Apparatus for cracking hydrocarbons

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR THE THERMAL CRACKING OF NORMALLY LIQUID, AS WELL AS NORMALLY GASEOUS, HYDROCARBONS IN THE PRESENCE OF STEAM, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A TUBULAR CRACKING FURNACE HAVING AT LEAST ONE VERTICAL ELONGATED CRACKING TUBE DISPOSED THEREIN SUBSTANTIALLY EXTENDING FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP OF SAID FURNACE; (B) A CORE DISPOSED WITHIN THE CRACKING TUBE SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE THEREWITH AND FORMING A CRACKING ANNULUS THEREBETWEEN; (C) A FLUE CONDUIT IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE FURNACE HAVING A PLURALITY OF COMMUNICATING HEAT EXCHANGERS DISPOSED THERIN ADAPTED TO BE HEATED BY THE PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OF FLUE GAS FROM SAID FURNANCE; (D) MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE HEAT EXCHANGERS FOR PASSING HYDROCARBON AND STEAM THEREIN AND THERETHROUGH TO EFFECT A VAPORIZED AND SUPERHEATED MIXTURE COMPRISING A FIRST HEAT EXCHANGER FOR PREHEATING SAID HYDROCARBON, MEANS FOR PASSING SAID STEAM AND PREHEATED HYDROCARBON INTO A SECOND HEAT EXCHANGER FOR VAPORIZING THE SAID HYDROCARBON IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID STEAM, AND MEANS FOR PASSING THE RESULTING VAPOR INTO A THIRD HEAT EXCHANGER FOR SUPERHEATING THE VAPORIZED HYDROCARBON-STEAM MIXTURE; AND (E) MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE THIRD HEAT EXCHANGER FOR PASSING THE SUPERHEATED VAPORIZED HYDROCARBONSTEAM MIXTURE THEREFROM AND INTO THE CRACKING ANNULUS OF THE FURNACE.