Claims

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What is claimed is:

1. A method of separating components of a mixture comprising: providing a mixture comprising at least one first component, at least one second component and at least oneintermediate component; heating the mixture to a temperature sufficient to permit separation of the mixture into a first stream rich in the at least one first component and a second stream rich in the at least one intermediate component upon passagethrough a column, thereby leaving a heavy residue in a bottom of the column, wherein the heavy residue is rich in the at least one second component; feeding the heated mixture to a column having a flash zone; withdrawing a vapor stream from the columnat a position below the flash zone of the column; separating the vapor stream into a condensate and a resultant vapor stream; and recycling at least one of the resultant vapor stream and the condensate to the column; and selectively withdrawing atleast one of the first stream rich in the at least one first component and the second stream rich in the at least one intermediate component from the column such that the yield of at least one of the at least one first component and the at least oneintermediate components component is increased and the yield of residue is decreased.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the step of feeding the heated mixture to a column, the column is an atmospheric column or a vacuum column.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the step of recycling at least one of the resultant vapor stream and the condensate to the column, at least the resultant vapor stream is recycled to the column, and the method further comprises the step ofrecompressing the resultant vapor stream prior to recycling the vapor stream to the column.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the step of recycling at least one of the resultant vapor stream and the condensate to the column, at least the resultant vapor stream is recycled to the column at a location below the position where theresultant vapor stream was withdrawn from the column, and the method further comprises the step of heating the resultant vapor stream prior to recycling the vapor stream to the column.  WWW.MZP66.BLOGFA.COM
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5. The method of claim 1 wherein, in the step of recycling at least one of the resultant vapor stream and the condensate to the column, the condensate is fed into a side stripper that feeds into the column.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of separating the vapor stream into a condensate and a resultant vapor stream is further defined as cooling the vapor stream to form a condensate and separating the resultant vapor stream from thecondensate.

7. A method of separating components of crude oil comprising: providing crude oil comprising naphtha, kerosene, diesel, gas oil and residue; heating the crude oil to a temperature sufficient to permit separation of the crude oil into a naphthastream, a kerosene stream, a diesel stream and a gas oil stream upon passage through a column; feeding the heated crude oil to a column having a flash zone; withdrawing a vapor stream from the column at a position below the flash zone of the column; separating the vapor stream into a condensate and a resultant vapor stream; recycling the resultant vapor stream to the column; and selectively withdrawing at least one of the naphtha stream, the kerosene stream, the diesel stream and the gas oilstream from the column such that the yield of at least one of naphtha, kerosene, diesel and gas oil is increased and the yield of residue is decreased.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein, in the step of feeding heated crude oil to a column, the column is a distillation column.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein, in the step of feeding heated crude oil to a column, the column is a vacuum column.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of recompressing the resultant vapor stream prior to recycling the vapor stream to the column.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of heating the resultant vapor stream prior to recycling the vapor stream to the column.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of recycling the condensate to the column.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of recycling the condensate into a side stripper that feeds into the column.

14. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of utilizing the condensate as condensed oil.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of separating the vapor stream into a condensate and a resultant vapor stream is further defined as cooling the vapor stream to form a condensate and separating the resultant vapor stream from thecondensate.

16. A method of separating components of crude oil comprising: providing crude oil comprising naphtha, kerosene, diesel, gas oil and residue; heating the crude oil to a temperature sufficient to permit separation of the crude oil into anaphtha stream, a kerosene stream, a diesel stream and a gas oil stream upon passage through a column; feeding the heated crude oil to a column having a flash zone; withdrawing a vapor stream from the column at a position below the flash zone of thecolumn; separating the vapor stream into a condensate and a resultant vapor stream; recycling the condensate to the column; and selectively withdrawing at least one of the naphtha stream, the kerosene stream, the diesel stream and the gas oil streamfrom the column such that the yield of at least one of naphtha, kerosene, diesel and gas oil is increased and the yield of residue is decreased.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein, in the step of feeding heated crude oil to a column, the column is a distillation column.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein, in the step of feeding heated crude oil to a column, the column is a vacuum column.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of disposing of the resultant vapor stream.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of further processing the resultant vapor stream.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of recycling the condensate of heavy components to the column is further defined as feeding the condensate into a side stripper that feeds into the column.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of separating the vapor stream into a condensate and a resultant vapor stream is further defined as cooling the vapor stream to form a condensate and separating the resultant vapor stream from thecondensate.

