Patent US4097544A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4097544A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System for steam-cracking hydrocarbons and transfer-line exchanger therefor
Assignee: Standard Oil Co
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Filing: 1977-04-25
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Granted: 1978-06-27
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Expires: 1997-04-25
Abstract
Abstract A system to produce ethylene includes, in one embodiment, separately cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feed and a lighter feed, cooling the latter product in a transfer-line exchanger before admixture with the former product and cooling the mixed product in a transfer-line exchanger. Both exchangers are preferably a novel transfer-line exchanger that has a construction including a vertical tank, with a cylindrical intermediate portion and conical bottom entrance and top exit end portions, tube sheets at the top and bottom ends of the intermediate portion of the tank, vertical tubes extending between the tube sheets and in alignment with openings in the tube sheets. The tubes extend downwardly through the lower tube sheet with their ends at openings in a conical shield that is supported in the entrance conical portion of the tank by the tubes or by the conical entrance portion of the tank. The lower tube sheet has an opening to pass steam into the chamber between that sheet and the shield or steam is introduced into that chamber through the wall of the conical entrance portion of the tank and through the shield. The construction provides egress of steam from this chamber to the entrance end of the tubes below the conical shield for mixture with product to be cooled. When using the novel transfer-line exchanger, the system can provide the cooling of the product from the steam-cracking of the heavier feed without prior admixture with cooled product from the steam-cracking of lighter feed.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J. Hengstebeck
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 22:37
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28F; F28F9/00; F28F9/20; F28F9/02; F28F9/0229; C; C10; C10G; C10G2400/00; C10G2400/20; F28D; F28D21/00; F28D2021/0019; F28D2021/0075; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S585/00; Y10S585/909; Y10S585/911
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
322 words
A transfer-line exchanger, useful in a system for steam-cracking hydrocarbons to produce ethylene, which comprises: a vertical tank having: a cylindrical intermediate portion with side openings adjacent the top and bottom ends to withdraw and introduce, respectively, fluid coolant; a conical bottom entrance end portion connected to the bottom end of said intermediate portion; and a conical top exit end portion connected to the top end of said intermediate portion; a horizontal top tube sheet having a number of openings and supported by said tank at the top end of said intermediate portion of said tank; a horizontal bottom tube sheet having a number of openings corresponding to and in vertical alignment with said openings in said top tube sheet, said bottom tube sheet being supported in said tank at the bottom end of said intermediate portion of said tank; a conical shield having its vertex below its base and supported within said conical bottom entrance end portion of said tank to provide an upper chamber between said shield and said bottom tube sheet and a lower chamber between said shield and the bottom part of said conical bottom entrance end portion, said shield having openings in vertical alignment with said openings in said tube sheets; a number of vertical tubes in said openings of said top tube sheet and extending through said bottom tube sheet to said openings in said conical shield; and means to introduce steam into the chamber between said conical shield and said bottom tube sheet, said conical shield being constructed with respect to said tubes or said conical bottom entrance end portion so that steam introduced into said upper chamber between said conical shield and said bottom tube sheet can pass downwardly into said lower chamber in said conical bottom entrance end portion to mix with gas passing upwardly through said conical bottom entrance end portion of said tank before the gas passes upwardly through said tubes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
322 words
A transfer-line exchanger, useful in a system for steam-cracking hydrocarbons to produce ethylene, which comprises: a vertical tank having: a cylindrical intermediate portion with side openings adjacent the top and bottom ends to withdraw and introduce, respectively, fluid coolant; a conical bottom entrance end portion connected to the bottom end of said intermediate portion; and a conical top exit end portion connected to the top end of said intermediate portion; a horizontal top tube sheet having a number of openings and supported by said tank at the top end of said intermediate portion of said tank; a horizontal bottom tube sheet having a number of openings corresponding to and in vertical alignment with said openings in said top tube sheet, said bottom tube sheet being supported in said tank at the bottom end of said intermediate portion of said tank; a conical shield having its vertex below its base and supported within said conical bottom entrance end portion of said tank to provide an upper chamber between said shield and said bottom tube sheet and a lower chamber between said shield and the bottom part of said conical bottom entrance end portion, said shield having openings in vertical alignment with said openings in said tube sheets; a number of vertical tubes in said openings of said top tube sheet and extending through said bottom tube sheet to said openings in said conical shield; and means to introduce steam into the chamber between said conical shield and said bottom tube sheet, said conical shield being constructed with respect to said tubes or said conical bottom entrance end portion so that steam introduced into said upper chamber between said conical shield and said bottom tube sheet can pass downwardly into said lower chamber in said conical bottom entrance end portion to mix with gas passing upwardly through said conical bottom entrance end portion of said tank before the gas passes upwardly through said tubes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
