EP0698075A1

EP0698075A1 - Process and device for steam-cracking a light and a heavy hydrocarbon charge

Info

Publication number: EP0698075A1
Application number: EP94926242A
Authority: EP
Inventors: M Eric Lenglet
Original assignee: Linde GmbH
Current assignee: Linde GmbH
Priority date: 1993-09-17
Filing date: 1994-09-06
Publication date: 1996-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-06
Also published as: JPH09505086A; US5817226A; DE59401172D1; EP0698075B1; CN1137805A; FR2710070A1; WO1995007959A1; CN1038764C

Abstract

The invention relates to a process and device with a convection zone (A) and a radiation zone (B) in which the process has a first stage for the precracking of a charge of light hydrocarbons (1) and a second stage for the subsequent co-cracking of the mixture of said precraked light charge (7) and a charge of heavy hydrocarbons (2). According to the invention, the process involves: the separate preheating of the two charge streams (1, 2) in the convection zone (A) in which the preheating temperature of each charge stream remains below the respective initial cracking temperatures; the precracking (5) of the preheated light hydrocarbons, mixing the precracked light hydrocarbon stream (7) with the preheated and unprecracked heavy hydrocarbon stream (8) to form a mixed stream (9); strongly heating the mixed stream (9) to a higher temperature than the initial cracking temperature, by feeding the mixture into the radiation zone (B) of the furnace (10); co-cracking in the radiation zone (B) of the furnace (10) and cooling the separated gases outside the furnace (10). The two charge streams (1, 2) are preferably preheated to above 300 DEG C, the preheated light hydrocarbons are precracked (5) at a temperature of 780 and 920 DEG C and the precracked light hydrocarbons (7) are mixed (9) with the preheated heavy charge (8). The quantity and temperature of the two streams (7, 8) are set in such a way that the temperature of the mixture (9) is higher than 400 DEG C and lower than the initial cracking temperature. The mixture (9) may be separated into individual streams (12) before entry into the radiation zone (B). The quantity of the hydrocarbon-containing fraction in the light charge (1) is below 50 %, and preferably between 4 and 45 % and even more preferably between 5 and 35 %, of the total quantity of hydrocarbon-containing fractions in both charges (1, 2). The light hydrocarbons (1) preferably have an average molecular weight from 25 to 60 (preferably C2 to C5) and the heavy hydrocarbons (2) have an average molecular weight from 70 to 500 (preferably vacuum gas oils and distillates).

Description

description

Process and apparatus for steaming a light and heavy hydrocarbon feed

The invention relates to a method for steam cracking hydrocarbons in a cracking furnace with a convection zone and a radiation zone, the method comprising a first step of pre-cracking a feed of light hydrocarbons and a second step of co-cracking the mixture of this pre-cracked feed of light hydrocarbons and a feed of heavy hydrocarbons. The invention further relates to a device for steam cracking hydrocarbons, the cracking furnace with a convection zone and a radiation zone, at least one preheating tube for feeding light hydrocarbons in the convection zone for preheating this feed, this tube downstream with at least one cracking tube for feeding light hydrocarbons for precracking them in the radiation zone, and comprises at least one preheating tube for feeding heavy hydrocarbons in the convection zone for preheating this feed.

The steam cracking process is well known and is one of the most important petrochemical processes.

A feed consisting of hydrocarbons and steam is vaporized and preheated in the convection zone of the steam cracking furnace. In the radiation zone of the furnace there is a huge increase in the temperature of this feed beyond the initial cracking temperature and cracking or splitting occurs at high temperature before the cracked gases are cooled and the cracked products are fractionated.

In the context of this invention, “feed” means a mixture of hydrocarbons and water vapor. This applies to both light and heavy loads. The mixture is referred to as feed either before this mixture is cracked or during the cracking of this mixture. A distinction must be made between the feed and the hydrocarbon-containing fraction of the feed (the fraction without water vapor)

ATZBLATT RULE -26) Hydrocarbons from the feed or mixture of hydrocarbons and water vapor before cracking the feed.

The preheat temperatures are usually in the range between 450 and 650 ° C, the cracking temperatures (outlet temperature of the furnace) usually in the range between 780 and 920 ° C.

The high values of the temperature intervals generally concern the lightest loads, the low values the relatively heavy loads. For the feeds, cracking in the convection zone is avoided as far as possible.

In connection with the invention, the "initial cracking temperature" is the temperature above which cracking or splitting of the hydrocarbons occurs or occurs to a significant degree and above which the cracking takes place ever faster. The initial cracking temperatures depend largely on the composition of the feed. The initial crack temperature values are known to those skilled in the art.

In connection with the invention, the following different values apply, for example, to the specified compositions of the feed:

These temperatures are conventional values. Since these temperatures generally do not represent sharp temperature values, temperatures that deviate by 10 to 20 K from the stated values could also be specified. The values given above correspond to very low cracking speeds. In comparison, at higher cracking speeds the temperatures are normally at least 100 K above the specified temperature values. Such temperatures usually prevail at the outlet of the cracking furnace. In a manner well known to those skilled in the art, the aim is to greatly increase the temperature of the feed to the initial cracking temperature and beyond, because this is beneficial for the yield. Rapid cooling also favors the yield. The changes in the temperature in the process essentially correspond to a "square" temperature profile.

