Texaco Inc.

Amt International Inc.

Edward K Liu

Ting Y Chan

Karl T Chuang

Kuang-Yeu Wu

Adam T Lee

John C Strickland

Lindsey Vuong

Doyun Kim

A process and apparatus is provided for reduction of dissolved oxygen content in seawater from about 8 ppm in the feed seawater to about 10 ppb or less. Significant advantages are achieved by: use of a separator in horizontal alignment to provide high gas-liquid contacting area for separation and de-entrainment within the separator, thereby providing higher throughput; and heating seawater to at least 30&#xb0; C. and up to 60&#xb0; C., so as to enhance removal of oxygen from seawater; use of once-through fuel gas as stripping gas and its subsequent combustion for heating the seawater provides for high efficiency and reduction of fouling. The combination of these features allows the amount of residual oxygen in deoxygenated seawater to be reduced to below 10 ppb and as low as 2 ppb.

Process and apparatus for removal of oxygen from seawater

In an ebullated bed process the feedstock conduit is provided with at least 50 psi (4.4 atm) head in excess of a liquid-vapor separation pressure. The excess head is used in combination with an eductor to recycle a reactor effluent liquid. The expanded catalyst bed is thereby maintained at 110 vol % to vol % of a settled catalyst volume. A separate pump to expand (ebullate) the catalyst bed is not required.

Ebullated bed process with recycle eductor

In an ebullated bed process reactor effluent is subjected to high pressure followed by intermediate flash separation. An ebullation liquid is formed by educting high pressure flash separation liquid into an intermediate flash separation liquid. The ebullation liquid is recycled to the reactor to expand the catalyst bed to 110 vol % to 200 vol % of a settled catalyst bed volume. As a result of recycle pressure balance is advantageously maintained. Carry over catalyst and catalyst fines are recycled to the reactor and kept out of downstream equipment.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Edward K Liu