partitioning in the slurry phase system and thereby improving yields as demonstrated by ITP. This effect is particularly pronounced when processing heavier feeds such as heavy residual oil. An example of the atomization effect within a FCC can be seen in US Patent 4434049A entitled RESIDUAL OIL FEED PROCESS FOR FLUID CATALYST CRACKING. This example process uses sequential shearing opportunities to reduce the liquid droplet size and thereby improve mass and energy transfer.

[0126] Multiple hardware systems have been utilized in FCC including impingement, vortametric burner, staged orifice and screw vane. Also known in the art of FCC feed nozzle design is that an increased gas density will increase the shear force upon liquid droplets. Elevated temperature will drop the viscosity of a liquid further increasing shear forces on the droplets. Multiple stages of shear will sequentially reduce the droplet and particle size in a generally continuous gas phase.

[0127] In the SHC and ITP reactors, the residence time for the gas phase is significantly less than that of the liquid and solid phases. Increasing the superficial velocity of the gas passing upward through the reactor further increases the vapour voidage in the reactor. At the top of the reactor the gas velocity is greatly accelerated through the reactor outlet nozzle creating an area of very high voidage that will generate a foam or emulsion. The existence of the foam within the reactor can be controlled through antifoaming agents, for example, as laid out in patent US 4969988A entitled ANTIFOAM TO ACHIEVE HIGH CONVERSION IN HYDROCONVERSION OF HEAVY OILS.

[0128] A combination of gas voidage and low liquid flow rate out of the reactor will act as a barrier to keep TIOR and ash within the reactor. This will result in a higher concentration of ash and the TIOR associated with the ash to be present in the reactor. TIOR concentration in the reactor combined with the size and density of the ash solids can be utilized to create a concentration gradient across the bubble reactor. The greatest concentration of ash will be near the Zone 1 contacting system and the lowest ash concentration near the reactor outlet.

[0129] The high density ash and TIOR can be utilized to capture impurities in the system. As fossil fuels and other carbonaceous materials are upgraded, their metals and other impurities are released from their original bonds. Were these impurities not to be captured, they could build up in the system and lead to process difficulties. By utilizing high density and or larger size ash complexes, many of these metals or other impurities from the feedstock can be captured, and removed in association with the ash and can ultimately be processed and recovered.

[0130] Multiple particle systems can be utilized in the reactor and tailored for catalytic or trapping behaviour. Larger and higher density particles will facilitate impurity removal from the reactor circuit. The addition of ash removal from the bottom of the reactor enables this operation. Smaller particles, such as a molybdenum catalyst, having a size in the order of nanometers, may continue through the Zone 3 contacting system. If an FCC slurry feedstock is used there will generally be approximately 0.1% wt of solids contained within the feedstock, these being the FCC fines. These solids will have a distribution of approximately 10 microns in size. These solids are silica alumina structures and will generally contain concentrations of Ni, V, and Fe as well as zeolites. In this process, these solids serve as a catalyst and for impurity capture and removal. When they are sulphided they will act as direct incorporation transfer agents and parking spots for TIOR management. These materials are readily available in most refineries and will serve as a hydrogen transfer agent. While Fe, Ni and V are considered contaminants in the FCC, the concentration of these materials on the equilibrium catalyst (ecat) in the FCC represents a catalyst production process for the present invention. FCC catalyst fines recovered from the regeneration circuit represent a preferred material from the FCC as these are smaller in size than the FCC ecat and contain higher concentrations of Fe, Ni and V when the FCCs are processing VTB feedstocks. Ecat, which are larger particles at approximately 70 microns in size, can also be utilized in this invention. These materials can be combined into a slurry with FCCU fractionator bottoms slurry, for example, and injected into the reactor system.

[0131] Given the much greater volume of gas passing through the reactor, relative to the other two phases, a third reactor zone can be created by adjusting the geometry at the top of the reactor. The contents entering this Zone 3 are mixed in an emulsion. The high gas voidage / foam present in the top of the reactor exiting Zone 2 acts to provide the initial mixing of high molecular weight gases, reactor liquid and ash. This mixture can be passed through a series of nozzles to generate the continuous gas phase and small particle size required to increase the mass and energy transfer through improved contact in the three phase system.

[0132] Zone 2 in a SHC or ITP process provides the time required for the majority of thermal reactions to occur. The bubble column alone will not provide sufficient shear and mixing of contents to prevent partitioning during the thermal upgrading process. The ITP process allows for effective management of the TIOR in the reactor through the transportation of the larger TIOR / ash complexes to Zone 1, but there is still partitioning occurring in Zone 2 along with the associated elevated yield of light hydrocarbon gases. This elevated yield of light hydrocarbons in Zone 2 stems from the thermal cracking reactions and Zone 3 will directly incorporate some of the light hydrocarbons back in the heavier feed to preferentially create distillate. The introduction of Zone 3 provides the means to reduce the gas make and TIOR leaving Zone 3 by creating a high density vapour shear zone.

[0133] Higher temperature and lower pressures within the reactor will cause the lighter ends of the feedstock to flash and quickly leave the reactor through Zone 3. This can be beneficial by allowing the feedstock to avoid fractionation prior entering the reactor. The lighter hydrocarbon material that would have been separated in an atmospheric or vacuum tower column would in turn be separated within the reactor. The 1997 NCUT paper "The Role of Polar Aromatics in Residuum Hydrocracking" illustrates that as the bubble column (Zone 2) temperature increased to 850 F, the impact of 10% more 975- F in the feed on the 975+ F conversion of the feedstock was negated. This reduces the number of supporting processes required for the operation of this invention and negates the generation of the cracked material in processes such as a vacuum column. In addition, lower reactor pressure creates higher voidage and higher molecular weight gas going through Zone 3 which will in turn make Zone 3 more effective. There is a limitation in how far the pressure can be dropped in the reactor due to lower pressure creating higher voidage for a given rate of gas entering the reactor. There would eventually be a trade-off between low pressure to aid Zone 3 versus high rates of gas entering the system to aid Zone 1. Nonetheless, the system of the present invention is able to effectively operate in stable conditions at a pressure well below that of other commercial SHC processes.

[0134] A benefit of this configuration is that the product distribution will be primarily distillate with the remainder being naphtha and gas oil. The stability and reactions created through Zone 1, Zone 2 and Zone 3 causes the constituents of the reactor to resemble each other. Higher boiling point material will generally be converted and lower boiling point hydrocarbons will be directly incorporated into the distillate and light gasoil boiling range material. When the product exits the system there is a distribution that will be largely independent of the quality of feedstock.