It is generally avoided to cut too large hydrocarbon cuts which contain very light and very heavy fractions, because the cracking or splitting of this type of mixture leads either to inadequate splitting of the light fractions or to excessive splitting of the heavy fractions. In fact, in a particular furnace, the light, more heat-resistant fractions have to be split at a higher temperature, i.e. with a higher cracking intensity.

The cracking intensity is essentially determined by the cracking conditions or certain parameters such as the dwell time of the feed in the cracking furnace, the temperature and the dilution. At the same time, the cracking intensity reflects the importance of the residence time and the temperature. The crack intensity can be measured using various indices known to the person skilled in the art (for example using the KSF index).

For the purposes of the following, the index of cracking intensity can be defined as the conversion of a feed of normal pentane cracked under the same conditions as temperature, residence time and dilution.

Except in the case where certain furnaces are not available (for example a cracking furnace for decarbonized ethane), co-cracking of very different fractions in mixture with an identical cracking intensity is generally avoided.

“Co-cracking” is understood to mean a process procedure with a combined cracking or splitting of light and heavy hydrocarbon inserts. The heavy hydrocarbon input is usually included in the main feed.

There are numerous methods for co-cracking a light feed and a heavy feed with different cracking intensities for the light Loading and known for heavy loading. Aside from the fact that the effects of too little or too much cracking should be avoided, these methods aim at the energy existing at the high temperature, which is due to pre-cracking of a light and consequently heat-resistant and cracked at a higher temperature Feed is to benefit from cracking the heavy load, particularly to bring a preheated heavy load past its initial crack point by mixing, as it were.

The second goal of certain methods is to use a pre-cracked light feed as a diluent, which at least partially replaces the water vapor used to dilute the heavy feed.

For example, it has been proposed to inject a small amount of a heavy feed (generally a gas oil) into the naphtha fission gases. The amounts of heavy feed that can be fed in this case are greatly reduced (e.g. 10% with respect to naphtha) so that the mixture is at a cracking temperature of the gas oil.

A process called "duocracking" has generally been proposed (see EP-B-0 110 433) in which the heavy load is pre-cracked before it is mixed with the already cracked light load. With this method, the percentage of heavy feed may be slightly increased and the goal of partially replacing the pre-cracked light feed with water vapor can be achieved. The sharp rise in temperature of the heavy feed is undesirable because it is pre-cracked with a very weak dilution (below 0.2). In addition, the additional conversion of the light feed in the course of the final joint cracking is limited, since the heavy feed is already pre-cracked and the final joint cracking can only be carried out with a reduced cracking intensity.

The invention has for its object to provide a method and an apparatus of the type mentioned, for which all the advantages of the methods described above can be maintained, but at the same time the disadvantages need not be accepted. This means that the invention should at the same time enable - The use of an amount of a light feed that is less than the amount of the heavy feed, which has a positive effect on the steam rack, or a renewed cracking of recycled light fractions (C2 to C4) in a smaller amount with respect to the main feed (e.g. naphtha) Quantity,

- preference for a sharp rise in temperature of the heavy feed,

- Achieving an additional maximum conversion of the light feed during co-cracking, without causing coking problems.

The invention is also based on the object of demonstrating a method and a device of the type mentioned at the outset, wherein the co-cracking in coils can be carried out with a large and uniform throughput. The method and device should also be economical and allow very easy control of the gap parameters.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the method comprises the following steps:

a) A separate preheating of the two feed streams in the convection zone, the preheating temperature of each feed stream remaining below the initial cracking temperature, b) the pre-cracking of the preheated light hydrocarbons, c) the mixing of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream with the preheated and non-pre-cracked heavy hydrocarbon stream Formation of a mixed stream, d) vigorous heating of the mixed stream to a temperature higher than the initial cracking temperature by introducing the mixture into the radiation zone of the furnace, e) performing a final co-cracking in the radiation zone of the furnace, and f) the cooling of the cracked gases generated during co-cracking outside the furnace. The method according to the invention is advantageously designed in such a way that method steps a) to c) include:

a) separate preheating of the two feed streams in the convection zone to preheating temperatures above 300 ° C, b) pre-cracking the preheated light hydrocarbons at a temperature in the range between 780 and 920 ° C, preferably between 800 and 900 ° C, and c) that Mixing the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream with the preheated and non-pre-cracked heavy hydrocarbon stream to form a mixed stream, the amount and temperature of each of the two streams being determined prior to mixing so that the temperature of the mixed stream is higher than 400 ° C and lower than the initial one Gap temperature is.

The method according to the invention has a number of important advantages:

The first advantage is that an important additional (maximum) cracking is achieved for the heavy load: due to the fact that the heavy load is not pre-cracked and the two loads are mixed at a temperature below the initial cracking temperatures, this corresponds to during of the sharp rise in temperature and co-cracking of the mixture reached cracking intensity of the full feed cracking intensity.

