Preheating and evaporation of hydrocarbon feedstocks to an electrically-powered cracking furnace

Abstract

Systems and methods to enhance vaporization of a hydrocarbon feed supplied to an electrically-powered steam cracking furnace may include a separation device positioned to receive a liquid hydrocarbon feed and dilution steam and capable of partially evaporating the hydrocarbon feed to provide a gaseous hydrocarbon portion and a liquid hydrocarbon portion. The gaseous hydrocarbon portion may be heated and combined with the liquid hydrocarbon portion to form a substantially vaporized portion which can be further heated to form a substantially vaporized furnace feed.

Description

PREHEATING AND EVAPORATION OF HYDROCARBON FEEDSTOCKS TO AN ELECTRICALLY-POWERED CRACKING FURNACE Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for preheating and vaporizing hydrocarbon feeds and, more particularly, to system and methods to enhance preheating and vaporization of hydrocarbon feeds, particularly for use with electrically-powered cracking furnaces.Background

[0002] Steam cracking of hydrocarbon feedstock in a steam cracking furnace is a common method for producing numerous desired petroleum-derived products. In many steam cracking processes, a hydrocarbon feedstock is supplied to a convection section of a steam cracking furnace. In the convection section, the hydrocarbon feedstock may be heated to a higher intermediate temperature before being mixed with dilution steam and thereafter heated further to a temperature closer to a cracking temperature sufficient to carry out an endothermic reaction for cracking the hydrocarbons. The preheated hydrocarbon feedstock and dilution steam mixture may be fed to a radiation section of the steam cracking furnace, which may include radiant coils in which the mixture is further heated to a temperature sufficient for causing the endothermic reaction for cracking the hydrocarbons in the mixture. In gas-fired steam cracking furnaces, heat required for the convection section may be provided by hot effluent from the radiation section. The cracked mixture may thereafter be fed to a heat exchanger to rapidly quench the cracked mixture to minimize undesired post-cracking reactions and, in some instances, to recover heat from the process.

[0003] The heat for the radiation section may be provided by burning hydrocarbons and / or hydrogen, or by electrically-powered heating. If provided by electrically-powered heating, hot effluent from the radiation section is not available for use by the convection section to evaporate and / or preheat the hydrocarbon feedstock. Thus, in such systems, heat for evaporation of the hydrocarbon feedstock and preheating of the hydrocarbon feedstock / dilution steam mixture may be provided by electrically-powered heaters. However, some hydrocarbon feedstocks contain mixtures of many hydrocarbon components resulting in the hydrocarbon feedstock having a wide boiling range. In addition, some hydrocarbon feedstocks may exhibit an elevated potential for fouling due to the presence of reactive molecules and contaminants, as well as amounts of highboiling material that may be more difficult to vaporize. As a result, heating some hydrocarbon feedstocks in order to provide a sufficient level of evaporation and / or a sufficient increase in temperature prior to being fed to a cracking furnace may result in an undesirably high amount of equipment fouling. Thus, for some hydrocarbon feedstocks, it may be difficult to sufficiently evaporate and / or preheat the hydrocarbon feedstock without increasing the likelihood of causing fouling by one or more components of the hydrocarbon cracking mixture.

[0004] Electrical heating and vaporization of hydrocarbon feedstocks comes with extra challenges compared to that for conventional convection sections. In a convection section of a conventional feed-flue gas heat exchanger, the maximum tube metal temperature (TMT) can never be higher than the temperature of the flue gas. In comparison, electrical heaters operate with a constant heat flux and hence, the temperature at a specific spot of the heating element will depend strongly on the state of the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock. Surfaces of heating elements in contact with liquid have a much lower temperature than surfaces in contact with gas or gas bubbles. Consequently, bubble formation at the surface needs to be avoided, otherwise the heating element can foul leading to the failure of the electrical heater.

[0005] An attempt to provide a method for producing olefins utilizing whole crude oil and / or natural gas condensate is described in International Publication No. WO 2009 / 088413 Al to Equistar Chemicals, LP (“the ’413 publication”). In particular, the ’413 publication describes a method for thermally cracking a feed composed of whole crude oil and / or natural gas condensate as a feedstock for an olefin production plant that uses hydrocarbon thermal cracking in a pyrolysis furnace in combination with a partitioned vaporization unit. The ’413 publication describes using a self-contained vaporization facility that operates separately from and independently of the convection and radiant sections of the furnace. According to the ’413 publication, the crude oil and / or condensate feed is preheated in the convection section of the furnace, passed out of the convection section and the furnace to a standalone vaporization facility. The vaporous hydrocarbon product of the standalone facility is then passed back into the furnace to enter the radiant section.

[0006] Applicant has recognized that the methods of the ’413 publication may still result in a need for systems and methods for producing petroleum-derived products from hydrocarbon feedstocks that may be more accurately controlled or adjustable for different types of hydrocarbon feedstocks, and that are more efficient and / or more environmentally friendly. For example, although themethods described in the ’413 publication may provide gains in efficiency and an ability to crack whole crudes, they may still be less efficient than desired, and further, the methods described in the ’413 publication may result in an undesirably high emission of carbon dioxide.

