Processes and apparatuses for heating a hydrocarbon feed stream for a reactor

Abstract

Processes and apparatuses for heating a feed stream for a reactor which has a charge heater. At least one process stream provides heat so that a pre-heated feed stream passed to the charge heater is a vapor stream. The process stream may be the heated stream from the outlet of the charge heater. Alternatively, the process stream may be the effluent stream from the reactor that has been heated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for heating a hydrocarbon feed stream for a reactor, the process comprising:
 heating a hydrocarbon feed stream for a reactor in a heat exchanger to provide a pre-heated hydrocarbon feed stream, wherein the pre-heated hydrocarbon feed stream is a vapor stream;   heating the pre-heated hydrocarbon feed stream in a charge heater to form a heated hydrocarbon feed stream;   passing the heated hydrocarbon feed stream to the reactor;   recovering a hydrocarbon effluent stream from the reactor;   heating the hydrocarbon effluent stream in a heating zone to provide a heated hydrocarbon effluent stream; and,   passing the heated hydrocarbon effluent stream to the heat exchanger to heat the hydrocarbon feed stream and provide the pre-heated hydrocarbon feed stream.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor comprises a vapor phase hydrotreating reactor. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the heating zone comprises an electric heater or one or more electric heating coils or a steam heat exchanger or a process exchanger configured to receive a hydrocarbon hot stream. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , the hydrocarbon feed stream is combined with a recycle vapor stream. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the heating zone comprises a steam heat exchanger or a process exchanger configured to receive a hydrocarbon hot. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising:
 monitoring the temperature of the pre-heated hydrocarbon feed stream and the heated hydrocarbon feed stream using temperature sensors.