[0135] In the present disclosure, Zone 3 will consist of one or more outlets at the top of the reactor. Each of these outlets will contain one or more shearing zones in series. Zone 3 could extend to and be incorporated into the hot high pressure separator. Similar to FCC technology, multiple hardware configurations can be utilized in the individual stages or zones.

[0136] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first shearing zone will extend from the top of the reactor into the reactor. This first shearing zone or series of shearing zones will have openings along the bottom and along the sides. The sequential shearing zones after the first will have no openings along the sides but will have holes along their inlet and the outlet connecting to either another shearing zone or another conduit. These orifices at the inlets and outlets will create shearing opportunities by constricting the flow. [0137] As the material leaves Zone 2 and enters Zone 3, it will contain primarily gas but will also contain high boiling point liquid, TIOR and ash. Generally material boiling below 800F will be in vapour state. The liquid and TIOR present will be comprised of thermally generated multi ring aromatics which are highly desirable for hydrogenation and direct incorporation as demonstrated with ITP. The high velocity and gas concentration will effectively create a continuous gas phase within the shearing zones. The initial atomization effect will occur as the emulsion passes through the first orifice into the continuous gas phase of the first shearing zone. The liquids and solids contained in the emulsion entering the openings of the shearing zone can be further atomized by impact with opposing jets. As the liquids and solids continue through sequential shearing zones they will encounter constrictions creating additional shearing forces. The shearing zones will result in smaller droplet sizes and thus will reduce the partitioning effects while contacting the high hydrogen containing hydrocarbon gas with a catalyst. Examples of suitable catalysts include iron, molybdenum, aluminium, nickel, vanadium, titanium, FCC fines, zeolite based catalysts and other materials that can preferentially encourage physical separation of impurities. Examples of high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons include methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, and napthas. This will contribute to a higher conversion level of TIOR and reduced light hydrocarbon production. This will reduce the gas and heavy hydrocarbon recycle into the SHC or ITP reaction systems. While Zone 3 would be effective in SHC processes with high activity nanoparticle systems such as molybdenum, the Zone 3 would be particularly effective with the higher vapour density and higher operating temperature enabled by an ITP reactor environment.

[0138] Zone 3 is at the outlet of the slurry reactor and ahead of the hot high pressure separator. A source of quench is required between the reactor outlet and the hot high pressure separator. This quench can be added into the Zone 3 contactor. A preferred embodiment would to be introduce all or part of the quench into the last contacting element in Zone 3 as this would allow the initial zones to operate at the desired higher operating temperature. The quench may be comprised of a wide range of materials that include hydrogen, high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons, intermediate hydrogen containing hydrocarbons and low hydrogen containing hydrocarbons.

Bio Fuels

[0139] The present invention relates to the co-processing of at least one biorenewable feedstock with at least one hydrocarbon feedstock within an SHC or ITP platform system to create a saleable product. The process will serve as an efficient means of heteroatom removal and GFIG reduction for a SHC or ITP platform.

[0140] Used herein the term "biorenewable feedstock" includes at least: Lignin, plant parts, vegetables, fruits, plant processing waste, wood chips, chaff, grain, grasses, corn weeds, aquatic plants, paper products, food waste, cellulose, fats, oils and any other material of biological origin. [0141] US Patent No. 8022259 entitled SLURRY HYDROCONVERSION OF BIORENEWABLE FEEDSTOCKS describes the use of a biorenewable feedstock and a heavy oil feedstock in a slurry phase system to create SHC product with yields exceeding 100% of either of the feeds. The Slurry Hydroconversion of Biorenewable Feedstocks patent provides two applicable examples to the present disclosure as part of their listed example #1. The two scenarios were run using the same feedstocks and same methodology with the only change being the catalyst system. The two catalysts that were separately tested were an iron sulphide and a molybdenum sulphide based system. The results were that the molybdenum scenario produced no coke and resulted in approximately 90% of the carbon within the lignin feedstock being converted to liquid fuel range product. The iron based catalyst system was found to create coke and there was no beneficial effect found from using lignin for the iron based system.

[0142] For this present disclosure there are points that can be drawn from these tests. First, it demonstrates in the molybdenum scenario that a slurry based system such as ITP or SHC can utilize the carbon and hydrogen of a biorenewable feedstock and convert it to a liquid fuel range product. The second point can be drawn from the iron based system. In the test, hard solids were formed and the patent No. 8022259 concluded that there was no benefit at the given concentration of iron. This is consistent with industry knowledge with molybdenum having two orders of magnitude greater reactivity than iron at equivalent concentrations. It can be theorized from this data set that the iron catalyst is being deactivated by the oxygen present in the biorenewable feedstock. The iron catalyst is reacting with the oxygen present to convert from FeS to FeO which explains the elevated coking tendency. With coking and hard solids being formed in the iron catalyst set up, a Zone 1 contacting system would be ideal for converting these materials and withdrawing the impurities.

[0143] US Patent No. 4214977A entitled HYDROCRACKING OF HEAVY OILS USING IRON COAL CATALYST describes a SHC process that utilized and upgraded coal and heavy oil in the presence of hydrogen. The upgrading of coal in a slurry phase reaction system has important parallels to the process of upgrading biorenewable feedstock in a similar system. Coal and for instance lignin have common characteristics once added to the system, they are: solid state, possess aromatic rings and have similar elemental compositions.

[0144] US Patent 8772557 B2 entitled AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS FROM DEPOLYMERIZATION AND DEOXYGENATION OF LIGN IN describes the upgrading of lignin to a biofuel with the aid of an aromatic solvent within a hydroconversion environment. Two examples were given as part of the patent to show the effect of having an aromatic and a non aromatic solvent for the process. A paraffin solvent was found to reduce the lignin conversion to 53% as compared to the 100% conversion found with the use of an aromatic solvent.

[0145] The US patents, 8022259 and 8772557 B2, show that lignin can reach 100% conversion in a hydroconversion environment utilizing a molybdenum catalyst with the aid of an aromatic solvent. With the proper regeneration of catalysts, as can be supplied through the present invention, other metal catalyst systems such as an iron sulphide could also reach 100% conversion.

[0146] The above references suggest that integration with an ITP would be an effective method for upgrading lignin and other biomass into liquid fuels. An effective system for upgrading lignin would require at least a sulphided catalyst and supply of aromatic hydrocarbon. The ITP process provides an excellent source of heavy aromatic polar solvent, sulphided ash / additive, H2S for regenerating the additive, and various hydrogen and high hydrogen content vapour streams for adjusting the final product carbon and hydrogen requirements.