In contrast to the known methods, this complete cracking intensity allows an additional maximum cracking of the light feed. This is of particular interest and greatest advantage in view of the very heat-resistant light feeds, which cannot be cracked at more than approximately 60 to 65%, or at least not alone, without major coking problems, such as ethane.

The process allows additional conversion in the course of co-cracking so that approximately 70 to 85% overall conversion can be achieved.

Furthermore, the temperature required for the mixture is relatively low, so that the preheated (relatively cold) heavy feed is much larger Amounts can be used as light feed because their temperature is very high at the end of pre-cracking.

This is very suitable for the case where the light feed consists of downstream process stages, such as fractionation, recycled fractions of compounds with 2 to 5 carbon atoms (e.g. ethane, a C4 and / or a Cs cut). The light feed can also be obtained by cracking a main feed (heavy feed) such as naphtha. In this case, the amount of fractions returned hardly exceeds 15% of the amount of the heavy feed.

According to the invention, the amount of the hydrocarbon-containing light feed is less than 50%, preferably between 4% and 45%, particularly preferably between 5 and 35%, of the total amount of the two hydrocarbon-containing feeds.

The relatively large influence of the heavy feed thus allows a considerable dilution of the light feed during co-cracking, which reduces the coking of the furnace due to the very intensive cracking of the light feed (for example, the coking is very strong if ethane alone when converting from is split more than 65%).

As far as the strong temperature increase of the heavy feed (in mixture) goes beyond the initial cracking temperatures, this temperature increase takes place in contrast to the previously known methods of co-cracking by introducing the mixture into the radiation zone. This increase in temperature is less than that caused by mixing, but it still remains very fast due to the low reactivity of the lightly pre-cracked feed. This low reactivity is achieved by cooling the pre-cracked light feed during mixing. The cooling takes place at least 60 ° C., preferably at least 80 ° C., and particularly preferably at least 100 ° C. It enables a considerable reduction in the amount of fission radicals. The cooled, pre-cracked light feed thus behaves at least in part like a diluent. The temperature increase therefore falls much more than when the heavy feed is pre-cracked alone. The method allows the use of relatively small amounts of the light feed, a strong additional cracking of this feed, while avoiding the coking problems associated with this heavy cracking because the heavy feed is highly diluted. This heavy feed is brought to its cracking temperature much more quickly due to the presence of the light feed acting as a diluent (effect of mutual dilution).

This preparation according to the invention of a mixture of relatively low temperature, which leads to a cooling of the pre-cracked light feed, is surprising and is in contrast to the processes known in the prior art. Rather, these processes are primarily concerned with using a very high temperature energy source (e.g. 850 ° C) consisting of the pre-cracked light feed. Accordingly, attempts have been made in these known processes to use this heat vector at the highest possible usable heat level, that is to say for the final cracking of the heavy feed (“duocracking process”) or for a strong increase in temperature of this heavy feed by mixing.

It has surprisingly been found in connection with the invention that unexpected advantages can be achieved by restricting the heat level of the energy vector used.

The approach of the method according to the invention differs fundamentally from that of the known methods: Instead of attaching importance to the feeding of the light feed (feed in two respects: energy vector and heavy feed as a diluent), in the method according to the invention the heavy feed functions Feed as a diluent of this light feed tries to achieve a strong additional splitting of the light feed in order to limit its coking. As far as the energy level is concerned, the limitation of the heat level when using the heat supplied through the pre-cracked light feed does not cause any energy loss.

In an embodiment of the method according to the invention, after the mixing, the mixed stream can be divided into a plurality of individual streams immediately before these individual streams are introduced into the radiation zone in order to bring the mixed stream abruptly to its initial gap temperature. In particular, the

R ATZBUTT RULE 26 The mixed stream is advantageously divided into the individual streams at a temperature which is lower than the initial cracking temperature of one of the two feed streams.

According to the invention, the mixed stream circulates at a temperature which is lower than the cracking temperatures of the two feeds. After mixing, the mixed stream is divided into a large number of individual streams. Immediately after the division into individual streams, these individual streams are introduced into the radiation zone in order to bring the mixture abruptly to a temperature which is higher than the initial cracking temperatures of the two feeds. The individual currents then circulate in parallel at least in a first part of the radiation zone.

According to the invention, a plurality of cracking streams can be fed to the cracking zone from one and the same mixing zone or a large number of cracking processes can be carried out. According to known methods, this is done separately or with an at least partial merging of the streams in the end part of the cracking coil according to the so-called "split coil" technique.

In this way, the number of mixing zones of a furnace and thus the number of coils for pre-cracking the light feed can be restricted. This results in a more reliable mode of operation and lower assembly costs.

An important point should be pointed out here:

The mixture is divided or separated in the mixing zone. The mixing zone often consists of distribution nozzles or Venturi tubes. The choice of a low mixing temperature according to the invention essentially prevents coking of the mixing zone, so that the supply of the various streams is not disturbed. Due to the reduced temperature of the mixture, premature cracking in the separation zone can also be prevented, which would have an adverse effect on the yield.

