Abstract: Processes and systems for quenching an effluent. In certain embodiments, the process can include contacting a pyrolysis effluent and a first quench medium to produce a first quenched effluent. A bottoms stream that can include tar and an overhead stream that can include ethylene and propylene can be obtained from the first quenched effluent. The first quench medium can include a first portion of the bottoms stream that can include a first portion of the tar. In certain embodiments, the process can also include hydroprocessing a second portion of the bottoms stream that can include a second portion of the tar to produce a hydroprocessed product. A hydroprocessed bottoms stream can be obtained from the hydroprocessed product. In certain embodiments, the process can also include contacting at least a portion of the hydroprocessed bottoms stream and the first portion of the bottoms stream to produce the first quench medium.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processes, methods, systems, and apparatus for steam cracking hydrocarbon in a pyrolysis furnace having a convection zone and a radiant zone. The convection zone includes three heat exchangers in series with a serpentine arrangement. A fluid source is disposed each heat exchanger to provide steam into the heat exchangers. The present disclosure further relates to a process of adjusting the stream flow rate for each fluid source to control operating conditions such as flue gas temperature, stack temperatures, and temperatures of other components of the furnace.

Abstract: Processes and systems for pyrolysing a hydrocarbon. In some examples, the process can include mixing a cooled hydrocarbon effluent and a cooled de-coking effluent to produce a combined effluent. The combined effluent can be introduced into an inlet conduit of a separator under conditions that provide >80 wt. % of the plurality of coke particles with a Stokes number of >10. From a first exit conduit of the separator >55 wt. % of the plurality of coke particles in the combined effluent can be removed, and from a second exit conduit of the separator a coke-lean hydrocarbon effluent that includes <45 wt. % of the plurality of coke particles in the combined effluent can be removed. The first exit conduit and the second exit conduit can be coupled to the inlet conduit.

Abstract: An exhaust steam stream having an absolute pressure from 200 kPa to 1,050 kPa and shaft power are produced from an extraction turbine and/or a back-pressure turbine. The exhaust steam stream can be supplied to an amine regenerator of an amine CO2 separation process. The shaft power can be utilized to drive equipment in a hydrocarbon processing plant such as an olefins production plant.

Abstract: Conduits for cooling a hydrocarbon stream and processes for using same. The conduit can include a first inner wall defining a first bore, a second inner wall defining a second bore, and an outer wall disposed about the first and second inner walls. The conduit can also include an annular support wall connected to an inner surface of the outer wall. An end of the second inner wall and an end of the annular support wall can define a perimeter opening that can be in fluid communication with the second bore. An annular flexible ring can be bonded to the annular support wall and can flexibly contact the first inner wall. A substantially annular cavity can be disposed between the second inner and the outer walls and in fluid communication with the perimeter opening. A quench fluid introduction port can be configured to introduce a quench fluid into the cavity.

Abstract: An H2-rich fuel gas production plant comprising a syngas production unit can be advantageously integrated with an olefins production plant comprising a steam cracker in at least one of the following: (i) fuel gas supply and consumption; (ii) feed supply and consumption; and (iii) steam supply and consumption, to achieve considerable savings in capital and operational costs, enhanced energy efficiency, and reduced CO2 emissions, compared to operating the plants separately.

Abstract: An H2-rich fuel gas stream can be advantageously produced by reforming a hydrocarbon/steam mixture in to produce a reformed stream, followed by cooling the reformed stream in a waste-heat recovery unit to produce a high-pressure steam stream, shifting the cooled reformed stream a first shifted stream, cooling the first shifted stream, shifting the cooled first shifted stream to produce a second shifted stream, cooling the second shifted stream, abating water from the cooled second shifted stream to obtain a crude gas mixture stream comprising H2 and CO2, and recovering a CO2 stream from the crude gas mixture stream. The H2-rich stream can be advantageously combusted to provide thermal energy needed for residential, office, and/or industrial applications including in the H2-rich fuel gas production process. The H2-rich fuel gas production process can be advantageously integrated with an olefins production plant comprising a steam cracker.

Abstract: A high-pressure steam stream produced from the waste heat recovery system of a syngas producing unit may be superheated and then supplied to a steam turbine in a hydrocarbon production plant to produce an expanded steam stream and shaft power. A portion of the expanded stream can be fed into the reforming reactor in the syngas producing unit. The shaft power can be used to drive compressors and pumps in an olefins production plant. Considerable energy efficiency and capital investment savings can be realized by such steam integration compared to running the olefins production plant separately.

Abstract: Furnace systems and methods for steam cracking hydrocarbons to produce ethylene and other light olefins are provided herein. A furnace system for cracking hydrocarbons includes a radiant firebox containing a plurality of burners and an injection nozzle, a primary transfer line exchanger fluidly coupled to and downstream of the radiant firebox, and a flow restrictor fluidly coupled to and downstream of the primary transfer line exchanger. The furnace system also includes a decoke vessel containing an effluent inlet, a fluid outlet, and a coke outlet, where the effluent inlet is fluidly coupled to and downstream of the flow restrictor and the fluid outlet is fluidly coupled to and upstream of the injection nozzle of the radiant firebox, and a coke collection bin is coupled to the coke outlet of the decoke vessel.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for performing ethane steam cracking at elevated coil inlet pressures and/or elevated coil outlet pressures in small diameter furnace coils. Instead of performing steam cracking of ethane at a coil outlet pressure of ˜22 psig or less (˜150 kPa-g or less), the steam cracking of ethane can be performed in small diameter furnace coils at a coil outlet pressure of 30 psig to 75 psig (˜200 kPa-g to ˜520 kPa-g), or 40 psig to 75 psig (˜270 kPa-g to ˜520 kPa-g). In order to achieve such higher coil outlet pressures, a correspondingly higher coil inlet pressure can also be used, such as a pressure of 45 psig (˜310 kPa-g) or more, or 50 psig (˜340 kPa-g) or more.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of reducing thermal shock in one or more radiant tubes of a pyrolysis furnace is provided. The apparatus is a furnace comprising a blower and blower bypass conduit providing separate fluid communication paths for flue gas from the convection section to a natural draft flue gas stack. The method comprises the steps of: redirecting at least a portion of the flue gas through the blower bypass conduit when a blower shut-off event is indicated as well as reducing the firing rate of the furnace.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of reducing thermal shock in one or more radiant tubes of a pyrolysis furnace is provided. The apparatus is a furnace comprising a blower and blower bypass conduit providing separate fluid communication paths for flue gas from the convection section to a natural draft flue gas stack. The method comprises the steps of: redirecting at least a portion of the flue gas through the blower bypass conduit when a blower shut-off event is indicated as well as reducing the firing rate of the furnace.

Abstract: A burner for use in furnaces such as in steam cracking.

Abstract: A burner for use in furnaces such as those employed in steam cracking. The burner includes a primary air chamber for supplying a first portion of air, a burner tube having an upstream end and a downstream end, a burner tip having an outer diameter, the burner tip mounted on the downstream end of the burner tube adjacent a first opening in the furnace, so that combustion of the fuel takes place downstream of the burner tip producing a gaseous fuel flame, at least one air port in fluid communication with a secondary air chamber for supplying a second portion of air, the at least one air port radially positioned beyond the outer diameter of the burner tip and at least one non-gaseous fuel gun for supplying atomized non-gaseous fuel, the at least one non-gaseous fuel gun having at least one fuel discharge orifice, the at least one non-gaseous fuel gun positioned within the at least one air port.

Abstract: A dual-fuel burner for use in furnaces such as in steam cracking. The burner includes a primary air chamber, a burner tube having an upstream end and a downstream end, a fuel orifice located adjacent the upstream end of the burner tube for introducing gaseous fuel into the burner tube, a burner tip having an outer diameter mounted on the downstream end of the burner tube adjacent a first opening in the furnace, so that combustion of the gaseous fuel takes place downstream of the burner tip, and at least one non-gaseous fuel gun, the at least one non-gaseous fuel gun having at least one fuel discharge orifice for combusting the non-gaseous fuel downstream of the discharge orifice, wherein the at least one non-gaseous fuel gun is radially positioned beyond the outer diameter of the burner tip so that a flame emanating from the combustion of the non-gaseous fuel is substantially aligned in parallel with a flame emanating from the combustion of the gaseous fuel.

Abstract: A burner for use in furnaces such as those employed in steam cracking. The burner includes a primary air chamber for supplying a first portion of air, a burner tube having an upstream end and a downstream end, a burner tip having an outer diameter, the burner tip mounted on the downstream end of the burner tube adjacent a first opening in the furnace, so that combustion of the fuel takes place downstream of the burner tip producing a gaseous fuel flame, at least one air port in fluid communication with a secondary air chamber for supplying a second portion of air, the at least one air port radially positioned beyond the outer diameter of the burner tip and at least one non-gaseous fuel gun for supplying atomized non-gaseous fuel, the at least one non-gaseous fuel gun having at least one fuel discharge orifice, the at least one non-gaseous fuel gun positioned within the at least one air port.

Abstract: A burner for use in furnaces such as in steam cracking.

Abstract: A dual-fuel burner for use in furnaces such as in steam cracking. The burner includes a primary air chamber, a burner tube having an upstream end and a downstream end, a fuel orifice located adjacent the upstream end of the burner tube for introducing gaseous fuel into the burner tube, a burner tip having an outer diameter mounted on the downstream end of the burner tube adjacent a first opening in the furnace, so that combustion of the gaseous fuel takes place downstream of the burner tip, and at least one non-gaseous fuel gun, the at least one non-gaseous fuel gun having at least one fuel discharge orifice for combusting the non-gaseous fuel downstream of the discharge orifice, wherein the at least one non-gaseous fuel gun is radially positioned beyond the outer diameter of the burner tip so that a flame emanating from the combustion of the non-gaseous fuel is substantially aligned in parallel with a flame emanating from the combustion of the gaseous fuel.

Abstract: A method is provided for treating the effluent from a hydrocarbon pyrolysis unit processing heavier than naphtha feeds to recover heat and remove tar therefrom. The method comprises passing the gaseous effluent to at least one primary transfer line heat exchanger, thereby cooling the gaseous effluent and generating superheated steam. Thereafter, the gaseous effluent is passed through at least one secondary transfer line heat exchanger having a heat exchange surface with a liquid coating on said surface, thereby further cooling the remainder of the gaseous effluent to a temperature at which tar, formed by the pyrolysis process, condenses. The condensed tar is then removed from the gaseous effluent in at least one knock-out drum. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: A process for feeding or cracking heavy hydrocarbon feedstock containing non-volatile hydrocarbons comprising: heating the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, mixing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock with a fluid and/or a primary dilution steam stream to form a mixture, flashing the mixture to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase, and varying the amount of the fluid and/or the primary dilution steam stream mixed with the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock in accordance with at least one selected operating parameter of the process, such as the temperature of the flash stream before entering the flash drum.