[0147] A strength of the ITP system for the incorporation of the biorenewable feedstocks into liquid fuels is its TIOR / ash management system. These biorenewable feedstocks, such as lignin, are simpler than heavy oils and thus will have faster reaction times. At the typical operating conditions of an ITP, much of the lignin will become a vapor relatively quickly and exit the reactor. The multiring polar aromatics obtained from feedstocks such as residual fuel oils, bitumen, coal or already formed multi ring aromatics from pyrolysis or coker heavy liquids or FCC slurry oils in the ITP process act as the continuous phase in the reaction system. The heavy aromatic solvent in the reactor acts as a hydrogen donor and would still be active in the direct incorporation reactions outlined for the ITP process. The polar aromatics solvent would also limit the polar partitioning effect associated with the breakdown of the biorenewable feedstock, or TIOR and asphaltene entering the reaction system. Another positive of the slurry system for biorenewable feedstock is the heat dissipation facilitated by the upflow release of vapour from the reactor.

[0148] Another way to view the system is through pyrolysis, a method of upgrading biorenewable feedstock. Pyrolysis is a process where the feedstock is heated in an environment such that there is limited or no combustion occurring. The bonds of the feedstock will thermally decompose from the heat. The products from this process will be pyrolysis gases, oils and a carbon rich solid (char). ITP can be viewed as a form of pyrolysis where the bonds are being broken through thermal decomposition. However, ITP offers advantages over pyrolysis in that it can reduce the gas make from the conversion of the feedstock and upgrade the char that would have been created. With the feedstock being upgraded inside the ITP reactor, the polymerization that would lead to the generation of char is interrupted. The interruption is brought about through the use of high pressure, catalysts, high shear forces and the addition of high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons. This creates a more efficient method of generating liquid products from biorenewable feedstock.

[0149] The high concentration of oxygen present in the bio crude will make the additive less effective and reduce the asphaltene and TIOR management capability in the base ITP. The previous two paragraphs cover one scenario for operating ITP with biorenewable feedstocks. However, the amount of oxygen present in biorenewable feedstock makes this scenario inefficient. This will limit the amount of biorenewable feedstock that can be utilized in the process at any one time. [0150] Preferably, there will be two separate circuits for the processing of biorenewable feedstocks in an ITP or SHC system. These circuits are illustrated in figures 2 and 4. Figure 2 illustrates the sulphur circuit which is sulphur based with limited oxygen content. Figure 4 illustrates a second circuit, which operates with elevated oxygen content and will be referred to in the present application as the oxygen rich circuit. The sulphur circuit will maintain the integrity of the SHC or ITP to upgrade asphaltenes and manage TIOR. The oxygen rich circuit will give the flexibility of upgrading high oxygen content feedstocks and removing heteroatoms from a concentrated environment. The sulphur circuit provides sulphided material to the oxygen rich circuit allowing for the upgrading of high oxygen content feedstocks within a separate reactor. This will be a synergistic relationship where the oxygen rich circuit is used to remove the heteroatoms and the sulphur system provides the sulphided catalyst, the low asphaltene content high boiling point source of hydrogen donor heavy aromatics, and H2S and high hydrogen content light hydrocarbons contained in the make up gas.

[0151] The liquids and solids which are transferred from the sulphur circuit to the oxygen rich circuit, contain high amounts of sulphur, sulphided catalyst, multi-ring aromatics, ash and metals. An FeS catalyst system operating in a high oxygen environment results in FeO formation in the presence of high oxygen concentration. As a result, the catalytic activity is reduced and coke is generated. To avoid that situation sulphided ash/catalyst will be continuously brought into the oxygen rich reactor where it will facilitate the operation of the ITP. The sulphided catalyst transferred into the reactor will eventually become oxidated due to the high concentration of oxygen but new sulphided catalyst will be available to continue the catalytic reactions. The additional sulphur being brought with the TIOR and heavy aromatics will aid in the maintenance of the FeS catalyst. The multiring aromatics being brought to the system will aid in the conversion of the biorenewable feedstock and provide hydrogen donor capability. The high boiling point aromatics provide the stability and allow for operating at high temperatures well in excess of 800F therefore facilitating high conversion and direct incorporation.

[0152] In some embodiments of this disclosure the oxygen rich reactor will operate in a similar way to the three zone ITP system, as described herein. There is a combination of ash, TIOR and heavy aromatics from the sulphur circuit that can be supplemented by polar aromatic solvent possibly in the form of fluid catalytic cracker slurry, heavy vacuum gas oil, heavy coker gas oils, or pyrolysis oils entering in the bottom half of the reactor. The conversion of coal or materials that produce heavy aromatic oils in a pyrolysis process can also be co-processed to generate multiring aromatics that form the liquid continuous phase. The high hydrogen containing gases and hydrogen will also flow into the bottom of the reactor at high operating temperatures. Flowing into the contacting system in Zone 1 of the oxygen reactor will be high hydrogen containing gases introduced into the bottom of the reactor. Recycle gas from the oxygen rich circuit and make-up gases from the sulphur circuit containing H2S are injected through the Zone 1 contacting system. These gases will enter the Zone 1 contacting system at high temperatures and velocities consistent with ITP operating conditions. The biorenewable feedstock will enter as a slurry into the reactor using a variety of carrier materials. Preferably, a low boiling point hydrocarbon may be used as a carrier, thereby maintaining the high hydrogen donor solvent characteristics of the heavy polar aromatics of the continuous phase supplied by the sulphur circuit. Furthermore, this will allow for more high temperature gas interaction in Zone 1.

[0153] The oxygen and sulphur circuits each comprise one or more reactors. Figures 2 and 4 show a preferred embodiment with a single reactor for each of these circuits. Alternatively, multiple reactors may be used in either or both circuits. The advantage of multiple reactors in each of the circuits is that by drawing from more than a single reactor, the level of TIOR and ash can be managed across multiple conversion levels of feedstock. This allows the reactors to work under a variety of operating conditions.

[0154] In some applications of the present invention, the biorenewable feedstock may be of lower density and will migrate to the top of the oxygen rich reactor during the reaction process. In this situation, the oxygen rich reactor can be operated with a level of liquid resulting in a vapour space at the top of the reactor. This level would be controlled by the rate of addition of heavy aromatics from the sulphur circuit.

[0155] The high concentration of oxygen in the biorenewable feed will displace sulphur in the ash, catalyst, H2S and the multiring aromatics. This equilibrium results in the ability to remove some of the sulphur in the ash prior to these leaving the oxygen rich circuit. The ash leaving the system will be partially oxidated and will serve as a sink for the oxygen in the biofuel process. The withdrawn ash will now contain less sulphur and will be easier to process for metal reclamation or other auxiliary processes.