The possibility according to the invention to fractionate the mixture without the problems of separation or coking, and thus to use split coils for co-cracking, makes it possible to use coils with a very large uniform capacity, which the Reduced furnace costs. Any light and heavy feed can be used in accordance with the invention if only the average molecular weight of the hydrocarbon-containing fraction of the light feed is less than that of the hydrocarbon-containing fraction of the heavy feed.

The most suitable light feeds are those in which the hydrocarbonaceous fraction of these feeds consist largely of hydrocarbons with 2 to 5 carbon atoms, specifically:

Ethane, preferably recycled ethane,

- the raw recirculated C4 cut or the C4 cut after the extraction of butadiene or isobutene,

- recycled fractions containing olefins with 5 carbon atoms and / or

- Saturated fractions, for example the recycled C4 cut after the hydrogenation.

These hydrocarbon-containing light feeds are typically in the range of the molecular weight which is preferred according to the invention for the light feed. According to the invention, the hydrocarbon-containing fraction in the feed of light hydrocarbons has an average molecular weight in the range between 25 and 60. This also corresponds to the average molecular weight of the unsaturated fractions recycled.

The mixtures, which mainly consist of hydrocarbons from the group comprising ethane and the unsaturated recycled fractions (for example the C4 cut), are also particularly suitable as a hydrocarbon-containing fraction according to the invention in the feed of light hydrocarbons, the ethane being the yield when cracking or splitting the unsaturated fraction due to its function as a hydrogen donor, directly or via the intermediate stage of the molecular hydrogen formed during cracking, can improve. A hydrocarbon-containing fraction is therefore preferably used in the feed of light hydrocarbons, the majority of which consists of ethane, preferably of recycled ethane.

The hydrocarbon-containing fractions in the feed of heavy hydrocarbons are preferably in the range of an average molecular weights between 70 and 500. These fractions mainly comprise naphtha, kerosene and gas oil (atmospheric gas oil or vacuum gas oil).

The process according to the invention can also be carried out with ethane as the hydrocarbon-containing fraction of the light feed and with liquid gases (saturated or unsaturated C3 and / or C4 compounds) as the hydrocarbon-containing fraction of the heavy feed.

According to a special variant of the method according to the invention, which is particularly interesting when the hydrocarbon-containing fraction of the light feed consists of ethane, the pre-cracked light feed is subjected to a slight aging in an essentially adiabatic zone in order to reduce its temperature by 10 to 50 ° C before it is mixed with the preheated heavy load.

According to another variant of the process according to the invention, the hydrocarbon-containing fraction of the heavy feed consists mainly of heavy fractions from the group of vacuum gas oils and distillates.

Preferably, particularly in the case of a hydrocarbonaceous heavy feed fraction mainly from heavy fractions of the vacuum gas oil and distillate group, the temperatures and amounts of the two feeds are determined prior to mixing so that the preheated heavy feed does not evaporate completely and that the complete evaporation this loading is done by mixing with at least part of the pre-cracked light loading.

The mixing can optionally also be carried out in several, in particular two, stages: mixing with part of the pre-cracked light feed so that the heavy feed completely evaporates (derivation from the "dry point"), and then mixing with the rest of the pre-cracked light feed . Between the two mixing processes, the heavy charge that has completely evaporated over part of the pre-cracked light charge can, if necessary, be overheated by convection.

Optionally, the portion of the light feed used to completely evaporate the heavy feed may be cooled slightly, for example, by mixing with a small amount of colder water vapor if in the case of heavy loading, excessive temperatures in the mixing zone should be avoided. However, this is not absolutely necessary, and preferably the pre-cracked light feed is not cooled (by an external fluid). Whenever possible, full evaporation of the heavy feed before the mixing zone is preferred.

The object on which the invention is based is achieved by a device of the type mentioned at the outset, which also comprises the following:

a mixing zone for forming a mixed stream with at least one inlet line for at least part of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream, which is connected to the upstream part of the cracking tube for feeding light hydrocarbons, and with at least one inlet line for the preheated and non-pre-cracked heavy hydrocarbon stream, which is connected to the upstream part of the preheating pipe for feeding heavy hydrocarbons,

a separation zone for dividing the mixture into a large number of individual streams,

a plurality of circulation tubes arranged in parallel for the individual streams in the radiation zone for a sharp rise in the temperature of the mixture, and

- At least one cracking tube for the mixture, which is connected upstream with at least one of the circulation tubes for the individual streams and downstream with devices for cooling the cracked gases.

With this device according to the invention the mixing can take place at a relatively low temperature which is sufficient to avoid premature cracking in the downstream separation zone or considerable coking of this zone.

According to the invention, a further device is also proposed, this device comprising the following in addition to the features mentioned at the beginning:

- A mixing zone located outside the furnace to form a mixed stream with at least one inlet line for at least part of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream, which with the upstream part of the cracking tube for the loading of light Is connected to hydrocarbons, and with at least one inlet line for the preheated and not pre-cracked heavy hydrocarbon stream, which is connected to the upstream part of the preheating pipe for feeding heavy hydrocarbons,

at least one transport pipe for transporting the mixture from the outside of the furnace to the interior of the radiation zone, this pipe being connected upstream to the mixing zone and downstream to at least one circulation pipe for the mixture in the radiation zone, and

- Devices for cooling the fission gases generated during co-cracking.

