Solvent Deasphalting

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• Vacuum Distillation Unit
• Atmospheric Distillation
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• Visbreaker
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Summary

• Solvent deasphalting process (SDA) is a separation process that, unlike vacuum distillation, separates by molecular type. It selectively dissolves certain components, leaving an asphaltic residue that contains contaminants. The deasphalted oil can be used in Lube Oil production or as a feed to Hydrocrackers or FCCs

How It Works

• The process consists of contacting the feedstock with a solvent in a countercurrent extractor at temperatures and pressures to precipitate the asphaltene and resin fractions that are not soluble in the solvent.
• Paraffins on the other hand are soluble in the solvent at lower temperatures, but their solubility decreases with increasing temperature.
• Deasphalted oil quality at a constant yield can be increased by increasing temperature and solvent-to-feed ratio.
• It produces a low-contaminant deasphalted oil (DAO) rich in paraffinic-type molecules, suitable for catalytic conversion processes, and a contaminant rich pitch stream.
• The solvent is separated from the deasphalted oil in the downstream deasphalted oil separator, then recovered and recycled.

Feed & Products

• Feed: Vacuum Residue
• Products: Deasphalted oil, Pitch

Relevant Links

1. Description Of Petroleum Refining Processes And Related Health And Safety Considerations
2. ROSE® (Residuum Oil Supercritical Extraction)
3. Foster Wheeler, Solvent Deasphalting
4. Intertek, Deasphalting

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