[0007] Accordingly, Applicant has recognized a need for systems and methods for sufficiently: preheating and evaporating hydrocarbon feedstocks without causing undesirably high fouling of electrical heaters; evaporating hydrocarbon feedstocks without causing failure of heating elements due to non-optimized evaporation behavior; and evaporating hydrocarbon feedstocks containing multiple hydrocarbons and / or having a wide boiling range. Furthermore, there is a need for systems and methods for evaporating hydrocarbon feedstocks in a more efficient and / or more environmentally friendly manner. The present disclosure may address one or more of the abovereferenced issues, as well as other possible issues.Summary

[0008] In one embodiment, there is provided a vaporization assembly to enhance vaporization of a liquid hydrocarbon feed to an electrically-powered steam cracking furnace. The vaporization assembly includes: a first heater positioned to receive dilution steam and capable of heating the dilution steam to provide superheated dilution steam; a separation device positioned to receive the liquid hydrocarbon feed and the superheated dilution steam and capable of evaporating at least a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon feed via energy associated with the superheated dilution steam to provide a gaseous hydrocarbon portion and a liquid hydrocarbon portion; c) a second electrically-powered heater positioned to receive the gaseous hydrocarbon portion and capable of heating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion to provide a superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion; d) a mixing unit capable of combining and mixing the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion and the liquid hydrocarbon portion and allowing at least part of the liquid hydrocarbon portion to evaporate via energy associated with the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion to provide a substantially vapor portion; and e) a third electrically-powered heated positioned to receive the substantially vapor portion and capable of heating the substantially vapor portion to provide a substantially vapor furnace.

[0009] In another embodiment, there is provided a method to enhance vaporization of a liquid hydrocarbon feed in an electrically-powered steam cracking furnace. The method includes: a) supplying the liquid hydrocarbon feed and superheated dilution steam to a separation device; b) evaporating at least a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon feed via energy associated with thesuperheated dilution steam in the separation device to provide a gaseous hydrocarbon portion and a liquid hydrocarbon portion; c) separating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion from the liquid hydrocarbon portion; d) heating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion to provide a superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion; e) combining the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion and the liquid hydrocarbon portion and evaporating at least part of the liquid hydrocarbon portion via energy associated with the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion to form a substantially vapor portion; and f) heating the substantially vapor portion to provide a substantially vapor furnace feed.

[0010] In still another embodiment, there is provided a system for cracking a liquid hydrocarbon feed. The system includes: a) a first heater positioned to receive dilution steam and capable of heating the dilution steam to provide superheated dilution steam; b) a separation device positioned to receive the liquid hydrocarbon feed and the superheated dilution steam and capable of evaporating at least a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon feed via energy associated with the superheated dilution steam to provide a gaseous hydrocarbon portion and a liquid hydrocarbon portion; c) a second electrically-powered heater positioned to receive the gaseous hydrocarbon portion and capable of heating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion to provide a superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion; d) a mixing unit capable of combining and mixing the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion and the liquid hydrocarbon portion and allowing at least part of the liquid hydrocarbon portion to evaporate via energy associated with the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion to provide a substantially vapor portion; and e) a third electrically-powered heated positioned to receive the substantially vaporized portion and capable of heating the substantially vapor portion to provide a substantially vaporized furnace feed; and f) one or more electrically- heated furnaces positioned to receive the substantially vaporized furnace feed and capable of allowing the substantially vaporized furnace feed to endothermically react to provide a cracked effluent.

[0011] Still other aspects and advantages of these exemplary embodiments and other embodiments, are discussed in detail herein. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing information and the following detailed description provide merely illustrative examples of various aspects and embodiments, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the claimed aspects and embodiments. Accordingly, these and other objects, along with advantages and features of the present disclosure, will become apparent through reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings.Furthermore, it is to be understood that the features of the various embodiments described herein are not mutually exclusive and may exist in various combinations and permutations.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure, and together with the detailed description, serve to explain principles of the embodiments discussed herein. No attempt is made to show structural details of this disclosure in more detail than can be necessary for a fundamental understanding of the embodiments discussed herein and the various ways in which they can be practiced. According to common practice, the various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings can be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate embodiments of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example vaporization assembly according to embodiments of the disclosure.

[0014] FIGS. 2A-2D schematically illustrate example vaporization assemblies according to embodiments of the disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates still another example vaporization assembly according to embodiments of the disclosure.Detailed Description

[0016] The drawings may use like numerals to indicate like parts throughout the several views, the following description is provided as an enabling teaching of exemplary embodiments, and those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that many changes may be made to the embodiments described. It also will be apparent that some of the desired benefits of the embodiments described can be obtained by selecting some of the features of the embodiments without utilizing other features. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications and adaptations to the embodiments described are possible and may even be desirable in certain circumstances. Thus, the following description is provided as illustrative of the principles of the embodiments and not in limitation thereof.

[0017] The phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As used herein, the term “plurality” refers to two or more items or components. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” and“involving,” whether in the written description or the claims and the like, are open-ended terms, i.e., to mean “including, but not limited to,” unless otherwise stated. Thus, the use of such terms is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter, and equivalents thereof, as well as additional items. Use of ordinary terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” and the like in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish claim elements. The term “and / or” means, inclusively, both “and” (conjunctive) as well as “or” (disjunctively).

[0018] The terms “gas” or “gaseous” are used interchangeably with “vapor,” and mean a substance or mixture of substances in the gaseous state as distinguished from the liquid or solid state. Likewise, the term “liquid” means a substance or mixture of substances in the liquid state as distinguished from the gas or solid state.

[0019] The term “substantially” means “consisting essentially of’, and includes “consisting of’ generally and unless otherwise specified, as those terms are construed under U.S. patent law. For example, a composition that is “substantially free” of a specified compound or material may be free of that compound or material, or may have a minor amount of that compound or material present, such as through unintended contamination or incomplete purification. A “minor amount” may be a trace, an unmeasurable amount, an amount that does not interfere with a value or property, or some other amount as provided in context. A composition that has “substantially only” a provided list of components may consist of only those components, or have a trace amount of some other component present, or have one or more additional components that do not materially affect the properties of the composition. Additionally, “substantially” modifying, for example, the type or quantity of an ingredient in a composition, a property, a measurable quantity, a method, a value, or a range, employed in describing the embodiments of the disclosure, refers to a variation that does not affect the overall recited composition, property, quantity, method, value, or range thereof in a manner that negates an intended composition, property, quantity, method, value, or range. For example, a substantially vaporized feed means that at least 80 wt.% or at least 85 wt.%, or at least 90 wt.%, or at least 95 wt.% or at least 99 wt.%, or at least 99.5 wt.%, or at least 99.9 wt.%, or at least 99.99 wt.%, of the feed is in a vapor phase, or all of the feed is an a vapor phase.