In this device the mixing zone is located outside the furnace, which considerably limits the coking of the furnace, and the mixture can reach the radiation zone undisturbed at a relatively low temperature, where the final co-cracking is carried out without the risk of premature splitting or coking.

According to a characteristic embodiment of the invention, the mixing zone is also the zone in which the heavy feed finally evaporates. A very strong heat vector (the pre-cracked light feed) is used to completely evaporate a very heavy feed such as a vacuum gas oil or distillate with a large safety margin.

Taking advantage of the two devices described above, the device according to the invention can also include the following in addition to the features listed at the beginning:

- A mixing zone located outside the furnace to form a mixed stream with at least one inlet line for at least part of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream, which is connected to the upstream part of the cracking tube for the feed of light hydrocarbons, and with at least one inlet line for the preheated and not pre-cracked heavy hydrocarbon stream which is connected to the upstream part of the preheating tube for feeding heavy hydrocarbons,

a separation zone for dividing the mixture into a large number of individual streams, Transport pipes for transporting the individual streams from the outside of the furnace to the inside of the radiation zone, these pipes being connected upstream to the separation zone and downstream to circulation pipes for the mixture in the radiation zone,

- At least one cracking tube for the mixture, which is connected upstream with at least one of the circulation tubes for the individual streams and downstream with devices for cooling the cracked gases formed during co-cracking.

In an embodiment of the devices according to the invention, two or more circulation pipes can be connected to at least one can in the radiation zone of the furnace.

The devices according to the invention can advantageously be designed in such a way that an adiabatic zone is provided outside the radiation zone between at least one cracking tube for charging light hydrocarbons for pre-cracking them and the inlet line for at least part of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream.

In a further development of the devices, a plurality of can tubes can be connected to a device for cooling the can gases generated during co-cracking.

According to the invention, the preheating tube (s) for preheating the feed of light hydrocarbons in the convection zone within the cracking furnace can be connected to the cracking tube (s) for pre-cracking the light hydrocarbons in the radiation zone.

The devices according to the invention are particularly suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to several figures.

Show: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of part of a system for steam rack according to the invention. 2 shows a schematic representation of the most important steps of the method according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the different embodiments of

Canned coils of a steam rack system according to the invention; Fig. 4 is a schematic view of the mixing zone of a steam rack system according to the invention.

1 shows, very schematically, an oven 10 for the steam racking of hydrocarbons, which heats by means of convection and radiation and comprises preheating, circulation and cracking tubes or bundles of preheating, circulation and cracking tubes for hydrocarbons in order to preheat them and thermal cracking.

The furnace 10 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a first part A, in which heating is carried out by convection, and which is connected to a second part B, in which heating is carried out by means of radiation. In part B of the furnace, the very strong heat flow is generally supplied via burners (not shown), the exhaust gases of which then circulate in the first part A of the furnace and provide heating by means of convection. The furnace 10 shown in FIG. 1 can be supplemented by a second furnace half arranged in mirror symmetry and not shown in FIG. 1 but indicated.

The first part A of the furnace (convection zone) comprises one or more preheating tube (s) 4 for a hydrocarbon-containing heavy feed 2 and for water vapor, the hydrocarbons of this feed mainly having at least three carbon atoms (e.g. a naphtha or a gas oil).

Part A of the furnace also includes one or more preheat tube (s) 3 for a light feed consisting, for example, of ethane and water vapor, which tube (s) 3 are shown in phantom in Fig. 1 to remove them from the tubes for the distinguish between heavy loads in which this heavy load flows alone or in a mixture.

The tubes 3 provided in the first part A of the furnace are connected to canned tubes 5 in the second part B of the furnace (radiation zone). The downstream end of the tubes 5 is connected to an aging zone 6, which consists for example of a tube with a length between 1 and 10 m, the diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the end section of the tubes 5.

When leaving the aging zone 6, the pre-cracked light feed (7) and the preheated and not pre-cracked heavy feed (8) are combined and mixed in a mixing zone with the aid of inlet lines 7 and 8 to form the mixed stream 9. Downstream of the mixing zone, the mixture can be divided into a plurality of individual streams (12) with the aid of a separation zone 11. These currents circulate in the transport pipes 12 and are introduced into the circulation pipes 13 inside the radiation zone B of the furnace 10. The supply of heat to the tubes 13 in the radiation zone B causes the temperature of the mixture to rise sharply above the initial cracking temperatures of the two feeds. The tubes 13 are connected downstream with canned tubes 14. The circulation pipes 13 each merge into canned pipes. A plurality of circulation tubes 13 preferably open into a can 14. The can 14 and also 5 can be arranged in the radiation zone B in different (known per se) ways. In particular, several canned tubes can be combined.

The cracked gases of the final co-cracking are then cooled in the quench cooler 15, preferably in a TLX heat exchanger (Transfer Line eXchanger).

