Technology Unit

After the Reaction, the Products are separated by a Fractionator.

The residual unconverted Heavy Fraction at the Bottom of the Vacuum Distillation Column, containing all of the Catalyst, is recycled back to the Reactor, and only a small part of the Heavy Fraction is purged (1–3 wt% of the Fresh Feed) to avoid the Accumulation of Coke Precursors and of Ni and V Sulfides from the Organometallic Compounds contained in the Feedstock. With the Purge, a limited amount of MoS₂ is also removed; therefore, an equivalent amount is fed continuously to the Reactor to keep its concentration constant at a few thousand ppmw. The Purge can be used as a Fuel in the Cement or Steel industries.

Source: G. Bellussi et al., Hydroconversion of heavy residues in slurry reactors: Developments and perspectives, J. Catal. (2013),