Method for recovering hydrocarbons from molten metal halides

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Having thus described the invention, I claim: 1.
In a process for hydrocracking heavy carbonaceous materials by contacting said heavy carbonaceous materials with hydrogen in the presence of a molten metal halide catalyst to produce hydrocarbons having a lower molecular weight and thereafter separating at least a major portion of said hydrocarbons from the spent molten metal halide, the improvement comprising separating a major portion of said hydrocarbons from said spent melt and thereafter injecting into said spent molten metal halide a liquid low-boiling hydrocarbon stream so that said liquid low-boiling hydrocarbon stream is vaporized in said spent molten metal halide thereby recovering additional quantities of heavy hydrocarbonaceous material from said spent molten metal halide.
2.
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said metal halide is zinc halide.
3.
The improvement of claim 2 wherein said low-boiling stream has a boiling point, at one atmosphere, below about 200.
degree.
C.
4.
The improvement of claim 3 wherein the boiling point of said low-boiling stream is greater than about 50.
degree.
C.
5.
The improvement of claim 1 wherein substantially all hydrocarbons having a boiling point below about 475.
degree.
C have been removed from said molten zinc chloride prior to injection of said liquid low-boiling hydrocarbon stream.




Description:
This application relates to the conversion of heavy hydrocarbonaceous materials into lower molecular weight hydrocarbons by reaction with hydrogen in the presence of a molten metal halide catalyst.
This invention further relates to an improvement in methods for hydrocracking heavy hydrocarbonaceous materials by reacting such materials with hydrogen in the presence of a molten metal halide catalyst wherein a liquid low-boiling hydrocarbon stream is introduced into the spent molten metal halide.
As a result of the continuing well-known shortage of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, natural gas and the like, a continuing effort has been devoted to the development of alternative fuel sources which do not depend upon petroleum as a feedstock