This steam rack device works in the following way:

The light feed (1), in which the carbon-containing part preferably consists of ethane or a mixture of recycle ethane and unsaturated recycle fractions, which are composed of hydrocarbons with 3 to 6 carbon atoms - for example a mixture of 30 to 70% ethane and additionally an unsaturated C4 cut - is introduced at point 1. This feed is preheated by circulation in the preheating tubes 3 (in one or more parallel passes) to a temperature in the range between 450 ° C and 680 ° C, preferably between 500 ° C and 650 ° C, either to a temperature, which is significantly below the initial cracking temperature, or, for example, to 720 ° C, if this feed is mainly C3 and C4 hydrocarbons or in equal proportions of ethane and C3- and C4- Contains connections. If two fractions are present in the same amount, the initial cracking temperature of the heavier feed is taken into account.

The light feed leaves the convection zone A (after point O) without any noticeable start to cracking. It is cracked or in the radiant section B through circulation in the tubes 5 cleaved at a starting temperature at point (I) in the range from 780 to 920 ^c C, preferably between 800 and 900 ° C.

If the hydrocarbon-containing fraction in the light feed is ethane, a conversion in the range between 40 and 65%, preferably between 50 and 65%, can be achieved during the pre-cracking, without causing the tubes 5 to coke too quickly becomes. The conversion can also be significantly higher if the dilution of the light feed (proportion of water vapor) is considerable. The dilution can vary between 0.2 and 1.2 (20 to 120% of the light feed).

If the light feed contains larger fractions of hydrocarbons having 4 or 5 carbon atoms, the ethane is preferably converted during the pre-cracking only in the range between 30 and 55% and particularly preferably in the range between 35 and 50%, around the fractions containing 4 or 5 carbon atoms not cracking too much during the last phase of co-cracking.

The dilution (ratio of steam to hydrocarbon-containing fraction in the feed) of the light feed is generally in the range between 0.2 and 1.2, and preferably between 0.25 and 1.

At the end of the pre-cracking, the light feed is passed through the essentially adiabatic aging zone 6, where a slight cooling takes place between points I and J, for example by 10 to 50 ° C., due to the continuation of the cracking reactions.

This aging zone 6 is particularly important in the case of the use of ethane, since an additional conversion can take place with it, without the yield becoming significantly worse, and since the content of crack radicals before the mixing zone can be reduced. This reduces the risk of the mixture cracking prematurely. The aging zone 6 can, however, also be omitted, in particular in the case of light feeds other than ethane.

The pre-cracked light feed 7 is now mixed with the heavy feed 8 after the latter has been preheated in the tubes 4 of the convection zone A.

The dilution of the heavy feed by the water vapor can vary between 0.05 and 1, preferably between 0.25 and 1.

At point K, just before the mixing zone, the preheating temperature of the heavy feed is in the range between 300 and 650 ° C, preferably between 450 and 650 ° C.

At point J, just before the Mischzoπe, the temperature of the pre-cracked light feedstock in the range between its initial cracking temperature and 920 ° C, preferably 750-920 ^C C.

After the two feeds have been mixed in the mixing zone to form the mixing stream 9, the temperature of the mixture at point L according to the invention is lower than the initial cracking temperatures of the two feeds 1 and 2. This mixture is consequently not very reactive. The mixture can therefore be divided without problems in the separation zone 11 and passed from the outside of the furnace 10 into the interior of the radiation zone B, without the risk of premature cracking or coking of the lines. This advantage of the process is critical because it can maintain optimal yield and avoid imbalance in downstream co-cracking. Such an imbalance could be caused by coking of these lines because they often contain throughput regulating devices such as nozzles or venturi tubes which are particularly sensitive to coking.

The invention also offers other advantages:

1) Due to their pre-cracking and significant cooling during mixing, the pre-cracked and cooled light feed (cooled by more than 60 ° C, preferably by more than 80 ° C and particularly preferably by at least 100 ° C, in relation to the temperature at Leaving the Pre-crack zone (point I)) is not very reactive and therefore behaves very similar to a diluent. In this way, the heavy feed in the tubes 13 can be heated considerably beyond its initial cracking temperature due to the effect of increasing dilution that benefits the heavy feed. The amount of crack radicals is considerably reduced by cooling the light feed.

2) Because the pre-cracked light feed is heavily diluted by the heavy, not yet cracked feed, its tendency to coke is reduced due to a feed that has not yet cracked and consequently has little coking. Thus the tendency to coke at point L is clearly weaker than at point I. This means that an additional conversion of the light feed during the final co-cracking is now possible without the phenomena of coking being too pronounced. According to the method according to the invention, values for the final conversion of ethane in the range between 70% and 85% can be achieved with this additional conversion, which values cannot be achieved with the known methods without causing coking problems.

The process according to the invention can also be used to split unsaturated mixtures of ethane and C4 hydrocarbons with an increased conversion (60 to 80% for the ethane) and positive effects with regard to the yield of cracking of the unsaturated fractions, which depend on the higher ratio of H to C benefit from Ethan.

