Commercial Ebullated Bed Vacuum Residue Hydrocracking Performance Improvement during Processing Difficult Feeds

The Urals and Siberian vacuum residues are considered difficult to process in the ebullated bed hydrocracking because of their increased tendency form sediments. Their achievable conversion rate reported literature is 60%. Intercriteria analysis was used assess data from a commercial residue hydrocracker during processing blends three residues: Urals, Light, Basra Heavy. revealed that main contributors enhancement hydrodemetallization (HDM) first reactor ΔT augmentation. increase HDM 40 98% (ΔT(R1)) 49 91 °C were associated with 62.0 82.7 wt.%. developed nonlinear regression prediction ΔT(R1) suggests bigger influence on augmentation than increase. intercriteria evaluation higher suppresses sediment formation greater extent HDM. During Basrah Heavy residue, reduction hydrodeasphaltization (HDAs) 73.6 55.2% 88 81% observed. It confirmed HDAs interrelated. found attainment 80 wt.% Light possible when about 90% LHSV ≤ 0.19 h−1.