Improvent of hydrogen solubility and entrainment in hydrocracker feedstocks. Quarterly report, April 1 - June 30, 1996

The objective of this project is to determine the conditions for the hydrogen-heavy oil feed preparation so as to optimize the yield of hydrocracking reactions. Proper contacting of hydrogen with heavy oil on the catalytic bed is necessary to improve the yields of the hydrocracking reactions. It is most desirable to have the necessary amount of hydrogen available either in the dissolved or in entrained state, so that hydrogen diffusion to the reaction site does not provide rate controlling resistance to the overall rates of hydrocracking reactions. This project proposes to measure solubility and entrainment data for hydrogen in heavy oils at conditions such as in hydrocrackers, and investigate the improvement of these properties by usage of appropriate additives. Specifically, measurements will be carried out at temperatures up to 300{degrees} C and pressures up to 120 atmospheres. Correlations for solubility and entrainment kinetics will be developed from the measured data, and a method for estimating yield of hydrocracking reactions using these correlations will be suggested. Exxon Research and Engineering Company will serve as private sector collaborator providing A&T with test samples and some technical expertise that will assure successful completion of the project. The final experimental measurements for hydrogen solubility in hydrocarbons are in progress. The novel experimental apparatus has been successfully operated for these measurements. The calibration procedures and some of the initial data measurements are summarized