Texaco Inc.

Harold A Rhodes

Roger M Dille

George N Richter

Lawrence E Estabrook

Jean-Georges P Rohner

Susan B Wallon

A continuous process for preventing the build-up of metals from the hydrocarbonaceous fuel feed in a partial oxidation system in which about 80-100 wt. % of the carbon-soot produced is recycled to the gas generator. By the subject process a significantly large portion of the metals and metal compounds i.e. ash in the soot-water feed stream to the decanter become concentrated in the grey water that separates out in the decanter in the carbon recovery section. The concentration of ash suspended in the grey water may be then easily reduced in a solids-liquid separator with or without the addition of a flocculant and prior to recycling a portion of the grey water to the gas quench tank and/or gas scrubber. Further, the ash suspended in the carbon-soot-liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel stream from the bottom of the liquid organic extractant still may be optionally reduced in another solids-liquid separator prior to recycling a portion of said stream to the gas generator as part of the hydrocarbonaceous reactant fuel feed.

Partial oxidation process

This is a partial oxidation process in which heavy hydrocarbonaceous fractions from a petroleum refinery and light liquid paraffinic hydrocarbon extractants are used in the production of synthesis gas, reducing gas, or fuel gas i.e. gaseous mixtures comprising H.sub.2 and CO. In the process, substantially all of the particulate carbon and soot that are simultaneously produced are recovered and recycled to the reaction zone. A dispersion of carbon-soot-light paraffinic hydrocarbon extractant from the decanting zone is combined with a heavy refinery fraction in admixture with a liquid aromatic-rich hydrocarbon to produce a pumpable single liquid phase mixture which is introduced into a fractionation zone where the following streams are separated from each other: (a) a stream of light paraffinic hydrocarbon extractant which is recycled to the decanting zone, (b) a stream comprising at least a portion of the aromatic-rich hydrocarbon which is recycled for mixing with the heavy refinery fraction, and (c) a stream of pumpable dispersion of carbon-soot heavy refinery fraction and any remaining aromatic-rich hydrocarbon which may be used as fuel in the system or exported. Troublesome asphaltene precipitation that causes operational problems and increased viscosity is avoided by the subject process. Comparatively low cost heavy refinery fractions which ordinarily are difficult to handle may be now used along with light liquid paraffinic hydrocarbon extractants.

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Beaumont, TX, United States of America

Harold A Rhodes