Solvent Deasphalting Process

OIL
REFINING
Extract Value from Heavy 
Crudes B E N E F I T S
The conversion of Atmospheric Residue
(AR) or Vacuum Residues (VR) into light • Advanced Extractor Design
distillates (naphtha, diesel oil) is the solution • Extensive Experience for Asphalt
to eliminate the increasing excess of heavy Utilization
fuels and to satisfy the increasing demand • Solvent Recovery at Reduced Cost
for higher value transportation fuels.
| Solvahl™

Solvent deasphalting (SDA)-based schemes

are one of the pieces of the puzzle for
heavy residue upgrading schemes. SDA
technology is also used for lube production.
More than 35 years of
Experience
Solvahl™ is the reference for SDA technology,
Starting in 1983, a unit built in association
which fully removes the asphaltenes, most
with IFP Energies nouvelles, Elf and Total
of the metals and other impurities contained
demonstrated the Solvahl™ process on
in the residue feed.
an industrial scale in a 1,600 bpsd semi-
commercial refinery near Lyon.

COMMERCIAL
EXPERIENCE

First SDA unit with Solvahl™ technology

started in 1968 for lube production.
Today, Solvahl™ technology is well
established with 15 units licensed
worldwide, with a cumulative capacity of
over 11,244,000 tons per year.
Ï Figure 1: 600 bpsd Solvahl™ semi-commercial
plant

AR or VR, as well as residues from

hydroconversion or visbreaking, originating
from over 150 different residue feeds were
studied. Crude-oil origins varied from light
to ultra heavy crudes from Arabia, Canada
& Venezuela.
 Solvents used in the Solvahl™ process can vary from C3
High Yields of High Quality DAO to C6 depending on feed properties and downstream
Solvent Recovery at Reduced Cost
The Solvahl™ SDA process produces a high yield of deasphalted oil (DAO) containing a minimum process objectives. The separation of DAO from the solvent operates at
quantity of C5 and C7 insolubles (commonly called asphaltenes). “opti-critical” conditions that are significantly different
The relative yields of DAO and asphalt, as well as the
from conventional super-critical designs.
S characteristics of both products, are linked to the nature
of the feed, the operating conditions and the solvent The specific features of opti-critical technology are:
E type. • Dedicated specific packing
S DAO Separator • Separator sizing
E
Coal • Operation at low solvent/feed ratio
Heater • Right choice of pressure/temperature in the opti-
Feed Deasphalting
critical DAO separator.
Step Advanced Extractor Design
S H2 The opti-critical technology shows operating cost
H1 The yield and quality of DAO depend not only on
savings to be higher than 30% compared to a
T Steam T Steam the feed composition and the choice of solvent and
F conventional stripping system and exhibits lower
operating conditions, but also on the extraction system
E investment and better operability compared to a
design.
conventional super-critical recovery system.
S Make-Up The key parameters for extractor design are:
S Drum
DAO • Solvent-to-feed ratio and solvent distribution with feed
Asphalt
Conditioning and extractor bottom
• Extractor sizing
• Feed and solvent distributors
S Solvent E Exchanger H Heater F Flash Drum T Stripping Tower
• Extractor temperature profile
Extensive Experience for Asphalt
• Structured packing package.
Utilization
Ï Figure 2: Solvahl™ typical process scheme Several uses for the asphalt produced have been
By using countercurrent flow, establishment of a
thoroughly evaluated. It can be recovered in liquid fuel
temperature gradient and the use of dedicated
or as pellets thanks to a solidification process. After
packing, the Solvahl™ process takes advantage of its
The C7 asphaltene (insoluble in C7) content of the DAO The figure 3 shows the impact of DAO asphaltene content solidification, asphalt can be routed to Circulated Fluid
outstanding extractor design, combining excellent
is the key factor in determining DAO hydroprocessing on the performance of the downstream hydroconversion Boiler (CFB) to produce steam or to gasification unit to be
extraction selectivity at high throughput and low
efficiency. process. When C7 insolubles are reduced to below then shifted to hydrogen; depending on site constraints.
solvent/feed ratios.
0.05 wt %, hydroprocessing performances, such as
This is highlighted by using DAO issued from the same These different uses have been studied since several
hydrodesulfurization (HDS) or hydrodenitrogenation The process extracts a maximum amount of high purity
feed, having two different asphaltene contents as shown years through partnerships with specialized companies.
(HDN), are much better and the resulting products are DAO at a low solvent/feed ratio, while producing asphalt
in the table 1.
more stable. with a high softening point. In some cases, asphalt can also be used for production
of high-grade road bitumen. Axens through IFP Energies
DAO CHARACTERISTICS “CLEAN DAO” “Dirty DAO” 100
nouvelles conducted many studies on this path.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY, KG/L 1.003 1.012
90
SULFUR, WT %: 4.16 4.57
HDS & HDN, wt%

CONRADSON CARBON, WT % 9.9 13.2 80

C7 ASPHALTENES, WT PPM < 100 6,000
70
NICKEL + VANADIUM, WT PPM 85 140

60
Ï Table 1: Characteristics of DAO at two different asphaltene
contents 50

TIME

 HDS Clean DAO  HDN Clean DAO

 HDS Dirty DAO  HDN Dirty DAO

axens.net
Ï Figure 3: Impact of asphaltenes on DAO hydrocracking
performance

2 3
Solvahl™ Applications › H-Oil® are ebullated-bed resid
& distillate hydrocracking
The solvent deasphalting process must be designed as a function of the feed and the
processes
specifications required for the downstream conversion process.
In general, the specifications for asphaltenes and Conradson Carbon Residue for TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
hydrocracking and fluid catalytic cracking are as follows: H-Oil® Process
• Hydrocracking (HyK): Asphaltenes < 0.02 wt %
• FCC: Conradson Carbon < 2.5 wt %
• Residue FCC: Conradson Carbon < 8.0 wt %. H-Oil® Suite
The figure 4 gives typical applications of the Solvahl™ unit in residue conversion schemes.

Low/Medium CCR DAO Feeds Heavy Resid/DAO Feeds

VGO
VGO VR
Solvahl™ H-Oil®
VR Guard Bed DAO
Solvahl™ FCC
DAO & HDT
Asphalt
Asphalt Unconverted
DAO

Max Gasoline Production VR Conversion 60-75%

VGO
VR
VR Guard Bed H-Oil®
Solvahl™
DAO & HDT Downstream
Solvahl™
Unit
Asphalt
Asphalt

Max Middle Distillate Production VR Conversion 80-95%

Low Asphalt Production

Ï Figure 4: Full DAO conversion schemes with Solvahl™ process

Axens is a group providing a complete range of solutions for the conversion of oil
and biomass to cleaner fuels, the production and purification of major petrochemical
intermediates as well as all of natural gas treatment and conversion options. The
integrated offer includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts,
adsorbents and related services, commercialized under “Axens Solutions”, “Heurtey
Petrochem Solutions” and “Axens Horizon” brands.
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2021-12_Solvahl