23. A method of separating components of a mixture comprising: providing an initial mixture comprising at least one individual component having light molecular weight and/or low boiling point, at least one individual component havingintermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point, and at least one individual component having heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point; separating the initial mixture into a first stream composed substantially of intermediatemolecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point components and a second stream composed substantially of light molecular weight and/or low boiling point and heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point components; feeding the second stream into aflash zone of a column capable of separating the initial mixture into at least one light molecular weight and/or low boiling point component stream, at least one intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point component stream and atleast one heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point component stream, wherein the second stream is substantially free of intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point components, thereby utilizing a carrier effect of lightmolecular weight and/or low boiling point components such that a larger portion of the heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point components are vaporized in the flash zone of the column; and selectively withdrawing at least one light molecularweight and/or low boiling point component stream, at least one intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point component stream or at least one heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point component stream from the column such thatthe yield of individual components of the initial mixture is increased.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of feeding the first stream composed substantially of intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point components into the column at a different location than the location atwhich the second stream is fed into the column.  WWW.MZP66.BLOGFA.COM            WWW.MZP66.BLOGFA.COM

25. The method of claim 23 wherein, in the step of providing an initial mixture, the initial mixture is crude oil.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein, in the step of feeding the second stream into the column, the column is a distillation column.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein, in the step of feeding the second stream into the column, the column is a vacuum column.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein, in the step of providing an initial mixture, the initial mixture includes at least two individual components having light molecular weight and/or low boiling point, and wherein the step of selectivelywithdrawing at least one light molecular weight and/or low boiling point component stream is further defined as selectively withdrawing at least a first light molecular weight and/or low boiling point component stream and a second light molecular weightand/or low boiling point component stream.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein, in the step of providing an initial mixture, the initial mixture includes at least two individual components having intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point, and wherein the step ofselectively withdrawing at least one intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point component stream is further defined as selectively withdrawing at least a first intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point componentstream and a second intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point component stream.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein, in the step of providing an initial mixture, the initial mixture includes at least two individual components having heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point, and wherein the step of selectivelywithdrawing at least one heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point component stream is further defined as selectively withdrawing at least a first heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point component stream and a second heavy molecularweight and/or high boiling point component stream.

31. A method of separating components of a mixture comprising: providing an initial mixture comprising at least one individual component having light molecular weight and/or low boiling point, at least one individual component havingintermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point, and at least one individual component having heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point; separating the initial mixture into a first stream rich in light molecular weight and/or lowboiling point components, a second stream rich in heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point components and a third stream rich in intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point components; feeding the first, second and thirdstreams into a column such that the first stream is fed into a first position on the column, the second stream is fed into a second position on the column, and the third stream is fed into a third position on the column, wherein the first and secondpositions are in a flash zone of the column, and wherein the third position is in a location different from the flash zone of the column, thereby utilizing a carrier effect of light molecular weight and/or low boiling point components such that a largerportion of the heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point components are vaporized in the flash zone of the column, and wherein the column is capable of separating the initial mixture into at least one stream composed substantially of oneindividual light molecular weight and/or low boiling point component, at least one stream composed substantially of one individual intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point component and at least one stream composed substantially ofone individual heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point component; and selectively withdrawing at least one individual light molecular weight and/or low boiling point component stream, at least one individual intermediate molecular weight and/orintermediate boiling point component stream or at least one individual heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point component stream from the column such that the yield of individual components of the initial mixture is increased.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein, in the step of providing a mixture, the mixture is crude oil.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein, in the step of feeding the first, second and third streams into a column, the column is a distillation column.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein, in the step of feeding the first, second and third streams into a column, the column is a vacuum column.

35. A method of separating components of a crude oil comprising: providing a crude oil comprising naphtha, kerosene, diesel, gas oil and residue; separating the crude oil into a first stream composed substantially of intermediate molecularweight and/or intermediate boiling point components and a second stream composed substantially of light molecular weight and/or low boiling point and heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point components; feeding the second stream into a flashzone of a column capable of separating the crude oil into a naphtha stream, a kerosene stream, a diesel stream and a gas oil stream, wherein the second stream is substantially free of intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling pointcomponents, thereby utilizing a carrier effect of light molecular weight and/or low boiling point components such that a larger portion of the heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point components are vaporized in the flash zone of the column; andselectively withdrawing at least one of the naphtha stream, the kerosene stream, the diesel stream and the gas oil stream such that the yield of at least one of naphtha, kerosene, diesel and gas oil is increased and the yield of residue is decreased.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising the step of feeding the first stream into the column at a different location than a location at which the second stream is fed into the column.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein, in the step of feeding the second stream into a column, the column is a distillation column.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein, in the step of feeding the second stream into a column, the column is a vacuum column.