[0156] US Patent No. 8022259 showed the oxygen within the biorenewable feedstock became incorporated into the liquid fuel, bonded with hydrogen to become water and became light gases. Increasing the level of water, CO and C02 in a thermal cracking pilot plant utilizing an iron sulphide impregnated coal catalyst suppressed the generation of light gases and increased the liquid product yield. Furthermore, reduced hydrogen partial pressure will reduce the amount of water suggesting the relative water make from lignin within the ITP process will be lower than the water yield indicated by US Patent No. 8022259. This indicates that the water is being incorporated into the liquid products. The amount of H2 uptake is reduced and more oxygen is incorporated into the hydrocarbon products when water is present in the slurry system. For the present invention, this means that the generation of a certain amount of water in the process will have a beneficial effect on the yields and product distribution.

[0157] A key benefit of utilizing separate sulphur and oxygen circuits, is that the C02 generated in the ITP process can be concentrated into the oxygen rich reactor for a more efficient removal. The same stream that takes H2S from the sulphur circuit may also transport CO and C02 to the oxygen circuit for removal. This improvement will reduce the oxygen content in the overall ITP process and thus lower C02 emissions. Upon exiting the oxygen reactor and going through one or more separation steps, the concentrated H2S and C02 can be removed through one or more heteroatom removal processes. In some implementations, the C02 is separated out at approximately pipeline pressure allowing for easy integration to a pipeline for carbon sequestration. Additionally, the higher concentration of oxygen in the oxygen rich circuit will result in the formation of NOx and SOx which will reduce the overall hydrogen requirement of the process.

Plastics

[0158] The present invention also relates to the use of plastic as a feedstock for an ITP or SHC process. ITP is fully capable of upgrading high boiling point hydrocarbons including asphaltenes. As described above, the present invention is able to upgrade biorenewable feedstocks. Both of these types of feedstocks are upgraded utilizing the same principles of ITP, these being; high temperatures, high pressures, the feedstock contacting with a catalyst, high shear forces negating partitioning of polar forces, effective gas contacting, sufficient residence time and effective TIOR management. If these principles are applied to plastics, then they will be converted to a quality hydrocarbon product.

[0159] Used herein the term "Plastic" includes at least: tires and plastic labelled 1-7, these being polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and other polymers.

[0160] Pyrolysis can be used on a wide range of feedstocks such as biorenewables and plastics. Effectively, pyrolysis can be utilized on any carbonaceous material to produce pyrolysis gases, oil and a carbon rich solid. Canadian patent, No. 2776547A1, labelled "Pyrolysis Products and Process" details one example of such a process that takes carbonaceous material as a feedstock and through the application of pyrolysis and other auxiliary processes derives a saleable product.

[0161] Pyrolysis is generally viewed as a potential path forward for the conversion of plastic waste into oil. It can effectively take a wide range of waste materials that are destined for an incineration or a landfill and convert it into a valuable and saleable material. The present invention provides a means by which to accomplish these objectives, but also offers additional advantages.

[0162] A broad range of plastic streams can be used as feedstock for the ITP system, as described herein. The ITP system can utilize the primarily aliphatic components that would originate from feedstocks such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), the primarily aromatic components from feedstocks such as polystyrene (PS) and it can utilize the char that would be generated in the thermal decomposition process. What greatly expands the scope of plastic feedstocks that are usable by ITP, compared to other plastic recycling processes, is the ability to deal with contaminants. Due to the waste collection methods of many municipalities it is not uncommon for contaminants to be contained within or commingled with the plastics. When the required purity level for recycling plastics is reduced, it will greatly decrease the difficulty and expense of collecting material that would otherwise be sent to a landfill or an incinerator. This will lead to a much higher percentage of plastics being diverted away from landfills and oceans.

[0163] Another advantage of the present invention over conventional plastic pyrolysis is that there will be a source of high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons within the reactor. ITP has the capacity to react the plastic feedstock with high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons to increase the feedstocks hydrogen content. This serves as a clean up mechanism for low hydrogen/carbon ratio feedstock creating a more saleable product rather than requiring disposal. Furthermore, ITP can upgrade the material that decomposes into char. Through the use of high pressures, catalysts, shearing forces and high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons the char will have it's polymerization disrupted through a process analogous to TIOR management, as described herein. This prevents the formation of low value products opening the process to simultaneously taking a wider range of feedstocks without the concern of disrupting the overall process.

[0164] Those metals that are contained in or commingled with the plastic will be removed and may ultimately be recovered as part of this process. The metals will generally join with the ash and TIOR that are dispersed within the reactor. As the size of these ash / TIOR complexes increase, they will sink in the reactor and move towards the Zone 1 contacting system. Over time, the greatest concentration of ash / TIOR will be in the bottom half of the reactor. A drag line will be positioned in the bottom half of the reactor that will withdraw some of the ash / TIOR from the reactor. The ash / TIOR complex along with gas oils will be transported to a metal reclamations process or other auxiliary processes that can utilize the ash / TIOR.

[0165] The present invention operates in a liquid continuous phase as opposed to typical pyrolysis being undertaken in an inert gas environment. The benefit offered through a liquid continuous phase is the increased contact between the constituents of the reactor mixture. This increased contact opens additional possibilities such as utilizing catalysts to facilitate reactions or aromatic hydrogen donors to supplement the feedstock's hydrogen and / or carbon content to optimize the elemental composition of the products. By operating in a liquid continuous phase, the process can continually operate and the liquid facilitates segregation and removal of impurities. The continual operation reduces cost and greatly increases the plastic throughput.

[0166] A modification of the current embodiment is to utilize coal as the source of heavy aromatics to facilitate the upgrading process. Other such sources of heavy aromatics include FCC gas oil and asphaltenes. For the proper implementation of coal within the process, the coal must be reduced in size. This reduction could occur through any size reducing techniques including a dry grind or a wet grind in the presence of a liquid hydrocarbon.

[0167] A potential modification would be the grinding of coal with the aid of a hydrocarbon to reduce it's size to less than 1000 um and more preferably less than 100 um. This ground coal would be combined with a liquid hydrocarbon that would enter the bottom of the sulphur reactor where it would be upgraded in a similar fashion to asphaltenes. The hydrocarbon that is combined with coal could be a pyrolysis oil that itself is derived from coal. This process allows coal to be upgraded to a liquid product through the addition of high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons. Coal processed through this method would have a lower GHG intensity relative to conventional coal power generation.

