Sub-Product

Hydrotreated vacuum residue is a processed heavy petroleum fraction that has undergone hydrotreatment to improve its quality and reduce contaminants.

Processing Characteristics

The hydrotreating process occurs in multiple fixed-bed reactors operating at high hydrogen pressure and elevated temperatures. The process involves two key stages: hydrodemetallization (HDM) to remove metals and break down asphaltenes, followed by hydrodesulfurization (HDS) for sulfur removal.

Physical Properties

The conversion of hydrotreated vacuum residue can reach between 51.8% to 91.7% depending on operating conditions.

The process results in:

• Lower molecular weight products
• Higher aromaticity in the unconverted material
• Increased density in the unconverted portion

Operating Parameters

Modern hydrotreating units typically operate with:

• Reaction temperatures around 405-436°C
• Liquid Hourly Space Velocity (LHSV) between 0.10-0.13 h⁻¹

Usage

The quality of the hydrotreated product is particularly important for downstream processes, as it serves as feedstock for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units or can be used in fuel oil blending.

References

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