[0020] As used herein, the term "separation device" refers to any vessel, container or enclosure configured to receive at least one fluid having at least two constituent elements and configured to produce a gaseous stream out of a top portion and a liquid stream out of the bottom of the vessel. In some embodiments, the separation device may be further configured to produce a gaseous stream or a liquid stream out of a portion in-between the top portion and the bottom of the vessel. The separation device may have any 3-D shape and may contain: internal contact-enhancing structures (e.g., packing elements, trays, weir plates and chimneys); internal heating elements; and, additional inlets and outlets. Exemplary vessels include, but are not limited to, bulk fractionators, steam strippers, phase separators, scrub columns, a flash drum, co-current contacting devices, counter-current contacting devices and others.

[0021] The term “steam stripper” has its ordinary meaning and denotes any unit suitable for vaporizing at least a portion of a liquid using steam where the liquid and steam run in countercurrent flow within the unit. The portion of the liquid that is vaporized is carried off with the steam overhead while the portion of liquid that is not vaporized is removed at the bottom of the unit. In some embodiments, the amount of the portion that is vaporized may range between about 0.1% to about 95%.

[0022] The term “heater” as used herein, in its broadest sense, refers to one or more devices that can be operated to collectively add heat to a stream and, unless otherwise stated, may include a combination of electrically powered heaters and heat exchangers using steam or other fluids (e.g., pyrolysis quench oil, pan oil, fuel oil product, kerosene, diesel, other gasoils, hydrotreated or hydrocracked gasoils, naphthalene, tar, coker oils, lube oils, residual un-vaporized components from the hydrocarbon feed stream, heat transfer fluids, silicone oils, ionic liquids, molten metals, flowable slurries, particulate mixtures, molten salts, commercially synthesized heat transfer fluids, and combinations thereof) as the high-temperature stream.

[0023] In conventional naphtha cracking, naphtha is vaporized and preheated in a convection section of a cracking furnace in a very specific way. First, the naphtha is substantially vaporized (typically, 85% or more of the naphtha is vaporized) in a bank of convection section tubes. Second, the substantially vaporized naphtha is mixed with superheated dilution steam, outside the convection section, to further vaporize the substantially vaporized naphtha. The substantiallyvaporized naphtha / steam mixture is then further heated in another bank of convection section tubes before being fed into the radiant section of the cracking furnace.

[0024] Vaporization in the first bank of convection section tubes occurs in a plug-flow manner. As the naphtha travels down the tube, a larger and larger fraction is vaporized. Avoidance of crossing from a two-phase mixture to a fully vaporized mixture (or having a “dry point”) in the convection section tubes is preferred because small amounts of heavies can deposit on the hot tube surface, which over time, can lead to significant fouling.

[0025] Low carbon emitting processes are ones where carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere are minimized or substantially eliminated. If we consider a low carbon emitting steam cracker that uses an electrically powered furnace, there will be no flue gas, hence no convection section, and, a new way to vaporize naphtha, as well as other hydrocarbon feedstocks, including, but not limited to, ethane, propane, C4-liquified petroleum gas, gas condensate, gas oil, diesel, jet fuel, gas-to- liquid fuel and bio feedstock, is required.

[0026] Electrically heated vaporizers are not conventional for multicomponent feedstocks. Electric heaters behave differently than conventional steam or flue gas fired heaters. They operate with constant heat flux across the heat generating element. Therefore, with two phases present (i.e., gas and liquid), where there are differences in thermal diffusivity among the phases (e.g., gas thermal diffusivity is less than liquid thermal diffusivity), inhomogeneous heat fluxes can lead to localized higher than desired heating element temperature which can lead to heating element burnout. Furthermore, and more specifically to steam cracking, having deposits of solid phase heavies on equipment near where full vaporization occurs is even more critically damaging to electric heaters since the resulting deposits will locally increase the thermal resistance leading to higher heating element temperatures generated on the resistive wire and heating element burnout. Commercial scale heating duty requirements for liquid feedstock vaporization service are greater than currently available electric heating technology in a single unit, so a number of heaters, placement, and controls also must be taken into account.

[0027] Designs to address the technical challenges for using electrically-powered heaters and furnaces are described herein. In doing so, it may be necessary to manage the fluid (vapor / liquid) phases contacting the electric heating elements at all points in the design while maintaining the process demands and requirements already inherent in cracking of liquid feedstock.

[0028] There are a variety of specific flow schemes and options consistent with this broader concept and they are described in the figures and in the claims.

[0029] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example vaporization assembly 10 for enhancing vaporization of a hydrocarbon feed 12 according to embodiments of the disclosure. The vaporization assembly 10 is capable of at least partially evaporating a liquid hydrocarbon feed 12 and / or heating the liquid hydrocarbon feed 12 and / or dilution steam 14 in preparation for supplying the at least partially evaporated hydrocarbon feed to one or more furnaces 40, for example, a cracking furnace, to produce petroleum-derived products, such as, for example, olefins. In some embodiments, heat is supplied to the vaporization assembly 10 independently from flue gas from the furnace 40, which may not be heated by combustion of fuel. Other uses for the at least partially evaporated hydrocarbon feed are contemplated. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon feed 12 may include, for example, multiple hydrocarbon components having much different boiling points, and in some embodiments, the hydrocarbon feed 12 may include, for example, one or more of ethane, propane, liquefied petroleum gas (e.g., C4-LPG), naphtha, gas condensate, gas oil, diesel, jet fuel, gas-to-liquid (GTL) fuel, pyrolysis oils, feedstocks derived from recycled plastics, or biofeedstock.