[0168] Coprocessing of various combinations of feedstocks and additives can be used to maintain the continuous phase donor solvent environment in the reactor while allowing for feedstocks such lignin or polystyrene which will generate low boiling point monoaromatic products to be co-processed at elevated temperatures. Various combinations of product recovery configurations can be utilized in a multi-reactor system to facilitate segregation of products such as the monoaromatics that would be yielded from lignin or polystyrene. Products such as high octane gasoline and chemicals have a high demand for monoaromatic structures.

[0169] FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the reactor unit 10, according to the present invention. The reactor unit 10 includes a Zone 1 TIOR management system that includes a conduit 102, conduit 126, and conduit 118. As shown in Figure 2, the conduit 102 receives the contents of one or more of conduit 100, conduit 609, conduit 128 or recycle conduit 108. The gas inlet, conduit 126, is configured to receive a hydrogen-containing gas from one or more of conduit 114 or conduit 112. The TIOR management system utilizes a gas distribution device at the termination of conduit 126 to facilitate contact and reactions between the inlet hydrogen containing gases and the contents of the reactor 10. Between conduit 114 and conduit 126 is a heater unit 14, which will heat the high hydrogen containing gases before entering reactor 10.

[0170] The reactor's 3 zones are designed to upgrade complex multiring aromatic structures. Through the normal operation of the reactor 10, the highest concentration of TIOR / ash complexes and high boiling point material will be present in the vicinity of the Zone 1 gas contacting system. The gas leaving the contacting device at the termination of conduit 126 will have a velocity of approximately 300 ft/second, a temperature of 1000F, and molecular weight of about 15 g/mol. Increases in any of these three interrelating factors in the introduction of the high hydrogen containing gas entering through the gas contacting system will increase the efficiency of the overall system. Conversely, reductions in the values of these three interrelating parameters will decrease the efficiency of the system. This zone 1 contacting system creates the high shear, high energy transfer environment required to increase conversion, reduce TIOR inventory, and enable direct incorporation.

[0171] As the molecular weight of the high hydrogen content gas that is introduced through gas conduit 126 increases, the amount of energy both in terms of enthalpy and kinetic energy at the discharge of the gas contacting system is increased. At any given velocity through the gas contacting system, the gas jet penetration also increases thereby extending the zone in which the energy is transferred to the reactor contents in its proximity. Improving the efficiency in this energy-transfer process can reduce the partitioning which reduces the TIOR yield, increases conversion, and decreases the gas make. The interaction of two or more jets will further improve the efficiency of this contacting system for any given set of gas density, velocity, and temperature reference parameters. [0172] Within the reactor unit 10, the hydrocarbon vapour contact time is typically in the range of about 1 minute. However, the contact time for the reactor contents to quench the high temperature gas jets exiting conduit 126 is in the order of milliseconds. As the temperature is increased within the reactor unit 10, the required contact time is reduced for a given feedstock conversion. The maximization of this contact temperature and the minimization of this required contact time with the rapidly quenched gas jets can result in the maximization of the olefinic reactions, which can impact subsequent availability for further reaction pathways. The configuration of reactor 10 and the operating conditions are set-up to segregate and position the TIOR - Ash complex in contact with the gases entering the reactor unit 10 by the gas contactor, thereby maximizing the energy intensity at the point of the maximum concentration of TIOR and Ash in the reactor unit 10. In some implementations of the present disclosure, the Zone 1 gas-contacting system can provide one or more of the following aspects facilitating the ability to process a broad range of feedstocks:

a. the high intensity energy associated with introducing the hydrocarbon by a gas jet or multiple interacting gas jets;

b. the physical-contact parameters (such as mass, velocity, geometry, temperature and others) that create a situation analogous to the generation of small feed droplets within an FCC riser;

c. a physical proximity of the TIOR and Ash to interact with: the Zone 1 contacting system; the TIOR - Ash suspension at the bottom of the reactor unit 10 due to a combination of "fluidization" and particle size control and/or the utilization of multiple additive types; enhancing the retention of larger particles and TIOR within reactor 10 with the Zone 3 contacting system; and a polar-aromatic control system. The polar-aromatic control system allows the Zone 1 contacting system to position the ash for contacting with the hydrocarbon vapor. In some respects this is analogous to reducing an FCCU feed viscosity to promote the generation of smaller droplets within the FCCU contacting system; and d. a rapid quenching of the high temperature jets by the bulk solution in the reactor unit 10. The zone 1 contacting system can become more effective as lower hydrogen content gas is introduced through conduit 126.

[0173] Without being bound by any particular theory, all the heat supplied by the Zone 1 contacting system will be at temperatures potentially far above previous commercial operations. The reactor unit 10 can include a quench that acts to maximize the jet contacting temperature thereby maximizing the direct incorporation of light hydrocarbons and minimizing the reactor size for any given feedstock conversion.

[0174] In the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 1, the feedstock inlet, conduit 102, introduces high boiling point material and anti-coking additives. These additives will serve as "parking spots" for the hydrocarbons to deposit upon during the upgrading process thus influencing the size of the ash / TIOR complexes. Additives such as FeS will also facilitate direct incorporation through the alkylation of high hydrogen containing gases onto larger hydrocarbons. Other additives can be added that are designed to capture impurities. The additive particle size and density can also be tailored to facilitate removal through the top or bottom of the reactor 10. Multiple types of additive can be added to achieve multiple processing objectives. The additive enters the system from additive unit 17. A slipstream of the recycle conduit 108 can enter unit 17 through conduit 132 and exit through conduit 134.

[0175] The reactor 10, preferably has two or more densitometers. Using the densitometer readings on ash concentration within the reactor, the system can be monitored. To optimize the reaction, there should be an ash gradient from the gas contacting system in Zone 1 to the top of Zone 2. The highest concentration of ash should exist in the vicinity of the Zone 1 contacting system. The ash concentration should decrease with greater distance from the Zone 1 contacting system towards the vapour outlet of the reactor. This ash gradient can be regulated through increasing high hydrogen hydrocarbon material flow near the top of Zone 2 or by improving the solvency control through increasing the polar aromatic support material from conduit 102.

[0176] As shown in Figure 1, conduit 118 is the reactor drag line which will be located in the vicinity of the Zone 1 gas contacting system. In this exemplary example, the reactor 10 is designed to have the highest concentration of ash at this point. This outlet, conduit 118, will withdraw TIOR / ash complexes, sulphided catalyst, additives, hydrogen donor solvent, and high boiling point material from the reactor for use in the oxygen rich circuit or auxiliary processes.

