Shell and tube heat exchanger with split shell and method of using

Abstract

A shell and tube heat exchanger is described. The shell and tube heat exchanger includes a shell side having a separation plate dividing the shell into at least two compartments, each of the compartments having a feed inlet and a feed outlet; and a tube side comprising a plurality of tubes in the shell, at least one tube in each compartment, and the tube side having an effluent inlet and an effluent outlet. A method of heating a feed stream for a reaction zone using reactor effluent using the shell and tube heat exchanger is also described.

1 . A shell and tube heat exchanger comprising:
 a shell side having a separation plate dividing the shell into at least two compartments, each of the compartments having a feed inlet and a feed outlet; and   a tube side comprising a plurality of tubes in the shell, at least one tube in each compartment, the tube side having an effluent inlet and an effluent outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The shell and tube heat exchanger of  claim 1  further comprising at least one baffle in the shell. 
     
     
         3 . The shell and tube heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein there are at least two baffles in each compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The shell and tube heat exchanger of  claim 3  wherein the at least two baffles in at least one compartment are arranged with an opening at a first end of one baffle followed by an opening at an opposite end of the next baffle. 
     
     
         5 . The shell and tube heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein at least one of: the feed inlet of at least one compartment comprises a nozzle; the feed outlet of at least one compartment comprises a nozzle; the effluent inlet of the tube side comprises a nozzle; and the effluent outlet of the tube side comprises a nozzle. 
     
     
         6 . The shell and tube heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the feed inlets of each compartment are at a first end of the shell and the feed outlets of each compartment are at a second end of the shell. 
     
     
         7 . The shell and tube heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the effluent inlet and the effluent outlet are at the same end of the shell. 
     
     
         8 . The shell and tube heat exchanger of  claim 7  wherein the feed outlets of each compartment are at the same end of the shell as the effluent inlet and the effluent outlet. 
     
     
         9 . The shell and tube heat exchanger of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of tubes are U-shaped tubes. 
     
     
         10 . The shell and tube heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of tubes are straight tubes. 
     
     
         11 . The shell and tube heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein each compartment has the same number of tubes. 
     
     
         12 . A method of heating a feed stream for a reaction zone using reactor effluent comprising:
 providing a shell and tube heat exchanger comprising:
 a shell side having a separation plate dividing the shell into at least two compartments, each of the compartments having a feed inlet and a feed outlet; and 
 a tube side comprising a plurality of tubes in the shell, at least one tube in each compartment, the tube side having an effluent inlet and an effluent outlet; 
   dividing the feed stream into at least two portions;   passing the two portions of the feed stream from the feed inlets to the feed outlets of each compartment and passing the reactor effluent from the effluent inlet to the effluent outlet to pre-heat the two portions of the feed stream;   heating the two pre-heated portions of the feed stream in a charge heater; and   introducing the two heated portions of the feed stream from the charge heater into the reaction zone.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising mixing a hydrogen rich gaseous hydrocarbon stream with the feed stream. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the hydrogen rich gaseous hydrocarbon stream is introduced into the feed stream after the feed stream is divided into the two portions. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the reactor effluent comprises a liquid hydrocarbon phase and a gaseous hydrocarbon phase. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the two heated portions of the feed stream from the charge heater are combined before introducing the two heated portions of the feed stream from the charge heater into the reaction zone. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein:
 there are at least two shell and tube heat exchangers; 
 the feed stream is divided into at least four portions; 
 two portions of the feed stream are sent to the first shell and tube heat exchanger and two portions of the feed stream are sent to the second shell and tube heat exchanger; 
 the four preheated portions of the feed stream are heated in the charge heater; 
 the four heated portions of the feed stream from the charge heater are introduced into the reaction zone. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  wherein there are at least two baffles in each compartment and wherein the at least two baffles in the first compartment or the at least two baffles in the second compartment or both are arranged with an opening at a first end of the first baffle followed by an opening at an opposite end of the second baffle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the feed inlets of each compartment are at a first end of the shell and the feed outlets of each compartment are at a second end of the shell. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the effluent inlet and the effluent outlet are at the same end of the shell and wherein the feed outlets of each compartment are at the same end of the shell as the effluent inlet and the effluent outlet, and wherein the plurality of tubes are U-shaped tubes.