Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided in which a vaporizer vaporizes a liquid feed for introduction to a feed conversion unit such as a steam active reformer. A condenser condenses vaporized feed from the vaporizer when introduction of feed to the feed conversion unit is stopped. Condensed, liquid feed is passed back into the vaporizer and is conserved rather than going to flare.

Abstract: In a process for manufacture of a chemical product, a reactive hydrocarbon feedstream, which varies in composition of the reactive component, is combined with a compatible but unreactive hydrocarbon feedstream to form a blended hydrocarbon stream which is then combined with a reactive alcohol stream of stable concentration of its reactive component, to form a complete feedstream to the reactor. A desired ratio of relative reactant concentrations in the complete feedstream to the reactor is maintained by a control system which maintains a stable concentration in the blended hydrocarbon stream by manipulating flow rate of the unreactive hydrocarbon feedstream responsive to a concentration measurement in the blended hydrocarbon stream. Flow ratio control is then applied to maintain a desired ratio of reactants in the complete feedstream for the reactor by calculating a flow ratio of the blended hydrocarbon stream to the reactive alcohol feedstream.