[0030] In some embodiments, the vaporization assembly 10 may include a first heater 15 positioned to receive the dilution steam 14 and capable of heating the dilution steam 14 to provide superheated dilution steam 16. In certain embodiments, the first heater 15 is an electrically- powered heater, a combination of an electrically-powered heater and a steam-heated heat exchanger, or an electrically-powered heater and a heat transfer fluid positioned and configured to heat the dilution steam 14. In some embodiments, the heat transfer fluid may include, for example, pyrolysis quench oil, pan oil, fuel oil product, kerosene, diesel, other gasoils, hydrotreated or hydrocracked gasoils, naphthalene, tar, coker oils, lube oils, residual un-vaporized components from the hydrocarbon feed stream, heat transfer fluids, silicone oils, ionic liquids, molten metals, flowable slurries, particulate mixtures, molten salts, commercially synthesized heat transfer fluids, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the dilution steam 14 may include, for example, one or more of hydrogen, water, methane, or nitrogen. In some embodiments, the dilution steam 14 may include superheated dilution steam or saturated vapor.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the vaporization assembly 10 may include a separation device 18 positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feed 12 and superheated dilution steam 16 and is capable of at least partially evaporating the hydrocarbon feed 12 to provide a gaseous hydrocarbon portion 20 and a liquid hydrocarbon portion 22.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the separation device 18 may be a steam stripper. In some embodiments, the steam stripper includes a stripping column capable of providing a surface area for contact between the hydrocarbon feed 12 and superheated dilution steam 16. According to some embodiments, the stripping column may be a packed column, a tray column, a froth column or any other two-phase contacting device that allows countercurrent vapor / liquid separation. Generally, the hydrocarbon feed 12 enters the steam stripper near its top while the superheated dilution steam 16 enters the steam stripper near its bottom. As the hydrocarbon feed 12 moves generally downward through the stripping column, it is contacted with the rising superheated dilution steam 16. Vapor arising from evaporation of the liquid hydrocarbon feed 12 is mixed with, and diluted by, the rising superheated dilution steam 16 producing a gaseous hydrocarbon portion 20, which exits near the top of the steam stripper. The non-evaporated components of the hydrocarbon feed 12 exit near the bottom of the steam stripper as liquid hydrocarbon portion 22. Both portions 20 and 22 may additionally include molecular water.

[0033] According to some embodiments, the steam stripper may be designed according to a ratio of an amount of the superheated dilution steam introduced into the steam stripper to an amount of liquid hydrocarbon feed introduced into the steam stripper. For example, in some embodiments the mass ratio of the amount of superheated dilution steam introduced into the steam stripper to the amount of liquid hydrocarbon feed introduced into the steam stripper is at least 0.1 or at least 0.2 or at least 0.3 or at least 0.4 or at least 0.5. In some embodiments, the mass ratio of the amount of superheated dilution steam introduced into the steam stripper to the amount of liquid hydrocarbon feed introduced into the steam stripper is less than or equal to 1, or less than 0.9, or less than 0.8, or less than 0.7, or less than 0.6, or less than 0.5. In some embodiments, the mass ratio of the amount of superheated dilution steam introduced into the steam stripper to the amount of liquid hydrocarbon feed introduced into the steam stripper ranges from 0.1 to 1. If desired, the steam stripper can be operated at a pressure below the furnace supply pressure to help reduce the boiling temperature of the hydrocarbon feed 12 and minimize the energy input requirements. This can be accomplished by the use of a vacuum blower. The vacuum blower is designed toprovide the desired vacuum at the designed vapor flow rate. The liquid level of the steam stripper can be monitored by a liquid level indicator. The steam stripper may be operated over a wide range of conditions. In some embodiments, the temperature of the steam stripper may be within the range of 150 degrees C to 700 degrees C. In some embodiments, the pressure in the steam stripper may be from 0.1-15 bar absolute.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the vaporization assembly 10 may further include a second heater 28 positioned to receive the gaseous hydrocarbon portion 20 and is capable of heating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion 20 to provide a superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 30. In some embodiments, the second heater 28 is an electrically-powered heater. In other embodiments, the second heater 28 may be a non-electric shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a nonelectric shell-and-tube heat exchanger using as a heat source saturated, high-pressure steam generated in a transfer-line exchanger (TLE), a heat exchanger supplied with hot effluent from a furnace (e.g., a radiation furnace), and / or a heat integration stream. In some embodiments, the second heater 28 is positioned to receive the gaseous hydrocarbon portion 20 and is capable of heating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion 20 to a temperature within the range of 150 degrees C to 450 degrees C to provide the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 30.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the vaporization assembly 10 may include a mixing unit 32 capable of combining and mixing the liquid hydrocarbon portion 22 and the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 30 and allowing at least part of the liquid hydrocarbon portion 22 to evaporate, for example, via energy associated with the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 30, to provide a substantially vaporized portion 34. In some embodiments, the mixing unit 32 may be a mixing drum, an inline mixer or mixing point.

[0036] In some embodiments, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, the vaporization assembly 10 may also include a third heater 38 positioned to receive the substantially vaporized portion 34 and is capable of heating the substantially vaporized portion 34 to form a substantially vaporized furnace feed 39. For example, the third heater 38 may be capable of heating the substantially vaporized portion 34 to a temperature ranging from, for example, 500 degrees C to 800 degrees C (e.g., from 550 degrees C to 750 degrees C). In some embodiments, the third heater 38 may be capable of heating the substantially vaporized portion 34 to a relatively lower temperature (e.g., lower than 500 degrees C) and rely on the one or more fumace(s) 40 to add any additional heat to increase the temperature of the substantially vaporized portion 39 to a cracking temperature. In oneembodiment, the third heater 38 is an electrically-powered heater. In other embodiments, the third heater 38 may be a heat exchanger supplied with hot effluent from a furnace (e.g., a radiation furnace).