39. A method of separating components of a mixture comprising: providing a crude oil comprising naphtha, kerosene, diesel, gas oil and residue; separating the crude oil into a first stream rich in low molecular weight and/or low boiling pointcomponents, a second stream rich in heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point components, and a third stream rich in intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point components; feeding the first, second and third streams into acolumn such that the first stream is fed into a first position on the column, the second stream is fed into a second position on the column, and the third stream is fed into a third position on the column, wherein the first and second positions are in aflash zone of the column, and wherein the third position is in a location different from the flash zone of the column, thereby utilizing a carrier effect of light molecular weight and/or low boiling point components such that a larger portion of theheavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point components are vaporized in the flash zone of the column, and wherein the column is capable of separating the crude oil into a naphtha stream, a kerosene stream, a diesel stream and a gas oil stream; andselectively withdrawing at least one of the naphtha stream, the kerosene stream, the diesel stream and the gas oil stream from the column such that the yield of at least one of naphtha, kerosene, diesel and gas oil is increased and the yield of residueis decreased.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein, in the step of feeding the first, second and third streams into the column, the column is a distillation column.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein, in the step of feeding the first, second and third streams into the column, the column is a vacuum column.

42. A method of separating components of crude oil comprising: providing crude oil comprising naphtha, kerosene, diesel, gas oil and residue; heating the crude oil to a temperature sufficient to permit separation of the crude oil into a vaporstream and a liquid stream; feeding the heated crude oil to a first flash drum and separating the crude oil into the vapor stream and the liquid stream; cooling the vapor stream and feeding the cooled vapor stream to a second flash drum to separate thevapor stream into condensate and a remaining vapor stream, wherein the condensate comprises gas oil components and the remaining vapor stream comprises light components; feeding the condensate into a distillation column whereby the column is capable ofseparating the crude oil into a naphtha stream, a kerosene stream, a diesel stream and a gas oil stream, the condensate being fed into the distillation column above a flash zone of the distillation column; mixing the liquid stream from the first flashdrum and the remaining vapor stream from the second flash drum to provide a mixture and heating the mixture; feeding the mixture into the flash zone of the distillation column; and selectively withdrawing at least one of the naphtha stream, thekerosene stream, the diesel stream and the gas oil stream from the column such that the yield of at least one of naphtha, kerosene, diesel and gas oil is increased and residue yield is decreased.

43. The method of claim 42 further comprising the step of splitting the condensate from the second flash drum into at least two liquid streams prior to feeding the condensate into the distillation column such that the at least two split liquidstreams containing intermediate components are fed into the distillation column at different locations of the distillation column.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein at least one of the split liquid streams is fed into a side-stripper of the distillation column.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the side-stripper is a gas oil side-stripper.

46. The method of claim 44 wherein the side-stripper is a diesel side-stripper.

47. The method of claim 44 wherein the side-stripper is a kerosene side-stripper.

48. A method of separating components of crude oil comprising: providing crude oil comprising naphtha, kerosene, diesel, gas oil and residue; heating the crude oil to a temperature sufficient to permit separation of the crude oil into a vaporstream and a liquid stream; feeding the heated crude oil to a first flash drum and separating the crude oil into the vapor stream and the liquid stream; cooling the vapor stream and feeding the cooled vapor stream to a second flash drum to separate thevapor stream into condensate and a remaining vapor stream, wherein the condensate comprises gas oil components and the remaining vapor stream comprises light components; feeding the condensate into a distillation column whereby the column is capable ofseparating the crude oil into a naphtha stream, a kerosene stream, a diesel stream and a gas oil stream, the condensate being fed into the distillation column above a flash zone of the column; cooling the remaining vapor stream from the second flashdrum and feeding the cooled remaining vapor stream to a third flash drum to further separate the cooled remaining vapor stream into a residual vapor stream and a residual liquid stream; feeding the residual liquid stream from the third flash drum intothe distillation column above the flash zone of the column; mixing the liquid stream from the first flash drum and the residual vapor stream from the third flash drum to form a mixture and heating the mixture; feeding the mixture into the flash zone ofthe distillation column; and selectively withdrawing at least one of the naphtha stream, the kerosene stream, the diesel stream and the gas oil stream such that the yield of at least one of naphtha, kerosene, diesel and gas oil is increased and residueyield is decreased.