101 words
The exchanger of claim 1 wherein: said conical shield has the diameter of its base such that the periphery of said shield is spaced from said conical bottom entrance end portion of said tank to provide an annular space for said passage of steam outwardly and then downwardly from said upper chamber above said conical shield to said lower chamber below said conical shield to mix with the upflowing gas; and said means to introduce steam into the chamber between said conical shield and said bottom tube sheet is provided by at least one additional opening in said bottom tube sheet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The exchanger of claim 2 wherein said conical shield is supported by said tubes and said tubes close said openings in said conical shield.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
93 words
The exchanger of claim 1 wherein: said conical shield is supported by and has its base extending to the upper part of said conical entrance end portion of said tank; said openings in said conical shield are larger in diameter than said tubes to provide annular spaces for said passage of the steam downwardly to said lower chamber below said conical shield to mix with the upflowing gas; and said means to introduce steam includes a pipe extending into said tank to said chamber between said conical shield and said bottom tube sheet.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
252 words
A system for cooling a gaseous product, containing ethylene, obtained directly from the steam-cracking of hydrocarbons at an elevated temperature, which comprises: passing said gaseous product upwardly and divergingly through the lower chamber of a bottom zone having an upper chamber and the lower chamber, each chamber having an upwardly diverging bottom wall with conical configuration; passing the gaseous product upwardly from the lower chamber of the bottom zone as separate vertical streams through the upper chamber of the bottom zone in indirect heat exchange relationship with steam and then upwardly through a longer intermediate zone in indirect heat exchange relationship with an aqueous fluid coolant; combining the streams of gaseous product in a top zone having an upwardly converging top wall; removing the combined gaseous product from the top zone; passing the aqueous fluid coolant upwardly through the intermediate zone for the indirect heat exchange relationship with the gaseous product streams passing upwardly through that zone; providing steam into the upper chamber of the bottom zone for the indirect heat exchange relationship with the gaseous product streams passing upwardly through the chamber; and passing steam from the upper chamber of the bottom zone downwardly into the lower chamber of the bottom zone for admixture with the gaseous product introduced into the bottom zone and for passage of the steam upwardly with the streams of the gaseous product through the upper chamber of the bottom zone and the intermediate zone in indirect heat exchange relationship with steam and aqueous fluid coolant, respectively.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
252 words
A system for cooling a gaseous product, containing ethylene, obtained directly from the steam-cracking of hydrocarbons at an elevated temperature, which comprises: passing said gaseous product upwardly and divergingly through the lower chamber of a bottom zone having an upper chamber and the lower chamber, each chamber having an upwardly diverging bottom wall with conical configuration; passing the gaseous product upwardly from the lower chamber of the bottom zone as separate vertical streams through the upper chamber of the bottom zone in indirect heat exchange relationship with steam and then upwardly through a longer intermediate zone in indirect heat exchange relationship with an aqueous fluid coolant; combining the streams of gaseous product in a top zone having an upwardly converging top wall; removing the combined gaseous product from the top zone; passing the aqueous fluid coolant upwardly through the intermediate zone for the indirect heat exchange relationship with the gaseous product streams passing upwardly through that zone; providing steam into the upper chamber of the bottom zone for the indirect heat exchange relationship with the gaseous product streams passing upwardly through the chamber; and passing steam from the upper chamber of the bottom zone downwardly into the lower chamber of the bottom zone for admixture with the gaseous product introduced into the bottom zone and for passage of the steam upwardly with the streams of the gaseous product through the upper chamber of the bottom zone and the intermediate zone in indirect heat exchange relationship with steam and aqueous fluid coolant, respectively.