Partial oxidation process

Abstract

Synthesis gas is produced by the partial oxidation of a feedstock comprising petroleum coke containing metal sulfide compounds and metal oxy-sulfide compounds and having an ash that contains nickel, vanadium and silicon. In the process, a petroleum coke addition agent, such as elemental iron and/or iron compounds, is introduced into the upper section of a delayed coker and above the level of the nickel and vanadium ash-containing heavy liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel being simultaneously introduced upwardly from the bottom of said delayed coker. By this means the petroleum coke addition agent is distributed uniformly across the surface of liquid hydrocarbonaceous material being coked and then uniformly distributed throughout the liquid fuel. In the delayed coker, a portion of the petroleum coke addition agent is reacted with a portion of the sulfur in the heavy liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel to produce metal oxy-sulfides and metal sulfides. After coking, the solid petroleum coke is ground and introduced into the free-flow partial oxidation gas generator as feed. Since the petroleum coke containing the dispersed addition agent is ground together to the proper size for reaction in the partial oxidation gas generator, the addition agent may be originally purchased to a larger particle size at a significant reduction in cost. In the reaction zone of the gasifier, in a preferred embodiment the petroleum coke addition agent containing metal sulfides and metal oxy-sulfides combines with at least a portion of the nickel constituents and sulfur found in the fuel feedstock to produce a liquid phase washing agent that collects and transports at least a portion of the vanadium-containing oxide laths and spinels and other ash components out of the reaction zone. By this method, molten slag having a reduced viscosity and containing the nickel and vanadium-containing impurities from the feedstock are readily removed from the gas generator at a lower temperature. Further, the life of the refractory lining is extended. Alternatively, a petroleum coke addition agent is used in the process which will increase the ash fusion temperature of the ash produced by the partial oxidation of the petroleum coke containing uniformly distributed addition agent.