[0177] Figure lb shows an alternative configuration of Zone 1 where conduit 118 will withdraw the TIOR / ash complexes, sulphided catalyst, additives, hydrogen donor solvent, and high boiling point material from the bottom of the reactor 10. Additive make-up, fresh feedstock, and recycle of high boiling materials recovered from the separators of the sulphur circuit added near the top of Zone 1 of the reactor unit 10 through conduit 102. The ash to be withdrawn is concentrated in a smaller diameter zone at the bottom of the reactor. This set-up provides the flexibility to concentrate the larger ash particulates in a low velocity fluidized bed where aromatic solvent can be added to displace unconverted feed and TIOR back into reactor 10 where the desired degree of upgrading will be completed. Conduit 138 entering from the bottom of the reactor 10 will provide fluidization and stabilize the Zone 1 reaction. This conduit 138 will supply solvents and high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons and/or hydrogen gas. Various solvents may be used, such as FCC slurry, FCC heavy cycle oils, or thermally generated high boiling aromatic oils. Preferably, the main use of the material within conduit 118 is to supplement the oxygen rich circuit. In other non limiting examples, auxiliary processes for the material within conduit 118 could include metal reclamation, cokers and visbreakers. The lower boiling nature of these aromatic solvents, such as FCC slurry, added to the ash withdrawal system facilitates subsequent steps in ash recovery and/or disposal. As shown in Figure lb, the concentration of ash in the ash preparation and withdrawal zone may be monitored by densitometers. [0178] Zone 2 within reactor 10 provides the combination of residence time and temperature required to reach a high level of conversion of 975F+ boiling point material. Preferably, there are two quenches into zone 2. Quench inlet, conduit 122, will carry intermediate hydrogen containing hydrocarbons and the plastic slurry into the reactor. The contents of conduit 122 will enter the reactor at a temperature below that of the bulk reactor. An example of an intermediate hydrogen containing hydrocarbon would be a paraffinic vacuum tower bottom (VTB). Conduit 122 provides quenching of the bulk reactor temperature, allowing for higher temperatures at the Zone 1 contacting system, increased carbon and hydrogen feedstock content flexibility, and improved performance characteristics of the TIOR management system. When using a plastic slurry as a feedstock, conduit 122 is the preferred path to enter reactor unit 10. The plastic slurry could also enter through conduits 102 and/or 120. The plastic slurry will consist of various plastics that have been reduced to a small size or melted. Depending upon the quality of the plastic feedstock, this plastic slurry may also contain contaminants which can either be upgraded within the reactor or removed through conduit 118. A biorenewable feedstock may also be co-processed with, or instead of, the plastic slurry.

[0179] Quench inlet, conduit 120, carries a high hydrogen content hydrocarbon and serves as a quench for reactor 10. This quench provides additional hydrogen and carbon to the reactor and lowers the temperature of the bulk reactor. Conduit 120 works in conjunction with the Zone 3 contacting system to control the gas voidage at the top of reactor 10 and ensure enough gas is present within Zone 3 to create an effective zone for limiting the larger ash particulates entering Zone 3 and generating an optimum emulsion for entering the Zone 3 contacting system.

[0180] The Zone 3 contacting device is located at the outlet of reactor 10. This Zone 3 contacting device may be used for the upgrading of hydrocarbon feedstocks, not including plastic or biorenewable feedstocks. Conversely, plastic or biorenewable feedstocks may be upgraded, according to the methods and apparatuses of the present invention, without the use of a Zone 3 contacting system. Nonetheless, the Zone 3 contacting device will improve the TIOR management, increase the 975+ conversion of the system, reduce the recycle volume and decrease gas make. The three phases will enter the Zone 3 contacting device through one or more shearing zones that extend into the reactor 10. Zone 3 will exist as a generally gas continuous phase with liquid and solid droplets present. The liquid and solids will become more reactive as they progress through multiple shearing zones. In this example, the shearing zones will extend from the outlet, conduit 104, of reactor 10 to the high temperature, high pressure separator 11, shown in Figure 2, running the full length of conduit 104. At a later point in the Zone 3 contacting system, a high hydrogen containing gas quench will enter through quench conduit 124. In the preferred embodiment, the incorporation of the quench via conduit 124 into the last stage of the contacting system will result in more effective quenching of the reactor 10 effluent and improved operation of high temperature, high pressure separator 11.

[0181] Figure 2 shows the sulphur rich circuit for use with the reactor 10 configuration, as shown in Figure 1. The conduit 100 contains the heavy hydrocarbons feeds which are in communication with recycle conduit 108 and conduits 609 and 128. The heavy hydrocarbon feeds may include: heavy oils, asphaltenes, vacuum tower bottoms, atmospheric tower bottoms, bitumen, heavy fuel oils, and coal. Other heavy hydrocarbon feeds may also be used. Recycle conduit 108 recycles the liquid stream discharged from the high pressure, high temperature separator 11. Conduit 128 contains high hydrogen containing gases that increase the velocity of the heavy hydrocarbons within conduit 100. Conduit 609 contains material from the oxygen rich circuit originating from either conduit 821 or conduit 815, shown in Figure 4. The contents of conduits 100, 108 and 128 are heated by the heater 13 where they merge into conduit 102 and enter reactor 10. Upon exiting the reactor 10, the contents flow through the Zone 3 contacting zone until reaching the high pressure, high temperature separator 11. A gas stream exits separator 11 through conduit 106 and enter separator 12 which includes at least one low temperature, high pressure separator. Preferably, separator 12 will be made up of multiple separators in series at progressively lower cut points. The gas streams from separator 12 are recycled through recycle conduit 112 to either reactor 10 via conduit 114, a heater and conduit 126, or to the oxygen circuit through conduit 112 and then conduit 116. In some embodiments, the liquid stream from the final low temperature separator in separator 12 exits through conduit 110 and enters the hydrotreater 15. The hydrogen conduit 136 supplies external hydrogen to the hydrotreater 15. The hydrocarbons have their heteroatoms and olefinicity reduced within the hydrotreater 15. The conduit 130 leaving hydrotreater 15 contains the products from the sulphur circuit. The products will primarily consist of distillate with lower percentages of naphtha and gas oil. In a lower conversion iteration, the products include lower distillate yields and naphtha yield with greater percentages of gas oil. The advantage of this process is that the product will be relatively uniform despite a changing feedstock.

[0182] The conduit 116 contains a high concentration of H2S gas and high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons from the sulphur circuit and runs from the sulphur circuit to the oxygen rich circuit. This conduit 116 may connect into either conduit 819, conduit 824, conduit 826, or conduit 804 or an another suitable location within the oxygen circuit, as shown in Figure 4. The purpose of this conduit 116 is to supplement the sulphur supply in the oxygen rich reactor and move the sulphurto a more concentrated heteroatom area for more efficient removal from the system.

[0183] In an optional embodiment, conduit 130 enters a final separator 16 where a gas stream in recycle conduit 140 is produced, comprising hydrogen and low boiling point gas that can be recycled back to the sulphur circuit. This extra step conserves hydrogen within the system allowing it to be incorporated into a more valuable product before leaving the system. The product outlet, conduit 142, contains the final products in this optional embodiment.

[0184] The liquid stream in recycle conduit 108 exiting from high temperature separator 11, recycles back to the sulphur reactor 10. In the current example, the recycle conduit 108 is in communication with conduit 100 but in other embodiments it may also be in communication with conduit 102 or enter the reactor 10 directly. A slipstream from conduit 108 carries aromatic, high boiling material to the oxygen rich circuit through conduit 613. [0185] The dragline, conduit 118, flows from the reactor 10 and transports its contents to other auxiliary processes. A conduit 614 connected to conduit 118 supplies the oxygen rich circuit with ash/TIOR complex, sulphided catalyst and high boiling point material.

[0186] The biorenewable and plastics feedstocks are prepared in the vessels 61 and 63 respectively. The processes within these vessels is similar. The feedstock enters the vessel 61 or 63 either prepared by an external process, as a liquid or as a solid. The solid feedstock is reduced in size. This reduction may be done dry or as a slurry. Within vessel 61 or 63, the feedstock may be combined with a hydrocarbon and exit as a slurry. In some implementations, vessel 63 melts the plastic. Preferably, in embodiments where a plastic feedstock is used, the plastic feedstock exits vessel 63, the plastics preparation unit, and flows through conduit 611 which is in fluid communication with quench conduit 122 that connects into reactor 10. Alternatively, the plastic may also enterthrough conduit 102 or 120 which could be in a variety of locations. Alternatively, the plastics may follow a similar route to the biorenewable feedstock and be upgraded within the oxygen rich circuit.

[0187] The prepared biorenewable feedstock leaves vessel 61, the biorenewable preparation unit, through conduit 605. Conduit 605 connects into conduit 818 through which it will enter the oxygen rich reactor 80, as shown in Figure 4.

[0188] Connecting from the oxygen rich circuit to the sulphur circuit are conduits 609 and 615. The conduit 609 contains high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons from the oxygen rich circuit gas recycle and/orthe drag material from reactor 80. Conduit 615 contains high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons from the oxygen rich circuit that have been through the heteroatom removal system.

[0189] Figure 3 shows one embodiment of the oxygen rich reactor which utilizes a similar Zone 1 configuration to Figure lb. In this reactor 80, the drag line, conduit 821, is positioned below the gas contacting system. This provides greater flexibility for separating ash from the reactor and transporting and processing it in lower boiling solvent carrier materials such as FCCU slurry oil. The oxygen rich reactor 80 may also be configured with the gas contactor system below the drag line 821 depending on the desired operating conditions similar to the Figure 1 Zone 1 configuration. As shown in Figure 4, the reactor unit 80 includes a Zone 1 TIOR management system that includes a conduit 802, conduit 820, conduit 821 and a conduit 823. The conduit 802 receives the contents of one or more of conduits 801, 807 and 826. The conduit 820 receives the contents of one or more of conduit 819 and conduit 811. The gas recycle conduit of the oxygen rich circuit, conduit 811, contains hydrogen containing gas. The conduit 823 receives the contents of one or more of conduit 822 and conduit 824. Ash from the sulphur circuit, high boiling point material, and recycled liquid stream from the separators enter the reactor through conduit 802. The gas inlet, conduit 820, has high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons that connect into the Zone 1 gas contacting system. These high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons can range from hydrogen through methane with increasing carbon content all the way up to naphtha or distillate. The contents of conduit 820 exit the Zone 1 gas contacting system at temperatures above 700F and preferably higher than 1000F at a velocity of approximately 300 ft/s. Fligher temperature, velocity and molecular weight gas are preferred to increase the efficiency of the system. Conduit 823 contains polar aromatic material together with high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons. The contents of conduit 823 enter reactor 80 and provide fluidization and solvent flush to condition the ash for removal consistent with the process described for the sulphur circuit reactor 10.

[0190] In the configuration of reactor 80 with conduits 802, 820 and 823 the highest concentration of ash complexes exists below the zone 1 gas contacting system. The dragline, conduit 821, withdraws ash from this point below the zone 1 gas contacting system. The dragline 821 inlet is located at the center of the reactor and between the bottom of the reactor and the Zone 1 gas contacting system. Ash complexes, oxidized catalyst and gas oil will be transported through conduit 821. Conduit 821 may connect back into the sulphur circuit to sulphide the catalyst or it may connect into auxiliary processes such as a metal reclamation unit or a coker. The preferred method for the ash to leave the overall system is through conduit 821. The ash from conduit 821 will have a lower sulphur concentration allowing for easier and more environmentally friendly reclamation of metals or disposal of contaminants. In a preferred embodiment, the ash from conduit 821 is integrated with an FCC solids management system. Sulphur present in the ash would be incorporated into the FCC products, this creates an incentive to decrease the sulphur content of the ash prior to integration.

[0191] Figure 4 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the oxygen circuit. Conduit 801 carries high boiling point material, sulphided catalyst and high hydrogen containing gas. Conduit 801 is supplied by the sulphur circuit with the option to bring in external high boiling point material and high hydrogen containing gases. Conduit 801 is in fluid communication with recycle conduit 807, the recycle of high boiling point material from the series of separators within the oxygen circuit. A slipstream of conduit 807 goes through conduit 827 and enters the additive unit 88 before returning to conduit 807 through conduit 828. The additive supplied from the additive prep unit 88 is not a sulphided catalyst but rather a catalyst to encourage physical segregation of the solids and contaminants. Conduit 826 contains hydrogen containing gases. Conduit 801, 807 and conduit 826 enter the heater 85b either together or separately where they are heated to a temperature of approximately 750 F. The heated contents of conduits 801, 807 and 826 enter the feedstock inlet, conduit 802, through which they enter the reactor 80.

[0192] Conduit 823 is in fluid communication with conduit 822 which supplies aromatic solvents and conduit 824 which supplies the high hydrogen content gas. Optional, heater 85C may be used to heat these streams during normal operation for preventing or reversing coking in the bottom of the reactor 80.

[0193] Conduit 818 contains a biorenewable slurry that comes from conduit 605. Within this slurry is an intermediate hydrogen containing hydrocarbon. Conduit 818 enters reactor unit 80 above the Zone 1 gas contacting system and serves as a quench for the reactor. Optionally, conduit 818 may be heated prior to the entry into reactor 80. If plastic is used as a feedstock, the prepared material would preferably enter the oxygen rich reactor through the conduit 818. Conduit 817 contains high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons, primarily from the recycle conduit 811 of the oxygen rich circuit, but may be supplemented by an external source. Conduit 818 serves as quench for the reactor and aids in optimizing the set-up of the Zone 3 contacting system.

[0194] The Zone 3 of the reactor unit 80 functions in a similar manner to the Zone 3 in reactor unit 30. Exiting the reactor 80 is a generally gas continuous phase with an emulsion of solids and liquids. This Zone 3 contacting system is contacted by a high hydrogen containing hydrocarbon or hydrogen containing gas from conduit 804 that act as a quench. The Zone 3 contacting system extends through conduit 803 and connects into the high temperature, high pressure separator 81.

[0195] Preferably, the separators 81, 82 and 83 are configured, as shown in Figure 4 within the oxygen rich circuit, so as to recycle high boiling point material back to reactor unit 80 through conduit 802 and recycle high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons back through conduit 820 into reactor 80. The recycled gas stream goes through the conduit 810 to a lower temperature, high pressure separator 84. The liquid stream from unit 84 bypasses the heteroatom removal system 87 and is recycled through conduit 811 to either conduit 817 or 820. The gas stream from separator 84 goes through conduit 813. A slipstream of conduit 813 continues into the heteroatom removal system 87 and the remainder will bypass the heteroatom removal system 87 into conduit 814.

[0196] The conduit 813 entering the heteroatom removal system 87 contains a high concentration of carbon oxides, H2S and ammonia. The majority of the carbon dioxide generated within the oxygen rich circuit goes through the heteroatom removal system 87. In some embodiments the pressure of conduit 813 and the heteroatom removal system 87 is approximately 2000 psi. Those knowledgeable in the art of heteroatom removal are aware that with high concentrations and high pressure, a greater amount of heteroatoms will be removed from the system. The heteroatom removal system may consist of a number of configurations that would be effective for the removal of carbon oxides, H2S and ammonia from the system. An example of heteroatom removal system 87 is a conventional amine extraction unit. Conduit 815, exiting the heteroatom removal 87, contains the removed heteroatoms forthe oxygen rich circuit. Conduit 815 may connect into various auxiliary units such as carbon sequestration. The conduit 816 leaves the heteroatom removal system 87 with a lower concentration of heteroatoms than entered through conduit 813. Conduit 812 is in fluid communication with conduit 816 and connects back into the sulphur circuit with conduit 609 and conduit 615 to provide high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons with low heteroatom content. Conduit 816 is in fluid communication with conduit 814 and these both eventually connect into conduit 811. Conduit 811 connects into the heater 85a before entering the reactor 80 through conduit 820. From conduit 811, the contents may also go through conduit 817 to enter reactor 80 or go through conduit 826 to connect into conduit 801. [0197] The liquid recycle stream from separators 81, 82 and 83 flows through conduit 805 and then conduit 807. The liquid recycle stream consists of high boiling point material and solids. Conduit 807 is in fluid communication with conduit 802, through which the recycled material re-enters the reactor unit 80. The product stream from separators 81, 82 and 83 flows through the product outlet, conduit 809. Roughly, the product stream consists of hydrocarbons with a boiling point of between 150F and 975F with the majority falling within the distillate range. This range can be modified through adjustingthe cut points of the separators 81, 82, and 83. Conduit 809 may either be transported directly to a refinery, go through a fractionator and/or hydrotreater or be redirected to the sulphur circuit hydrotreater 15.

[0198] Both the sulphur circuit and the oxygen rich circuit may be configured with multiple reactors. In such a case, the hydrogen partial pressure should be greatest at the end of the process and the hydrogen will be progressively lower in preceding reactors. A configuration with multiple reactors in a single circuit allows for lower conversion of 975+ material in an individual reactor creating more flexibility for configuring the operating conditions.

[0199] A wide variety of operating conditions are possible with the present invention. In general, the bulk reactor temperatures can be 700F to 950F, preferably above 850F; the Zone 1 gas contacting system can have temperatures between 700F and 1300F (preferably above 1000F), velocity above 200 ft/second and preferably above 400 ft/second, molecular weight of between 2 g/mol and 200 g/mol, preferably above 15 g/mol; the other inlets into the reactors and Zone 3s may enter below the bulk reactor temperature. The gas entering the reactors will be in a range of 2000 scf of gas / 1 barrel of feedstock to 15000 scf of barrel / 1 barrel of feedstock, and preferably above 9000 scf of gas / 1 barrel of feedstock. In the context of gas entering the reactor, this is a combination of high hydrogen containing hydrocarbons and hydrogen containing gas. The gas voidage entering Zone 3 will be in excess of 10% and preferably in excess of 30%. The molecular weight of the gas entering the Zone 3 gas contacting system will be in excess of 10 g/mol and preferably in excess of 50 g/mol. The pressure within the circuits can range from 100 PSI to 4000 PSI. The preferred range for pressure will be in the range of 700 PSI to 2000 PSI for optimal liquid flow rate entering Zone 3. There can be variable pressures between the circuits and variable pressures within each of these circuits. The solid feedstocks utilized in this system are reduced to smaller than 10000 microns, preferably smaller than 1000 microns and most preferably below 100 microns. For catalysts, the size should be smaller than 1000 microns, preferably smaller than 100 microns and most preferably smaller than 10 microns.

[0200] The products coming from both the sulphur and oxygen rich circuits are generally homogenous. The present invention permits removal of the majority of the solids and heteroatoms present in the feedstocks. The products are relatively consistent despite a variable input of feedstocks. This allows incorporation of more difficult to process feedstocks from asphaltenes to plastics to lignin and creates a consistent product that can be used interchangeably with other products in existing infrastructure. [0201] The present invention permits recycling infrastructure to be adapted for new plastic and biorenewable waste streams that could then be supplied for this process. These waste streams would simplify the sorting process for most municipal and industrial recycling systems. This would decrease the cost and increase the available material for this process. Furthermore, this process would divert material away from landfills where the plastic and biorenewable waste could emit GFIG and potentially leak heavy metals into the surrounding environment.

[0202] The present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to an exemplary embodiment, however, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as set out in the following claims. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed herein.