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 5 in which the steam, that is provided to the upper chamber of the bottom zone, is provided from the intermediate zone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 6 wherein the steam from the upper chamber of the bottom zone is passed to the lower chamber of the bottom zone after first moving horizontally and outwardly and then in passed inwardly in the lower chamber of the bottom zone while it is passing downwardly in the lower chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 5 in which the steam in the upper chamber of the bottom zone is provided from a source of steam other than from the intermediate zone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 8 wherein the steam in the upper chamber of the bottom zone passes downwardly from the upper chamber into the bottom chamber of the bottom zone as annular streams surrounding the separate streams of upwardly flowing mixture of gaseous product and steam.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
211 words
A system, as an apparatus, for steam-cracking hydrocarbons to produce a gaseous steam-cracked product containing ethylene, which comprises: a first furnace for steam-cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feed, said first cracking furnace having a pipe with an inlet for entrance of the heavy hydrocarbon feed with water and an outlet for gaseous cracked product; a second furnace for steam-cracking a lighter hydrocarbon feed, said second cracking furnace having a pipe with an inlet for entrance of the lighter hydrocarbon feed with water and an outlet for gaseous cracked product; a mixer having first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet, said first inlet being connected to said outlet of said pipe of said first furnace; a first transfer-line exchanger having an outlet connected to said second inlet of said mixer and an inlet connected to said outlet of said pipe of said second furnace; and a second transfer-line exchanger having an inlet connected to said outlet of said mixer, whereby, in the use of the apparatus, the gaseous cracked product from the lighter hydrocarbon feed is cooled by passage through said first transfer-line exchanger and then mixed with the gaseous cracked product from the heavy hydrocarbon feed before that product from the heavy hydrocarbon feed is passed through the second transfer-line exchanger.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
211 words
A system, as an apparatus, for steam-cracking hydrocarbons to produce a gaseous steam-cracked product containing ethylene, which comprises: a first furnace for steam-cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feed, said first cracking furnace having a pipe with an inlet for entrance of the heavy hydrocarbon feed with water and an outlet for gaseous cracked product; a second furnace for steam-cracking a lighter hydrocarbon feed, said second cracking furnace having a pipe with an inlet for entrance of the lighter hydrocarbon feed with water and an outlet for gaseous cracked product; a mixer having first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet, said first inlet being connected to said outlet of said pipe of said first furnace; a first transfer-line exchanger having an outlet connected to said second inlet of said mixer and an inlet connected to said outlet of said pipe of said second furnace; and a second transfer-line exchanger having an inlet connected to said outlet of said mixer, whereby, in the use of the apparatus, the gaseous cracked product from the lighter hydrocarbon feed is cooled by passage through said first transfer-line exchanger and then mixed with the gaseous cracked product from the heavy hydrocarbon feed before that product from the heavy hydrocarbon feed is passed through the second transfer-line exchanger.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
329 words
The system of claim 10 in which at least one said first and second transfer-line exchangers comprises: a vertical tank having: a cylindrical intermediate portion with side openings adjacent the top and bottom ends to withdraw and introduce, respectively, fluid coolant; a conical bottom entrance end portion connected to the bottom end of said intermediate portion; and a conical top exit end portion connected to the top end of said intermediate portion; a horizontal top tube sheet having a number of openings and supported by said tank at the top end of said intermediate portion of said tank; a horizontal bottom tube sheet having a number of openings corresponding to and in vertical alignment with said openings in said top tube sheet, said bottom tube sheet being supported in said tank at the bottom end of said intermediate portion of said tank; a conical shield having its vertex below its base and supported within said conical bottom entrance end portion of said tank to provide an upper chamber between said shield and said bottom tube sheet and a lower chamber between said shield and the bottom part of said conical bottom entrance end portion, said shield having openings in vertical alignment with said openings in said tube sheets; a number of vertical tubes in said openings of said top tube sheet and extending through said bottom tube sheet to said openings in said conical shield; and means to introduce steam into the chamber between said conical shield and said bottom tube sheet, said conical shield being constructed with respect to said tubes or said conical bottom entrance end portion so that steam introduced into said upper chamber between said conical shield and said bottom tube sheet can pass downwardly into said lower chamber in said conical bottom entrance end portion to mix with the gaseous cracked product passing upwardly through said conical bottom entrance end portion of said tank before the gaseous cracked product passes upwardly through said tubes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
