Process for reducing the viscosity of heavy hydrocarbon oils
US5096566A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 11, 1991 |
| Grant date | Mar 17, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 11, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC10G47/22
- WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A process is described for reducing the viscosity of heavy hydrocarbon oils which comprises separately heating a stream of heavy hydrocarbon oil and a stream of gas, mixing the hot gas and hot heavy hydrocarbon oil under pressure and immediately thereafter passing the heavy oil/gas mixture through a small nozzle or orifice such that a substantial pressure drop occurs across the orifice and the heavy oil/gas mixture is ejected from the orifice as a spray in the form of fine oil droplets entrained by highly turbulent gas flow. This spray is discharged into a confined reaction zone from which the oil of reduced viscosity is collected.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.