The typical temperatures at point L (mixing temperature) are in the range between 400 and 710 ° C, preferably in the range between 600 and 700 ° C. The very low values (400 to 500 ° C) are used in the final evaporation of a heavy feed (vacuum gas oils and distillates).

After the mixed stream 9 has been heated, the co-cracking takes place beyond the initial cracking temperature in the circulation tubes 13 and in particular in the can 14. In the variant shown in FIG. 1, four parallel ciculation tubes 13 are connected to a can 14 via the collecting point M. The process temperatures in point I or J (pre-cracking), L (mixing), M and N (co-cracking) can be controlled by changing the heat of the burners and by changing the respective amount of feed. It is also possible, for example, to supply a relatively cold fluid at point O and / or at point I or J (such as, for example, water or slightly heated steam) in order to control the temperature at point J, for example.

2 shows the most important, typical steps of the process and the corresponding temperatures in the case of a heavy naphtha or gas oil feed.

The heavy load is preheated (step 16). The light feed is preheated (step 17), then pre-cracked (step 18). The two feeds are then mixed (step 19). Finally, the mixture is divided and / or passed into the radiation zone (step 20), then brought to a high temperature and cracked (step 21).

In Fig. 3 different geometries for canned coils 3-1 to 3-6 are shown, which can be used for the pre-cracking of the light feed and / or for the strong temperature increase of the mixture and the final co-cracking (tubes 5, 13 and 14 ).

In connection with this invention, the known, conventional coils with 1, 2, 4, 6 or 8 passes (vertical lengths) or so-called split coils can also be used.

In Fig. 4 two embodiments 4-1 and 4-2 of the mixing zone are shown, where the light loading and the heavy loading are fed to a mixing device with an annular space (either for the heavy, relatively cold loading, or for the pre-cracked light loading) the second case 4-2 is preferred when the heavy feed is not fully evaporated.

The invention is not limited to these mixing devices and types of coils. In particular, all types of furnaces (with an internal or external transition point, with a mixing zone arranged inside or outside), pipe coils, mixers, processes for controlling the process temperature, etc. can be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

claims

1. A method for steam cracking hydrocarbons in a cracking furnace (10) with a convection zone (A) and a radiation zone (B), the method comprising a first stage of pre-cracking a feed of light hydrocarbons (1) and a second stage of the final co- Cracking the mixture from this pre-cracked feed of light hydrocarbons (7) and a feed of heavy hydrocarbons (2), characterized in that the method comprises the following steps:

a) separate preheating of the two feed streams (1, 2) in the convection zone (A), the preheating temperature of each feed stream remaining below the respective initial cracking temperature, b) pre-cracking (5) of the preheated light hydrocarbons, c) mixing of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream (7) with the preheated and not pre-cracked heavy hydrocarbon stream (8) to form a mixed stream (9), d) a strong heating of the mixed stream (9) to a temperature which is higher than the initial cracking temperature by the Mixture is introduced into the radiation zone (B) of the furnace (10), e) performing a final co-cracking in the radiation zone (B) of the furnace (10) and f) cooling (15) of the cracked gases formed during the co-cracking outside the oven (10).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that steps a) to c) comprise:

a) A separate preheating of the two feed streams (1, 2) in the convection zone (A) to preheating temperatures above 300 ° C, b) the pre-cracking (5) of the preheated light hydrocarbons at a temperature in the range between 780 and 920 ° C, preferably between 800 and 900 ^β C, and c) the mixing of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream (7) with the pre-heated and non-pre-cracked heavy hydrocarbon stream (8) to form a mixed stream (9), the amount and the temperature of each of the two streams (7, 8) being determined prior to mixing such that the temperature of the mixed stream (9) is higher than 400 ° C. and lower than that is the initial gap temperature.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that after the mixing stream (9) is divided into a plurality of individual streams (12) immediately before these individual streams (12) are introduced into the radiation zone (B), to bring the mixed stream (13) abruptly to its initial gap temperature.

4. The method according to claims 3, characterized in that the mixed stream (9) at a temperature which is lower than the initial gap temperature of one of the two feed streams (7, 8) is divided into the individual streams (12).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the amount of the hydrocarbon-containing fraction in the feed of light hydrocarbons (1) below 50%, preferably between 4 and 45%, particularly preferably between 5 and 35%, of the total amount the hydrocarbon-containing fractions in both feeds (1, 2).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the hydrocarbon-containing fraction in the feed of light hydrocarbons (1) has an average molecular weight between 25 and 60 and mainly consists of hydrocarbons with 2 to 5 carbon atoms.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the kohlenwasser¬ containing fraction in the feed of light hydrocarbons (1) comprises essentially a mixture of hydrocarbons of the group consisting of ethane and the recycled unsaturated fractions.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the hydrocarbon-containing fraction in the feed of light hydrocarbons (1) consists predominantly of ethane, preferably from recycled ethane.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the hydrocarbon-containing fraction in the feed of heavy hydrocarbons (2) has an average molecular weight between 70 and 500.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the hydrocarbon-containing fraction in the feed of heavy hydrocarbons (2) consists mainly of heavy fractions from the group of vacuum gas oils and distillates.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream (7) in a substantially adiabatic zone (6) is subjected to a slight aging by the temperature of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream (7) slightly, preferably is lowered by 10 to 50 ° C. before the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream (7) is mixed with the preheated heavy hydrocarbon stream (8).