112 words
The system of claim 11 wherein for said at least one of said transfer-line exchangers: said conical shield has the diameter of its base such that the periphery of said shield is spaced from said conical bottom entrance end portion of said tank to provide an annular space for said passage of steam outwardly and then downwardly from said upper chamber above said conical shield to said lower chamber below said conical shield to mix with the upflowing gaseous cracked product; and said means to introduce steam into the chamber between said conical shield and said bottom tube sheet is provided by at least one additional opening in said bottom tube sheet.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 12 wherein said conical shield is supported by said tubes and said tubes close said openings in said conical shield.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
103 words
The system of claim 11 wherein for said at least one of said transfer-line exchangers: said conical shield is supported by and has its base extending to the upper part of said conical entrance end portion of said tank; said openings in said conical shield are larger in diameter than said tubes to provide annular spaces for said passage of the steam downwardly to said lower chamber below said conical shield to mix with the upflowing gaseous product; and said means to introduce steam includes a pipe extending into said tank to said chamber between said conical shield and said bottom tube sheet.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
108 words
A system, as a process, for steam-cracking hydrocarbons to produce a gaseous steam-cracked product containing ethylene, which comprises: steam-cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feed at an elevated temperature to produce a first gaseous steam-cracked product containing ethylene; separately steam-cracking a lighter hydrocarbon at an elevated temperature to pro-uce a second gaseous steam-cracked product containing ethylene; cooling the second gaseous steam-cracked product by passing it through a transfer-line exchanger in indirect heat exchange relationship with an aqueous fluid coolant; mixing the cooled second gaseous steam-cracked product with the first gaseous steam-cracked product; and passing the mixture through a second transfer-line exchanger for indirect heat exchange relationship with aqueous fluid coolant.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
108 words
A system, as a process, for steam-cracking hydrocarbons to produce a gaseous steam-cracked product containing ethylene, which comprises: steam-cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feed at an elevated temperature to produce a first gaseous steam-cracked product containing ethylene; separately steam-cracking a lighter hydrocarbon at an elevated temperature to pro-uce a second gaseous steam-cracked product containing ethylene; cooling the second gaseous steam-cracked product by passing it through a transfer-line exchanger in indirect heat exchange relationship with an aqueous fluid coolant; mixing the cooled second gaseous steam-cracked product with the first gaseous steam-cracked product; and passing the mixture through a second transfer-line exchanger for indirect heat exchange relationship with aqueous fluid coolant.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
271 words
The system of claim 15 wherein the cooling of at least one of the second gaseous steam-cracked product and the mixture of the first gaseous steam-cracked product and the cooled second gaseous steam-cracked product, as a gaseous product, is provided by: passing said gaseous product upwardly and divergingly through the lower chamber of a bottom zone having an upper chamber and the lower chamber, each chamber having an upwardly diverging bottom wall with conical configuration; passing the gaseous product upwardly from the lower chamber of the bottom zone as separate vertical steams through the upper chamber of the bottom zone in indirect heat exchange relationship with steam and then upwardly through a longer intermediate zone in indirect heat exchange relationship with an aqueous fluid coolant; combining the stream of gaseous product in a top zone having an upwardly converging top wall; removing the combined gaseous product from the top zone; passing the aqueous fluid coolant upwardly through the intermediate zone for the indirect heat exchange relationship with the gaseous product streams passing upwardly through that zone; providing steam into the upper chamber of the bottom zone for the indirect heat exchange relationship with the aqueous product streams passing upwardly through that chamber; and passing steam from the upper chamber of the bottom zone downwardly into the lower chamber of the bottom zone for admixture with the gaseous product introduced into the bottom zone and for passage of the steam upwardly with the streams of the gaseous product through the upper chamber of the bottom zone and the intermediate zone in indirect heat exchange relationship with steam and aqueous fluid coolant, respectively.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
475 words