[0037] In some embodiments, the furnace 40 may be an electrically-heated furnace, for example a furnace in which electric heating elements provide heat or thermal energy in a heating chamber to tubes through which the substantially vaporized furnace feed 39 flows. For example, the furnace 40 may include cracking coils in the heating chamber, and electrical heaters in the heating chamber may be supplied with electrical power to heat the cracking coils. The substantially vaporized furnace feed 39 may pass through the cracking coils in the heating chamber, heated and cracked in one or more endothermic reactions to provide cracker effluent 41, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0038] Thus, in some embodiments, there is also provided a system for cracking a hydrocarbon feed including the vaporization assembly of the present disclosure and one or more furnaces 40. Furnace(s) 40 is positioned to receive the substantially vaporized furnace feed 39 and is capable of allowing the substantially vaporized furnace feed 39 to endothermically react to provide cracked effluent 41.

[0039] Although not shown in FIG. 1, cracked effluent 41 may be subsequently supplied to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger may be positioned to receive the cracked effluent and is capable of transferring heat from the cracked effluent 41, for example, to liquid water to generate steam, or to the third heater to heat the substantially vaporized portion 34 to provide the substantially vaporized furnace feed 39. In some embodiments, the heat exchanger may be a transfer line exchanger (TLE) capable of quenching the cracked effluent 41 received from the furnace 40, and generating very high pressure (VHP) steam. In some embodiments, the VHP steam, which may be saturated, may be used for heat integration, for example in elements of the vaporization assembly described previously. For example, the VHP steam may be used as a heating medium for one or more heaters. In some embodiments, this may also include using at least a portion of the VHP steam to drive one or more turbines for generating work.

[0040] FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D schematically illustrate example subassemblies of vaporization assembly 10 according to embodiments of the disclosure. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D add further optional elements to the vaporization assembly 10 embodiment shown in FIG. 1. First, as shown in FIG. 2A, the vaporization assembly 10A may include a heater 44positioned to receive dilution steam 14 and capable of heating the dilution steam 14 to provide heated dilution steam 50. In some embodiments, the heater 44 may also be positioned to receive utility steam 52 from, for example, the production facility (including, but not limited to saturated or unsaturated steam)and the utility steam 52 can heat the dilution steam 14 to provide the heated dilution steam 50. In some embodiments, the heater 44 may be a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger using as a heat source saturated, high-pressure steam generated in a transfer-line exchanger (TLE), and / or a heat source integrated with a production facility (e.g., an olefin production facility, such as a cracking furnace). In other embodiments, the heater 44 is positioned to receive the dilution steam 14 and utility steam 52 and is capable of heating the dilution steam 14 to a temperature within the range of 180 degrees C to 650 degrees C to provide the heated dilution steam 50. The heated dilution steam 50 is then supplied to first heater 15 and heated to form superheated dilution steam 16.

[0041] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2B, the vaporization assembly 10B may include heater45 positioned to receive hydrocarbon feed 12 and capable of heating the hydrocarbon feed 12 to provide a heated hydrocarbon feed 51. In some embodiments, heater 45 may also be positioned to receive utility steam 52 from, for example, the production facility (including, but not limited to saturated or unsaturated steam), and the utility steam 52 can heat the hydrocarbon feed 12 to provide the heated hydrocarbon feed 51. Thus, in some embodiments, the heater 45 may be a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger using as a heat source saturated, high-pressure steam generated in a transfer-line exchanger (TLE), and / or a heat source integrated with a production facility (e.g., an olefin production facility, such as a cracking furnace). In other embodiments, the heater 45 is positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feed 12 and utility steam 52 and is capable of heating the hydrocarbon feed 12 to a temperature within the range of 50 degrees C to 450 degrees C to provide the heated hydrocarbon feed 12. In some embodiments, the vaporization assembly 10 may also include one or more filters 53 positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feed 12 are capable of removing unwanted components from the hydrocarbon feed 12 prior to heater 45 and / or separation device 18.

[0042] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2C, the vaporization assembly 10C may include heater46 positioned to receive gaseous hydrocarbon portion 20 and capable of heating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion 20 to provide a heated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 55. In some embodiments, heater 46 may also be positioned to receive utility steam 52, (including, but notlimited to, saturated VHP steam), from, for example, the production facility, and the utility steam 52 can heat the gaseous hydrocarbon portion 20 to provide the heated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 55. Thus, in some embodiments, the heater 46 may be a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a shell- and-tube heat exchanger using as a heat source saturated, high-pressure steam generated in a transfer-line exchanger (TLE), and / or a heat source integrated with a production facility (e.g., an olefin production facility, such as a cracking furnace). In other embodiments, the heater 46 is positioned to receive the gaseous hydrocarbon portion 20 and utility steam 52 and is capable of heating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion 20 to a temperature within the range of 50 degrees C to 450 degrees C to provide the heated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 55. The heated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 55 can then be supplied to second heater 28.

[0043] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2D, the vaporization assembly 10D may include heater 47 positioned to receive liquid hydrocarbon portion 22 and capable of heating the liquid hydrocarbon portion 22 to provide a heated liquid hydrocarbon portion 56. In some embodiments, heater 47 may also be positioned to receive steam 52 (including, but not limited to, saturated VHP steam), from, for example, the production facility, and the steam 52 can heat the liquid hydrocarbon portion 22 to provide the heated liquid hydrocarbon portion 56. Thus, in some embodiments, the heater 47 may be a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger using as a heat source saturated, high-pressure steam generated in a transfer-line exchanger (TLE), and / or a heat source integrated with a production facility (e.g., an olefin production facility, such as a cracking furnace). In other embodiments, the heater 47 is positioned to receive the liquid hydrocarbon portion 22 and steam 52 and is capable of heating the liquid hydrocarbon portion 22 to a temperature within the range of 150 degrees C to 450 degrees C to provide the heated liquid hydrocarbon portion 56. The heated liquid hydrocarbon portion 56 can then be supplied to mixing unit 32.