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the temperatures and amounts of the two hydrocarbon streams (7, 8) are determined before mixing so that the preheated heavy hydrocarbon stream (8) does not evaporate completely before mixing is, but that the complete evaporation of this stream is achieved by mixing with at least part of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream (7).

13. A device for steaming hydrocarbons, comprising:

a) a cracking furnace (10) with a convection zone (A) and a radiation zone (B), b) at least one preheating tube (3) for charging light hydrocarbons (1) in the convection zone (A) for preheating this charging, this The tube is connected downstream to at least one cracking tube (5) for the feed of light hydrocarbons (1) for pre-cracking them in the radiation zone (B) and c) at least one preheating tube (4) for the feed of heavy hydrocarbons (2) in the convection zone (A) to preheat this feed,

characterized in that it also includes:

d) a mixing zone for forming a mixed stream (9) with at least one inlet line (7) for at least part of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream, which is connected to the upstream part of the cracking tube (5) for feeding light hydrocarbons (1), and with at least one inlet line (8) for the preheated and not pre-cracked heavy hydrocarbon stream, which is connected to the upstream part of the preheating pipe (4) for feeding heavy hydrocarbons (2), e) a separation zone (11) for dividing the mixture into a multiplicity of individual streams, f) a multiplicity of circulation tubes (13) arranged in parallel for the individual streams in the radiation zone (B) for a sharp rise in temperature of the mixture and g) at least one cracking tube (14) for the mixture which is connected upstream with at least one of the Circulation pipes (13) for the individual streams and downstream with devices (15) for A bcooling the cracked gases is connected.

14. A device for steaming hydrocarbons, comprising:

characterized in that it also includes:

d) a mixing zone located outside the furnace (10) to form a mixed stream (9) with at least one inlet line (7) for at least part of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream, which with the upstream part of the cracking tube (5) for feeding light hydrocarbons (1), and with at least one inlet line (8) for the preheated and not pre-cracked heavy hydrocarbon stream, which is connected to the upstream part of the preheating pipe (4) for feeding heavy hydrocarbons (2), e) at least one transport pipe (12) for transporting the mixture from the outside of the furnace (10) to the inside of the radiation zone (B), this tube (12) upstream with the mixing zone and downstream with at least one circulation tube (13) for the mixture in the radiation zone (B ) is connected and f) devices (15) for cooling the fission gases generated during co-cracking.

15. A device for steaming hydrocarbons, comprising:

a) a cracking furnace (10) with a convection zone (A) and a radiation zone

(B), b) at least one preheating pipe (3) for charging light hydrocarbons (1) in the convection zone (A) for preheating this charging, said pipe downstream with at least one cracking pipe (5) for charging light hydrocarbons ( 1) for pre-cracking it in the radiation zone (B) and c) at least one preheating tube (4) for charging heavy hydrocarbons (2) in the convection zone (A) for preheating this charging,

characterized in that it also includes:

d) a mixing zone located outside the furnace (10) to form a mixed stream (9) with at least one inlet line (7) for at least part of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream, which with the upstream part of the cracking tube (5) for feeding light hydrocarbons (1) and with at least one inlet line (8) for the preheated and non-pre-cracked heavy hydrocarbon stream, which is connected to the upstream part of the preheating pipe (4) for feeding heavy hydrocarbons (2), e) a separation zone ( 11) for dividing the mixture into a plurality of individual streams, f) transport tubes (12) for transporting the individual streams from the outside of the furnace (10) to the interior of the radiation zone (B), these tubes (12) upstream with the separation zone (11 ) and downstream with circulation pipes (13) for the mixture in the radiation zone (B), g) a plurality of parallel arranged circulation pipes (13) for the individual streams in the radiation zone (B) for a strong rise in temperature of the mixture and h) at least one cracking tube (14) for the mixture, which is connected upstream with at least one of the circulation pipes (13) for the individual streams and downstream with devices (15) for cooling the fission gases generated during co-cracking.

16. The device according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that in the radiation zone (B) of the furnace (10) two or more circulation tubes (13) are connected to at least one can (14).

17. The device according to one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that outside the radiation zone (B) between at least one cracking tube (5) for charging light hydrocarbons (1) for pre-cracking the same and the inlet line (7) for at least part of the pre-cracked light hydrocarbon stream, an adiabatic zone (6) is provided.

18. Device according to one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that a plurality of canned tubes (14) are connected to a device (15) for cooling the cracked gases formed during co-cracking.

19. Device according to one of claims 13 to 18, characterized in that the preheating tube (s) (3) for preheating the feed of light hydrocarbons (1) in the convection zone (A) within the cracking furnace (10) with the / the cracking tube (s) (5) for precracking the light hydrocarbons (1) in the radiation zone (B) is / are connected.