Process For Heating A Hydrocarbon Stream Entering A Reaction Zone With A Heater Convection Section

Abstract

An exemplary process can include passing a hydrocarbon stream through a reforming unit. The reforming unit may include a heater, which in turn generally includes a convection section and a radiant section, and a plurality of reforming reaction zones. Generally, the hydrocarbon stream is heated in the convection section for reacting in one of the reforming reaction zones to which the hydrocarbon stream is sent and the hydrocarbon stream is heated in the radiant section of the heater for reacting in the other reforming reaction zone to which the hydrocarbon stream is sent.

1 . A process, comprising:
 (a) sending a hydrocarbon stream through a reforming unit, wherein the reforming unit comprises:
 (i) a heater, which in turn comprises a convection section and a radiant section, and 
 (ii) a plurality of reforming reaction zones wherein the hydrocarbon stream is heated in the convection section for reacting in one of the reforming reaction zones to which the hydrocarbon stream is sent, and the hydrocarbon stream is heated in the radiant section of the heater for reacting in the other reforming reaction zone to which the hydrocarbon stream is sent. 
   
     
     
         2 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater of the reforming unit further comprises a burner. 
     
     
         3 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream through the reforming unit, in turn comprising:
 three heaters; and   four reforming reactors wherein each reforming reactor comprises one of the plurality of reforming reaction zones; and further comprising:
 sending the hydrocarbon stream through at least one convection section of the heaters before entering one of the reforming reactors; and 
 sending the hydrocarbon stream through each of the other reforming reactors wherein the hydrocarbon stream is heated in the radiant section of one of the heaters corresponding to one of the other reforming reactors. 
   
     
     
         4 . A process according to  claim 3 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprises the reforming reactors in series and the first reforming reactor receiving the hydrocarbon stream sent through at least one convection section of the heaters. 
     
     
         5 . A process according to  claim 3 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprises the reforming reactors in series and the last reforming reactor receiving the hydrocarbon stream sent through at least one convection section of the heaters. 
     
     
         6 . A process according to  claim 4 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprises each heater having a radiant section and a convection section, and sending the hydrocarbon stream through the convection section of each heater before the first reforming reactor receives the hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         7 . A process according to  claim 5 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprises each heater having a radiant section and a convection section and sending the hydrocarbon stream through the convection section of each heater before the last reforming reactor receives the hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         8 . A process according to  claim 4 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprises each heater having a radiant section and sharing a common convection section and sending the hydrocarbon stream through the common convection section before the first reforming reactor receives the hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         9 . A process according to  claim 5 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprises each heater having a radiant section and sharing a common convection section and sending the hydrocarbon stream through the common convection section before the last reforming reactor receives the hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         10 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprising heating the hydrocarbon stream in the convection section comprising a naphtha feed having an initial boiling point of about 82° C. and an end boiling point of about 204° C. before entering the plurality of reforming reaction zones. 
     
     
         11 . A process according to  claim 4 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprising sending the hydrocarbon stream through a heat exchanger to receive heat from a hydrocarbon stream effluent of the last reforming reactor of the series before sending through the at least one convection section. 
     
     
         12 . A process according to  claim 5 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprising sending the hydrocarbon stream through a heat exchanger to receive heat from a hydrocarbon stream effluent of the last reforming reactor in the series before sending through the radiant section of one of the heaters. 
     
     
         13 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprising at least two of the reaction zones having an ascending inlet temperature profile. 
     
     
         14 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprising the convection section comprising several convection tubes in a parallel configuration and the radiant section comprising several radiant tubes in a parallel configuration. 
     
     
         15 . A reforming process according to  claim 1 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprising a plurality of reforming reactors wherein each reforming reactor comprises one of the plurality of reaction zones. 
     
     
         16 . A reforming process, comprising:
 (a) sending a stream comprising hydrocarbons though a reforming unit, wherein the reforming unit comprises:
 (i) at least one heater and a plurality of reforming reaction zones, wherein the at least one heater comprises a convection section and a radiant section; wherein at least about 90% of heat transferred from the at least one heater to the hydrocarbon stream entering one of the reforming reaction zones is from one or more of the convection sections of the at least one heater. 
   
     
     
         17 . A reforming process according to  claim 16 , wherein sending the stream further comprising at least about 95% of heat transferred from the at least one heater to the hydrocarbon stream entering one of the reforming reactors is from one or more of convection sections of the at least one heater. 
     
     
         18 . A reforming process according to  claim 16 , wherein sending the stream further comprising at least about 99% of heat transferred from the at least one heater to the hydrocarbon stream entering one of the reforming reactors is from one or more of convection sections of the at least one heater. 
     
     
         19 . A facility consisting of at least one of a refinery and a petrochemical production facility, comprising:
 (a) a reforming unit, comprising:
 (i) at least one heater comprising a convection section comprising at least one convection tube having an inlet and an outlet, and a radiant section comprising a burner and at least one radiant tube having an inlet and an outlet; and 
 (ii) a plurality of reforming reaction zones in series wherein each reaction zone has an inlet and an outlet wherein a first reaction zone inlet is for receiving a hydrocarbon stream from the outlet of the convection tube, and a second reaction zone inlet is for receiving the hydrocarbon stream from the outlet of the radiant tube. 
   
     
     
         20 . The facility according to  claim 19 , wherein the reforming unit further comprises:
 three heaters; and   four reforming reactors in series wherein each reforming reactor comprises one reforming reaction zone of the plurality of reaction zones.   
     
     
         21 . The reforming process according to  claim 16 , wherein sending the hydrocarbon stream further comprises 100% of heat transferred from the at least one heater to the hydrocarbon stream entering one of the reforming reactors is from one or more of convection sections of the at least one heater. 
     
     
         22 . A process, comprising:
 passing a hydrocarbon stream through a reforming unit, wherein the reforming unit comprises:
 a heater, which in turn comprises a convection section and a radiant section, and 
 a plurality of reforming reactors wherein the hydrocarbon stream is heated only in the convection section and not the radiant section of the heater before entering one of the reforming reactors. 
   
     
     
         23 . A process, comprising:
 operating a heater comprising a convection section comprising at least one convection tube having an inlet and an outlet and a radiant section comprising at least one radiant tube having an inlet and an outlet;   operating a plurality of reaction zones in series wherein each zone of the plurality has an inlet;   passing a hydrocarbon stream through the at least one convection tube directly into the inlet of one of the zones; and   passing the hydrocarbon stream through the at least one radiant tube directly into the inlet of the other zone.   
     
     
         24 . The process according to  claim 23 , wherein passing the hydrocarbon stream further comprises the hydrocarbon stream comprising a naphtha feed having an initial boiling point of about 82° C. and an end boiling point of about 204° C. before entering the plurality of reforming reactors. 
     
     
         25 . The process according to  claim 23 , wherein operating the plurality of reactors comprises at least two of the reactors have an ascending inlet temperature profile.