[0044] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates another example of a vaporization assembly 100 according to embodiments of the disclosure. The vaporization assembly 100 shown in FIG. 3 includes a partial feed evaporator 118. The partial feed evaporator 118 may have any three-dimensional shape and is positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feed 112 and is capable of at least partially evaporating the hydrocarbon feed 112 to provide a gaseous hydrocarbon portion 120 and a liquid hydrocarbon portion 122. Thus, the partial feed evaporator may be a vessel positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feed 112 and is capable of enclosing or containing a volume of the hydrocarbonfeed 112. The partial feed evaporator 118 may be in direct contact with a source of heat or thermal energy or in indirect contact with a source of heat or thermal energy. Indirect contact may be provided by an interface, mediator, or other heat conducting method (e.g., heat pipe).

[0045] The heat or thermal energy source may be in contact with an external surface of the partial feed evaporator 118 or may be internal to the partial feed evaporator 118. In an example, the heat or thermal energy source is internal to the partial feed evaporator and fully submerged by the liquid hydrocarbon feed. The partial feed evaporator may also include materials with high thermal conductivity, high corrosion resistance, or both high thermal conductivity and high corrosion resistance. For example, the partial feed evaporator 118 may include a material with high thermal conductivity, such as, for example, metals (e.g., copper, aluminum, iron, steel, etc.), non-metal conductors (e.g., graphite or silicon), heat transfer fluids, or any combination thereof.

[0046] In some embodiments, the partial feed evaporator 118 may include electrically-powered heating coils, heating coils supplied with steam, heating coils supplied with hot effluent from a furnace (e.g., a radiation furnace), or a heat source integrated with a production facility (e.g., an olefin production facility, such as a cracking furnace). For example, the partial feed evaporator 118 may include submerged heating tubes, a thermosyphon, forced circulation, a double-shell system including a heat transfer medium, one or more of an electric shell-and-tube heat exchanger or a non-electric shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a non-electric shell-and-tube heat exchanger using as a heat source saturated, high-pressure steam generated in a transfer-line exchanger (TLE), a heat exchanger supplied with hot effluent from a furnace (e.g., a radiation furnace), and / or a heat integration stream. In some embodiments, the partial feed evaporator 118 may be operated such that heated surfaces of the partial feed evaporator 118 have a surface temperature of 450 degrees C or less. This may reduce the likelihood of, or prevent, fouling caused by overheating the hydrocarbon feed 112.

[0047] In some embodiments of the vaporizer assembly 100 shown in FIG. 3, a substantially constant flow of the hydrocarbon feed 112 may be supplied to the partial feed evaporator 118, and the hydrocarbon feed 112 may directly contact the heating coils. In some embodiments, all of the heating coils may be completely submerged in the liquid portion of the hydrocarbon feed 112 during the heating / vaporizing process. Upon contact with the heating coils, the liquid hydrocarbon feed 112 will increase in temperature and at least partially vaporize to provide the gaseous hydrocarbon portion 120. The gaseous hydrocarbon portion 120 may exit the vaporizing chamberof the partial feed evaporator 118 through a vapor stream output port (not shown) which may be in the upper portion of the partial feed evaporator 118. The gaseous hydrocarbon portion 120 may then be heated in two or more heaters to form a superheated vapor portion 142. In some embodiments, a substantially constant flow of the liquid hydrocarbon portion 122 may be drawn through a liquid stream output port (not shown), which may be in the lower portion of the partial feed evaporator 118. Thereafter, at least a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon portion may be subsequently mixed with the superheated vapor portion 142 to form a substantially vaporized portion 146. The substantially vaporized portion 146 may be further heated to form a substantially vaporized furnace feed 152 which can be supplied to one or more furnaces 160.

[0048] In some embodiments, the vaporization assembly 100 may include a first mixing unit 128 which is capable of combining and mixing the gaseous hydrocarbon portion 120 and dilution steam 130 to provide a heated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 126. The first mixing unit 128 may be any device that makes it possible to mix the gaseous hydrocarbon portion 126 and dilution steam 130 and provide the heated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 126. In some embodiments, the first mixing unit 128 may be a mixing drum, an inline mixer or mixing point.

[0049] Further, in some embodiments, the vaporization assembly 100 may include a steam -based heat exchanger 132 positioned to receive the heated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 126 and capable of heating the heated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 126 to form a superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 134. In some embodiments, the steam-based heat exchanger 132 may be a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger using as a heat source saturated, high-pressure steam generated in a transfer-line exchanger (TLE), and / or a heat source integrated with a production facility (e.g., an olefin production facility, such as a cracking furnace), and / or any other suitable heater type. In other embodiments, the steam-based heat exchanger 132 is positioned to receive the heated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 134 and is capable of heating the heated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 134 to a temperature within the range of 150 degrees C to 450 degrees C to provide the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 134.

[0050] The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 also includes a heater 140 positioned to receive the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 134 and capable of heating the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 132 to provide a superheated vapor portion 142. Heater 140 may be an electrically-powered heater, a combination of an electrically-powered heater and a steam-based heat exchanger, and / or an electrically-powered heater combined with a heater receiving a heattransfer fluid capable of heating the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 134. In some embodiments, the heat transfer fluid may include, for example, pyrolysis quench oil, pan oil, fuel oil product, kerosene, diesel, other gasoils, hydrotreated or hydrocracked gasoils, naphthalene, tar, coker oils, lube oils, residual un-vaporized components from the hydrocarbon feed stream, heat transfer fluids, silicone oils, ionic liquids, molten metals, flowable slurries, particulate mixtures, molten salts, commercially synthesized heat transfer fluids, and combinations thereof. In other embodiments, the electrically-powered heater 140 is positioned to receive the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 134 and capable of heating the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion 134 to a temperature within the range of 150 degrees C to 700 degrees C to provide the superheated vapor portion 142.

