1. A process for the hydroconversion of heavy oils, said process comprising the following steps:
(a) providing at least two upflow reactors in series, a first reactor and a second reactor, with a separator in between each reactor;
(b) combining a heated heavy oil feed, an active slurry catalyst composition and a hydrogen-containing gas to form a mixture;
(c) passing the mixture of step (b) to the bottom of the first reactor, which is maintained at hydroprocessing conditions, including elevated temperature and pressure;
(d) removing a vapor stream comprising products, hydrogen, unconverted material and slurry catalyst from the top of the first reactor and passing it to a first separator;
(e) in the first separator, removing the products and hydrogen to further processing and passing a liquid bottoms stream, comprising unconverted material and slurry catalyst, to the bottom of the second reactor, which is maintained at slurry hydroprocessing conditions, including elevated temperature and pressure;
(f) removing a vapor stream comprising products and hydrogen unconverted material and slurry catalyst from the top of the second reactor and passing it to a second separator;
(g) in the second separator, removing the products and hydrogen overhead as a vapor stream to further processing and passing a bottoms stream, comprising unconverted material and slurry catalyst to further processing
(h) Wherein the bottoms material of step (g) is recycled to step (b), the mixture of step (b) further comprising recycled unconverted material and slurry catalyst.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein the bottoms material of step (f) is passed to the bottom of a third reactor which is maintained at hydroconversion conditions, including elevated temperature and pressure.
3. The process of claim 1, in which at least one of the reactors is a liquid recirculating reactor.
4. The process of claim 3, in which the recirculating reactor employs a pump.
5. The process of claim 1, in which hydroprocessing conditions employed in each reactor comprise a total pressure in the range from 1500 through 3500 psia and temperature from 700 through 900 F.
6. The process of claim 1, in which the total pressure is preferably in the range from 2000 through 3000 psia and temperature is preferably in the range from 775 through 850 F.
7. The process of claim 1, wherein the separator located between each reactor is a flash drum.
8. The hydroconversion process of claim 1, wherein the heavy oil is selected from the group consisting of atmospheric residuum, vacuum residuum, tar from a solvent deasphlating unit, atmospheric gas oils, vacuum gas oils, deasphalted oils, olefins, oils derived from tar sands or bitumen, oils derived from coal, heavy crude oils, synthetic oils from Fischer-Tropsch processes, and oils derived from recycled oil wastes and polymers.
9. The hydroconversion process of claim 1, wherein the process is selected from the group consisting of hydrocracking, hydrotreating, hydrodesuiphurization, hydrodenitrification, and hydrodemetalization.
10. The process of claim 1, wherein the active slurry catalyst composition of claim 1 is prepared by the following steps:
(a) mixing a Group VIB metal oxide and aqueous ammonia to form a Group VI B metal compound aqueous mixture;
(b) sulfiding, in an initial reaction zone, the aqueous mixture of step (a) with a gas comprising hydrogen sulfide to a dosage greater than 8 SCF of hydrogen sulfide per pound of Group VIB metal to form a slurry;
(c) promoting the slurry with a Group VIII metal compound;
(d) mixing the slurry of step (c) with a hydrocarbon oil having a viscosity of at least 2 cSt @212\xb0 F. to form an intermediate mixture;
(e) combining the intermediate mixture with hydrogen gas in a second reaction zone, under conditions which maintain the water in the intermediate mixture in a liquid phase, thereby forming an active catalyst composition admixed with a liquid hydrocarbon; and (f) recovering the active catalyst composition.
11. The process of claim 1, in which about 98 wt % of heavy oil feed is converted to lighter products.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A driving support apparatus, which supports a driving operation of a vehicle by an operator by capturing a view around the vehicle and by displaying the captured view on at least a displaying means provided inside a cabin of the vehicle, comprising:
a target spot setting means for setting a target spot that is a position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle;
a distance measuring means for measuring a distance between the vehicle and the target spot;
a speed measuring means for measuring a traveling speed of the vehicle; and
a speed controlling means for controlling the traveling speed of the vehicle so as not to exceed a speed predetermined in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot;
wherein operation of an accelerator by the operator during driving support execution does not cause the traveling speed to exceed the predetermined speed.
2. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target spot setting means sets the target spot based on a position which the operator specifies on an image displayed on the displaying means.
3. A driving support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the displaying means changes an image to be displayed, in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot.
4. A driving support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the target spot setting means sets the position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle, based on at least one of a bumper portion of the vehicle and a wheel portion of the vehicle.
5. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target spot setting means sets the target spot based on a distance, and a direction, from the vehicle, which the operator specifies.
6. A driving support apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the displaying means changes an image to be displayed, in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot.
7. A driving support apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the target spot setting means sets the position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle, based on at least one of a bumper portion of the vehicle and a wheel portion of the vehicle.
8. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displaying means changes an image to be displayed, in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot.
9. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target spot setting means sets the position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle, based on at least one of a bumper portion of the vehicle and a wheel portion of the vehicle.
10. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the distance between the vehicle and the target spot is at, or greater than, a first distance, a maximum speed value of the traveling speed of the vehicle is controlled at a first predetermined speed by the speed controlling means.
11. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a maximum speed value of the traveling speed of the vehicle is lowered by the speed controlling means in response to an approach of the vehicle to the target spot.
12. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, until the vehicle reaches the target spot, the traveling speed of the vehicle is controlled to change stepwise from a first predetermined speed to a second predetermined speed which is lower than the first predetermined speed.
13. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displaying means displays, therein, an indication which informs the operator that the traveling speed of the vehicle has been controlled, while the speed controlling means controls the traveling speed of the vehicle so as not to exceed the predetermined speed.
14. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traveling speed of the vehicle is changeable in response to an operation of the accelerator pedal while the driving support is executed.
15. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the speed controlling means controls the traveling speed in a manner where the speed controlling means gradually decreases an upper limit value of the traveling speed as the vehicle approaches to the target spot.
16. A driving support apparatus, which supports a driving operation of a vehicle by an operator by capturing a view around the vehicle and by displaying the captured view on at least a displaying means provided inside a cabin of the vehicle, comprising:
a target spot setting means for setting a target spot that is a position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle;
a distance measuring means for measuring a distance between the vehicle and the target spot;
a speed measuring means for measuring a traveling speed of the vehicle; and
a speed controlling means for controlling the traveling speed of the vehicle so as not to exceed a speed predetermined in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot;
wherein, until the vehicle reaches the target spot, the traveling speed of the vehicle is controlled to change stepwise from a first predetermined speed to a second predetermined speed which is lower than the first predetermined speed.
17. A driving support apparatus, which supports a driving operation of a vehicle by an operator by capturing a view around the vehicle and by displaying the captured view on at least a displaying means provided inside a cabin of the vehicle, comprising:
a target spot setting means for setting a target spot that is a position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle;
a distance measuring means for measuring a distance between the vehicle and the target spot;
a speed measuring means for measuring a traveling speed of the vehicle; and
a speed controlling means for controlling the traveling speed of the vehicle so as not to exceed a speed predetermined in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot;
wherein the displaying means displays, therein, an indication which informs the operator that the traveling speed of the vehicle has been controlled, while the speed controlling means controls the traveling speed of the vehicle so as not to exceed the predetermined speed.