Kinetic Modeling of Arab Light Vacuum Residue Upgrading by Aquaprocessing at High Space Velocities

Aquaprocessing (AQP) is a novel method that offers higher
conversion
level under asphaltenes stability limit. It is a process of steam
catalytic cracking using unsupported ultradispersed catalyst. Following
a 2011 published work by Fathi and Pereira on upgrading a paraffinic
residuum from Arab Light Vacuum Residue (ALVR) by AQP, this work investigates
a proposed lumped kinetic model for the upgrading of ALVR via AQP
for the first time. The model is evaluated based on experimental results
conducted in a continuous upflow open tubular pilot-plant reactor
under short-space times and under conditions distant from coke formation.
The proposed model is based on five cascaded lumps generated at and
below the asphaltenes stability limit: 540 °C+ ALVR, VGO (455–540
°C), distillates (204–455 °C), naphtha (IBP–204
°C), and gases. The model compositions are found close to the
experimental values with mean absolute percentage errors (MAPEs) of
<5.5%.