[0051] In some embodiments, the vaporization assembly 100 may include a second mixing unit 144 which is capable of combining and mixing the liquid hydrocarbon portion 122 and the superheated vapor portion 142 and allowing at least part of the liquid hydrocarbon portion 122 to evaporate, for example, via energy associated with the superheated vapor portion 142, to provide a substantially vaporized portion 146. The mixing unit 144 may be any device that makes it possible to mix the superheated vapor portion 142 and liquid hydrocarbon portion 122 and to provide the substantially vaporized portion 146. In some embodiments, the second mixing unit 144 may be a mixing drum, an inline mixer or mixing point. Although not shown, in some embodiments prior to being supplied to the second mixing unit 144, the liquid hydrocarbon portion 122 may be supplied to a heater and heated to form a heated liquid hydrocarbon portion. In such embodiments, the heater may be a steam-based heat exchanger which may be a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a non-electric shell-and-tube heat exchanger using as a heat source saturated, high-pressure steam generated in a transfer-line exchanger (TLE), a heat exchanger supplied with hot effluent from a furnace (e.g., a radiation furnace), and / or a heat source integrated with a production facility (e.g., an olefin production facility, such as a cracking furnace), and / or any other suitable heater type. Accordingly, such a heater will be positioned to receive the liquid hydrocarbon portion 122 and is capable of heating the liquid hydrocarbon portion 122 to a temperature within the range of 150 degrees C to 450 degrees C to provide the heated liquid hydrocarbon portion.

[0052] In yet further embodiments, the vaporization assembly 100 may include a second electrically-powered heater 148 positioned to receive the substantially vaporized portion 146 andcapable of heating the substantially vaporized portion 146 to form a substantially vaporized furnace feed 152. The electrically-powered heater 148 may include an electrically-powered heater, a combination of an electrically-powered heater and a steam-based heat exchanger, and / or an electrically-powered heater and a heat transfer fluid positioned and configured to heat the substantially vaporized portion 146. In some embodiments, the heat transfer fluid may include, for example, pyrolysis quench oil, pan oil, fuel oil product, kerosene, diesel, other gasoils, hydrotreated or hydrocracked gasoils, naphthalene, tar, coker oils, lube oils, residual un-vaporized components from the hydrocarbon feed stream, heat transfer fluids, silicone oils, ionic liquids, molten metals, flowable slurries, particulate mixtures, molten salts, commercially synthesized heat transfer fluids, and combinations thereof. In other embodiments, the electrically-powered heater 148 is positioned to receive the substantially vaporized portion 146 and is capable of heating the substantially vaporized portion 146 to a temperature within the range of 150 degrees C to 700 degrees C to provide the substantially vaporized furnace feed 152.

[0053] In addition, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3, the present disclosure provides a system including the vaporization assembly 100 and one or more fumace(s) 160, for example, a cracking furnace, for producing petroleum-derived products, such as, for example, olefins. In one embodiment, the cracking furnace 160 may be electrically-powered, for example, a furnace in which electric heating elements provide heat or thermal energy in a heating chamber to tubes through which the substantially vaporized furnace feed 152 flows. For example, the furnace 160 may include cracking coils in the heating chamber, and electrical heaters in the heating chamber may be supplied with electrical power to heat the cracking coils. The substantially vaporized cracking feed 152 may pass through the cracking coils in the heating chamber, heated and cracked in one or more endothermic reactions to provide cracked effluent 180 for example, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0054] Although not shown in FIG.3, the cracked effluent 180 may be subsequently supplied to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger may be capable of transferring heat from the cracked effluent 180, for example, to liquid water to generate steam. In some embodiments, the heat exchanger may be a transfer line exchanger (TLE) capable of quenching the cracked effluent 180 received from the furnace 160.

[0055] In some embodiments consistent with the vaporization assembly 100 shown in FIG. 3, the heat exchanger includes a TLE, which may be used to quench the cracked effluent 180, which maygenerate very high pressure (VHP) steam. In some embodiments, the VHP steam, which may be saturated, may be used for heat integration in the assembly. For example, the VHP steam may be used as a heating medium for one or more heaters of the vaporization assembly 100. In some embodiments, this may include using at least a portion of the VHP steam to drive one or more turbines for generating work.

[0056] Consistent with the vaporization assemblies 10, 10A-D and 100 shown in FIGS. 1-3, one or more of the heaters may be operated and controlled independently of one another, which may allow for improved operational control of the different processes occurring within the assemblies 10, 10A-D and 100. In some embodiments, the ability to operate and control the heaters independently may also allow tailoring the operation of the assemblies 10, 10A-D and 100 for cracking different types of hydrocarbon feeds. In addition, one or more of the heaters described above may include a number of heaters and / or heat exchangers that may be arranged in series and / or in parallel.

[0057] In some embodiments, pressure-changing devices, such as, for example, pumps, compressors, valves, restriction orifices, etc., may be incorporated into the vaporization assemblies 10. 10A-D and 100 at any location, for example, to maintain the indicated flow direction, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The temperatures and / or pressures described herein may be adjusted, for example, depending on the content of the hydrocarbon feeds 12 and 112 to improve or optimize operation of portions of the vaporization assemblies 10, 10A-D and 100.

[0058] Having now described some illustrative embodiments of the disclosure, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing is merely illustrative and not limiting, having been presented by way of example only. Numerous modifications and other embodiments are within the scope of one of ordinary skill in the art and are contemplated as falling within the scope of the disclosure. In particular, although many of the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of method acts or system elements, it should be understood that those acts and those elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the parameters and configurations described herein are exemplary and that actual parameters and / or configurations will depend on the specific application in which the systems and techniques of the disclosure are used. Those skilled in the art should also recognize or be able to ascertain, using no more than routine experimentation, equivalents to the specific embodiments. It is, therefore, to be understood that the embodiments described herein arepresented by way of example only and that, within the scope of any appended claims and equivalents thereto, the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced other than as specifically described.