49. A method of separating components of a mixture comprising: providing a mixture comprising at least a first component, a second component and an intermediate component; heating the mixture to a temperature sufficient to permit separation ofthe mixture into a first stream rich in the first component and a second stream rich in the intermediate component upon passage through a column, thereby leaving a heavy residue in a bottom of the column, wherein the heavy residue is rich in the secondcomponent; feeding the heated mixture to a column having a flash zone; withdrawing a vapor stream from the column at a position below the flash zone of the column; separating the vapor stream into a condensate and a resultant vapor stream; andrecycling at least one of the resultant vapor stream and the condensate to the column; and selectively withdrawing at least one of the first stream rich in the first component and the second stream rich in the intermediate component from the column suchthat energy consumption is decreased.

50. A method of separating components of crude oil comprising: providing crude oil comprising naphtha, kerosene, diesel, gas oil and residue; heating the crude oil to a temperature sufficient to permit separation of the crude oil into anaphtha stream, a kerosene stream, a diesel stream and a gas oil stream upon passage through a column; feeding the heated crude oil to a column having a flash zone; withdrawing a vapor stream from the column at a position below the flash zone of thecolumn; separating the vapor stream into a condensate and a resultant vapor stream; recycling the resultant vapor stream to the column; and selectively withdrawing at least one of the naphtha stream, the kerosene stream, the diesel stream and the gasoil stream from the column such that energy consumption is decreased.

51. A method of separating components of crude oil comprising: providing crude oil comprising naphtha, kerosene, diesel, gas oil and residue; heating the crude oil to a temperature sufficient to permit separation of the crude oil into anaphtha stream, a kerosene stream, a diesel stream and a gas oil stream upon passage through a column; feeding the heated crude oil to a column having a flash zone; withdrawing a vapor stream from the column at a position below the flash zone of thecolumn; separating the vapor stream into a condensate and a resultant vapor stream; recycling the condensate of heavy components to the column; and selectively withdrawing at least one of the naphtha stream, the kerosene stream, the diesel stream andthe gas oil stream from the column such that energy consumption is decreased.

52. A method of separating components of a mixture comprising: providing an initial mixture comprising at least one individual component having light molecular weight and/or low boiling point, at least one individual component havingintermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point, and at least one individual component having heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point; separating the initial mixture into a first stream composed substantially of intermediatemolecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point components and a second stream composed substantially of light molecular weight and/or low boiling point and heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point components; feeding the second stream into aflash zone of a column capable of separating the initial mixture into at least one light molecular weight and/or low boiling point component stream, at least one intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point component stream and atleast one heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point component stream, wherein the second stream is substantially free of intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point components, thereby utilizing a carrier effect of lightmolecular weight and/or low boiling point components such that a larger portion of the heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point components are vaporized in the flash zone of the column; and selectively withdrawing at least one light molecularweight and/or low boiling point component stream, at least one intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point component stream or at least one heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point component stream from the column such thatenergy consumption is decreased.

53. A method of separating components of a mixture comprising: providing an initial mixture comprising at least one individual component having light molecular weight and/or low boiling point, at least one individual component havingintermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point, and at least one individual component having heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point; separating the initial mixture into a first stream rich in light molecular weight and/or lowboiling point components, a second stream rich in heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point components and a third stream rich in intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point components; feeding the first, second and thirdstreams into a column such that the first stream is fed into a first position on the column, the second stream is fed into a second position on the column, and the third stream is fed into a third position on the column, wherein the first and secondpositions are in a flash zone of the column, and wherein the third position is in a location different from the flash zone of the column, thereby utilizing a carrier effect of light molecular weight and/or low boiling point components such that a largerportion of the heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point components are vaporized in the flash zone of the column, and wherein the column is capable of separating the initial mixture into at least one stream composed substantially of oneindividual light molecular weight and/or low boiling point component, at least one stream composed substantially of one individual intermediate molecular weight and/or intermediate boiling point component and at least one stream composed substantially ofone individual heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point component; and selectively withdrawing at least one individual light molecular weight and/or low boiling point component stream, at least one individual intermediate molecular weight and/orintermediate boiling point component stream or at least one individual heavy molecular weight and/or high boiling point component stream from the column such that energy consumption is decreased.