Abstract: An overall optimization study involving computer modeling of shale upgrading was performed in Phase IV. This study utilized the analytical and experimental data from Phases I II, and III of the program. Computer modeling of the process was used to define an economic optimum configuration. The economic and yield trade-offs of producing either JP-4 or JP-8 aviation turbine fuels as the primary products were evaluated. along with a detailed analysis of the experimental data and definition of remaining problems. Summary: The Ashland Petroleum Company Research and Development Department has completed a four-phase research program funded under Department of Defense Contract F3361S-78-C-2080. This program evaluated, on concept, laboratory, pilot plant, and computer model bases, Ashland's EXTRACTACRACKING process for production of military specification fuels from Occidental and Paraho crude shale oils. This report presents the experimental data analysis and computer modeling results for the final, Phase IV, portion of this contract. Scale-up evaluations indicated reasonable agreement between laboratory and pilot plant results. Most operating differences were directly reconcilable when operating conditions and/or feedstock properties were considered. There were scale-up problems encountered, however, in the aromatic saturation module. Computer modeling of these data indicated that Occidental oil would be refined at lower severity in this process than Paraho oil, with a resulting cost advantage of 2 to 3 dollars per barrel. Incremental production of turbine fuel of up to SOM barrels per day above a base level of 23M barrels per day was shown to require only S to 10 cents per gallon additional production cost. Evaluation of changes in apparent plant optimums at different contract stages demonstrates that increasing feedstock costs (from 16 to 40 dollars per barrel) have resulted in much higher proportionate product charges, resulting in a strong driving force for increasing process severity to maximize liquid fuel yields. Future price increases would be anticipated to continue this trend.
