US 12,221,583 B2
Assemblies and methods for enhancing control of hydrotreating and fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes using spectroscopic analyzers
Jeffrey A. Sexton, Findlay, OH (US); Roy Roger Bledsoe, Jr., Findlay, OH (US); Lance T. Campbell, Findlay, OH (US); Randy N. Ridge, Findlay, OH (US); and Brian K. Wilt, Findlay, OH (US)
Assigned to MARATHON PETROLEUM COMPANY LP, Findlay, OH (US)
Filed by MARATHON PETROLEUM COMPANY LP, Findlay, OH (US)
Filed on Dec. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/391,814.
Application 18/391,814 is a continuation of application No. 18/052,784, filed on Nov. 4, 2022, granted, now 11,898,109.
Application 18/052,784 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/652,431, filed on Feb. 24, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/268,875, filed on Mar. 4, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/268,827, filed on Mar. 3, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/268,456, filed on Feb. 24, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/153,452, filed on Feb. 25, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0124790 A1, Apr. 18, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C10G 69/04 (2006.01); C10G 11/18 (2006.01); C10G 45/72 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01)
CPC C10G 69/04 (2013.01) [C10G 11/187 (2013.01); C10G 45/72 (2013.01); G05B 19/4183 (2013.01); C10G 2300/1037 (2013.01); C10G 2300/201 (2013.01); C10G 2300/30 (2013.01); C10G 2300/4037 (2013.01); C10G 2400/02 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method to enhance control of hydrotreating and fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) associated with a refining operation, the method comprising:
operating a cat feed hydrotreater (CFH) processing unit to produce CFH unit material;
supplying the CFH unit material to one or more first processing units comprising an FCC processing unit;
operating the one or more first processing units to produce one or more corresponding unit materials, the one or more corresponding unit materials comprising one or more of intermediate materials or unit product materials;
conditioning a hydrocarbon feedstock sample to one or more of: (a) filter the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, (b) change a temperature of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, (c) dilute the hydrocarbon feedstock sample in solvent, or (d) degas the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, thereby to provide a conditioned hydrocarbon feedstock sample;
analyzing the hydrocarbon feedstock sample via a first spectroscopic analyzer to provide hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra;
conditioning a CFH unit material sample to one or more of: (i) filter the CFH unit material sample, (ii) change a temperature of the CFH unit material sample, (iii) dilute the CFH unit material sample, or (iv) degas the CFH unit material sample, thereby to provide a conditioned CFH material sample;
analyzing the conditioned CFH material sample via one or more spectroscopic analyzers, thereby to provide CFH material sample spectra, the one or more spectroscopic analyzers calibrated to generate standardized spectral responses;
predicting one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock sample based at least in part on the hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra;
predicting one or more CFH sample properties associated with the CFH unit material sample based at least in part on the CFH unit material sample spectra; and
controlling, via one or more FCC process controllers, based at least in part on one or more of: (a) the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties or (b) the one or more CFH sample properties, one or more of:
(i) one or more CFH material properties associated with the CFH unit material supplied to the one or more first processing units,
(ii) one or more intermediates properties associated with intermediate materials produced by one or more first processing units comprising an FCC processing unit;
(iii) operation of the CFH processing unit,
(iv) operation of the one or more first processing units;
(v) one or more unit materials properties associated with one or more unit materials produced by the one or more first processing units, or
(vi) operation of one or more second processing units positioned downstream relative to the one or more first processing units,
the controlling comprising operating an analytical cracking model including a machine-learning-trained model, the analytical cracking model being configured to improve an accuracy of one or more of:
(i) predicting one or more hydrocarbon feedstock properties,
(ii) predicting the one or more CFH unit material properties,
(iii) predicting the one or more intermediates properties associated with the intermediate materials produced by the one or more first processing units,
(iv) controlling one or more hydrocarbon feedstock properties of the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the CFH processing unit,
(v) controlling the one or more CFH unit material properties of the CFH unit material supplied to the one or more first processing units,
(vi) controlling the one or more properties associated with the intermediate materials produced by the one or more first processing units,
(vii) controlling one or more effluent properties associated FCC effluent produced by the one or more first processing units,
(viii) the one or more target properties of the unit materials produced by one or more of the first processing units, or
(ix) the one or more target properties of the downstream materials produced by one or more of the second processing units.