[0059] Furthermore, the scope of the present disclosure shall be construed to cover various modifications, combinations, additions, alterations, etc., above and to the above-described embodiments, which shall be considered to be within the scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, various features and characteristics as discussed herein may be selectively interchanged and applied to other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiment, and numerous variations, modifications, and additions further can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

ClaimsWhat is claimed is:

1. A vaporization assembly to enhance vaporization of a liquid hydrocarbon feed to an electrically-powered steam cracking furnace, the vaporization assembly comprising: a) a first heater positioned to receive dilution steam and capable of heating the dilution steam to provide superheated dilution steam; b) a separation device positioned to receive the liquid hydrocarbon feed and the superheated dilution steam and capable of evaporating at least a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon feed via energy associated with the superheated dilution steam to provide a gaseous hydrocarbon portion and a liquid hydrocarbon portion; c) a second electrically-powered heater positioned to receive the gaseous hydrocarbon portion and capable of heating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion to provide a superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion; d) a mixing unit capable of combining and mixing the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion and the liquid hydrocarbon portion and allowing at least part of the liquid hydrocarbon portion to evaporate via energy associated with the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion to provide a substantially vapor portion; and e) a third electrically-powered heated positioned to receive the substantially vapor portion and capable of heating the substantially vapor portion to provide a substantially vapor furnace feed.

2. The vaporization assembly of claim 1, wherein the separation device comprises a steam stripper.

3. The vaporization assembly of any of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first heater positioned to receive the dilution steam comprises an electrically-powered heater, a combination of an electrically-powered heater and a steam-based heat exchanger, and / or an electrically- powered heater and a heat transfer fluid positioned and capable of heating the dilution steam.

4. The vaporization assembly of any of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid hydrocarbon feed comprises one or more of ethane, propane, liquefied petroleum gas, naphtha, gas condensate, gas oil, diesel, jet fuel, gas-to-liquid fuel, pyrolysis oil, a feedstock derived from recycled plastics or a biofeedstock.

5. The vaporization assembly of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a heater positioned to directly receive the dilution steam and capable of heating the dilution steam to provide a heated dilution steam.

6. The vaporization of claim 5, wherein the heater positioned to directly receive the dilution steam is a steam-based heat exchanger.

7. The vaporization assembly of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a heater positioned to receive the liquid hydrocarbon feed and capable of heating the liquid hydrocarbon feed to provide a heated liquid hydrocarbon feed.

8. The vaporization assembly of claim 7, wherein the heater positioned to receive the liquid hydrocarbon feed is a steam-based heat exchanger and / or wherein the steam-based heat exchanger is a shell-and-tube heat exchanger using as a heat source saturated or unsaturated steam generated in a transfer-line exchanger.

9. The vaporization assembly of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a heater positioned to receive the gaseous hydrocarbon portion and capable of heating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion to provide a heated gaseous hydrocarbon portion, wherein the heater positioned to receive the gaseous hydrocarbon portion is a steam-based heat exchanger.

10. The vaporization assembly of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a heater positioned to receive the liquid hydrocarbon portion and capable of heating the liquid hydrocarbon portion to provide a heated liquid hydrocarbon portion, wherein the heater positioned to receive the liquid hydrocarbon portion is a steam-based heat exchanger.

11. A method to enhance vaporization of a liquid hydrocarbon feed in an electrically- powered steam cracking furnace, the method comprising: a) supplying the liquid hydrocarbon feed and superheated dilution steam to a separation device; b) evaporating at least a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon feed via energy associated with the superheated dilution steam in the separation device to provide a gaseous hydrocarbon portion and a liquid hydrocarbon portion; c) separating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion from the liquid hydrocarbon portion; d) heating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion to provide a superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion;e) combining the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion and the liquid hydrocarbon portion and evaporating at least part of the liquid hydrocarbon portion via energy associated with the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion to form a substantially vapor portion; and f) heating the substantially vapor portion to provide a substantially vapor furnace feed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion in step d) and the substantially vapor furnace feed in step f) are obtained by heating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion and the substantially vapor portion in separate electrically-powered heaters, and / or wherein the superheated dilution steam is obtained by heating dilution steam in an electrically-powered heater.

13. A system for cracking a liquid hydrocarbon feed comprising: a) a first heater positioned to receive dilution steam and capable of heating the dilution steam to provide superheated dilution steam; b) a separation device positioned to receive the liquid hydrocarbon feed and the superheated dilution steam and capable of evaporating at least a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon feed via energy associated with the superheated dilution steam to provide a gaseous hydrocarbon portion and a liquid hydrocarbon portion; c) a second electrically-powered heater positioned to receive the gaseous hydrocarbon portion and capable of heating the gaseous hydrocarbon portion to provide a superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion; d) a mixing unit capable of combining and mixing the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion and the liquid hydrocarbon portion and allowing at least part of the liquid hydrocarbon portion to evaporate via energy associated with the superheated gaseous hydrocarbon portion to provide a substantially vapor portion; and e) a third electrically-powered heated positioned to receive the substantially vaporized portion and capable of heating the substantially vapor portion to provide a substantially vaporized furnace feed; and f) one or more electrically-heated furnaces positioned to receive the substantially vaporized furnace feed and capable of allowing the substantially vaporized furnace feed to endothermically react to provide a cracked effluent.14 The system of claim 13, further comprising a transfer line exchange positioned to receive the cracked effluent and capable of quenching the cracked effluent and / or wherein the separation device is a steam stripper.

15. The system of claims 13-14, further comprising a steam-based heat exchanger positioned to receive the liquid hydrocarbon portion and capable of heating the liquid hydrocarbon portion to provide a heated liquid hydrocarbon portion.

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