Eni S.p.a.

Stefania Guidetti

Alberto Renato De Angelis

Giuseppe Belmonte

Alberto Maria Malandrino

Alberto Landoni

Simone Cattaneo

Alberto Malandrino

There is a process for the selective recovery of transition metals from an organic stream containing transition metals. The organic stream and possibly a first extractor if solid, are melted up to the liquid state. The extractor consists of an ionic liquid or a mixture of two or more ionic liquids and the ionic liquid contains an ammonium salt as cation and as anion an anion with chelating properties. A melted organic stream and a first extractor, optionally melted, are fed to a first liquid-liquid extraction unit working at a temperature of at least 150° C. where the liquid-liquid extraction is carried out obtaining a liquid mixture containing an ionic liquid, or a mixture of two or more ionic liquids, and metals. After extraction, the liquid mixture is cooled at a temperature between 0° C. and 70° C. and becomes biphasic; then the cooled mixture is sent to a first separation unit, to separate a liquid phase that contains ionic liquids and metals, and a metal-depleted solid phase. After the first separation, the separated metal-depleted solid phase is optionally sent to a washing unit to which a solvent is fed, so as to eliminate the residual ionic liquid by transferring it into the solvent and obtaining a metal-depleted solid phase. Then the separate liquid phase containing ionic liquids and metals is sent into a liquid-liquid precipitation and separation unit, adding a counter-solvent, thereby obtaining a solid phase containing the metals and a liquid stream containing counter-solvent and ionic liquids.

Process for the selective recovery of transition metals from organic residues

A process for the hydroconversion of heavy oil products includes the following steps where heavy oil products and hydrogen are supplied to a slurry hydroconversion section having a molybdenum-based catalyst: separating the reaction effluent into a vapour phase and a slurry phase; and sending the slurry phase to a separation section having the function of separating the Vacuum Gas Oil, Heavy Vacuum Gas Oil, Light Vacuum Gas Oil, and Atmospheric Gas Oil fractions, from a stream of heavy organic products which contains asphaltenes, unconverted feed, catalyst, and solid formed during the hydroconversion reaction. This stream is partly sent to the reaction section and partly forms a purge stream, which is heated and made fluid between 185&#xb0; C.-220&#xb0; C., and subjected to a static settling unit up to at least 100&#xb0; C. From the settling unit two new products, clarified component and cake, are obtained. The clarified component is recycled to the hydroconversion reaction section.

Process for the hydroconversion of heavy oil products with recycling

The present invention relates to a method for the physical separation of solids and asphaltenes with a conversion degree higher than or equal to 90%, present in refinery purge streams. Said method provides for heating a refinery purge stream to a temperature higher than or equal to 185&#xb0; C. and not exceeding 220&#xb0; C. and, subsequently, subjecting said heated purge to sedimentation by progressively lowering the temperature in a controlled manner to a minimum temperature of 100&#xb0; C., without stirring the purge, so as to form a light phase and a heavy phase defined in relation to the density.

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Bergamo, Italy

Stefania Guidetti