A transfer-line exchanger, useful in a system for steam-cracking hydrocarbons to produce ethylene, which comprises: a vertical tank having: a cylindrical intermediate portion with side openings adjacent the top and bottom ends to withdraw and introduce, respectively, fluid coolant; a conical bottom entrance end portion connected to the bottom end of said intermediate portion; and a conical top exit end portion connected to the top end of said intermediate portion; a horizontal top tube sheet having a number of openings and supported by said tank at the top end of said intermediate portion of said tank; a horizontal bottom tube sheet having a number of openings corresponding to and in vertical alignment with said openings in said top tube sheet and an additional opening, said bottom tube sheet being supported in said tank at the bottom end of said intermediate portion of said tank; a horizontal sheet below and thinner than said horizontal bottom tube sheet and having a number of smaller openings corresponding to and in vertical alignment with said number of openings in said bottom tube sheet and having an additional opening corresponding in size and in vertical alignment with said additional opening in said bottom tube sheet; a conical shield having its vertex below its base and supported within said conical bottom entrance end portion of said tank to provide an upper chamber between said shield and said horizontal thinner sheet and a lower chamber between said shield and the bottom part of said conical bottom entrance end portion, said conical shield having a number of openings corresponding in size and number to and in vertical alignment with said number of smaller openings in said horizontal thinner sheet and said conical shield has the diameter of its base such that the periphery of said shield is spaced from said conical bottom entrance end portion of said tank to provide an annular space communicating said upper chamber above said conical shield with said lower chamber below said conical shield; a number of first vertical tubes corresponding in number to the said number of openings in said horizontal top and bottom tube sheets, said number of first vertical tubes extending into and between and being supported by said top and bottom tube sheets and said first vertical tubes closing said number of openings in said top and bottom tube sheets; and a number of second vertical tubes having thinner walls than said first vertical tubes and having the same inner diameter as that of said first vertical tubes, said second vertical tubes extending into said number of smaller openings in said thinner horizontal sheet and into said number of openings of said conical shield, said horizontal thinner sheet, said second vertical tubes and said conical shield being a subassembly supported in position with said horizontal thinner horizontal sheet abutting said horizontal bottom tube sheet.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
475 words
A transfer-line exchanger, useful in a system for steam-cracking hydrocarbons to produce ethylene, which comprises: a vertical tank having: a cylindrical intermediate portion with side openings adjacent the top and bottom ends to withdraw and introduce, respectively, fluid coolant; a conical bottom entrance end portion connected to the bottom end of said intermediate portion; and a conical top exit end portion connected to the top end of said intermediate portion; a horizontal top tube sheet having a number of openings and supported by said tank at the top end of said intermediate portion of said tank; a horizontal bottom tube sheet having a number of openings corresponding to and in vertical alignment with said openings in said top tube sheet and an additional opening, said bottom tube sheet being supported in said tank at the bottom end of said intermediate portion of said tank; a horizontal sheet below and thinner than said horizontal bottom tube sheet and having a number of smaller openings corresponding to and in vertical alignment with said number of openings in said bottom tube sheet and having an additional opening corresponding in size and in vertical alignment with said additional opening in said bottom tube sheet; a conical shield having its vertex below its base and supported within said conical bottom entrance end portion of said tank to provide an upper chamber between said shield and said horizontal thinner sheet and a lower chamber between said shield and the bottom part of said conical bottom entrance end portion, said conical shield having a number of openings corresponding in size and number to and in vertical alignment with said number of smaller openings in said horizontal thinner sheet and said conical shield has the diameter of its base such that the periphery of said shield is spaced from said conical bottom entrance end portion of said tank to provide an annular space communicating said upper chamber above said conical shield with said lower chamber below said conical shield; a number of first vertical tubes corresponding in number to the said number of openings in said horizontal top and bottom tube sheets, said number of first vertical tubes extending into and between and being supported by said top and bottom tube sheets and said first vertical tubes closing said number of openings in said top and bottom tube sheets; and a number of second vertical tubes having thinner walls than said first vertical tubes and having the same inner diameter as that of said first vertical tubes, said second vertical tubes extending into said number of smaller openings in said thinner horizontal sheet and into said number of openings of said conical shield, said horizontal thinner sheet, said second vertical tubes and said conical shield being a subassembly supported in position with said horizontal thinner horizontal sheet abutting said horizontal bottom tube sheet.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-06-26 | 1981-12-26 | 1982-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-06-26 | 1985-12-26 | 1986-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-06-26 | 1989-12-26 | 1990-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |