MODELING OF PETROLEUM RESIDUE HYDROCONVERSION IN A CONTINUOUS MICRO-SCALE PILOT
Résumé
The study concerns the hydroconversion kinetics of an atmospheric residue. Experimental data were obtained on a batch reactor as well as on a continuous micro-scale pilot unit. The residue was converted with a dispersed catalyst at 12MPa of hydrogen for three temperatures ranging from 420°C to 440°C for contact or residence times of ranging from 30min to 120min. The feedstock was mixed with an oil-soluble precursor (molybdenum naphthenate) that generated in-situ the dispersed MoS2 catalyst. The aims of the study were to develop a methodology to transpose a kinetic model developed on a batch reactor to a continuous reactor in order to predict the conversion and product yields as well as to gain knowledge on the effects of reactor configuration on the process performances. To this end, a simulator was built upon the kinetic model developed from batch reactor experiments and the hydrodynamic and mass transfer modeling of the micro-scale pilot unit: -Reaction scheme, rate constants, stoichiometric coefficients, vapor-liquid-equilibriums and average molecular weights were derived from batch experiments. Lumping technique based on distillation range fractions was utilized for the kinetic model. -Hydrodynamic behavior of the micro-scale pilot unit as well as its mass transfer characteristics were studied on a cold flow model. Simulated and experimental data obtained for the micro-scale pilot unit were compared in order to validate the methodology. The effects of the reactor configuration on the hydroconversion kinetics will be discussed.