The present invention utilizes mechanical vapor compression and/or thermal vapor compression integrating compression loops across multiple process stages. A sequential network of compressors is utilized to increase the pressure and condensing temperature of the vapors within each process stage, as intra-vapor flow, and branching between process stages, as inter-vapor flow. Because the vapors available are shared among and between compressor stages, the number of compressors can be reduced, improving economics. Balancing vapor mass flow through incremental compressor stages which traverse multiple process stages by splitting vapors between compressor stages enables the overall vapor-compression system to be tailored to individual process energy requirements and to accommodate dynamic fluctuations in process conditions.

A method is disclosed for upgrading a bio-based material, the method including pretreating bio-renewable oil(s) and/or fat(s) to provide a bio-renewable raw material, deoxygenating the bio-renewable raw material, followed by separation, to provide a propane feed, and subjecting the propane feed to dehydrogenation and to separation to provide a propylene material.

A plant or refinery may include equipment such as reactors, heaters, heat exchangers, regenerators, separators, or the like. Types of heat exchangers include shell and tube, plate, plate and shell, plate fin, air cooled, wetted-surface air cooled, or the like. Operating methods may impact deterioration in equipment condition, prolong equipment life, extend production operating time, or provide other benefits. Mechanical or digital sensors may be used for monitoring equipment, and sensor data may be programmatically analyzed to identify developing problems. For example, sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more system components to detect and correct maldistribution, cross-leakage, strain, pre-leakage, thermal stresses, fouling, vibration, problems in liquid lifting, conditions that can affect air-cooled exchangers, conditions that can affect a wetted-surface air-cooled heat exchanger, or the like. An operating condition or mode may be adjusted to prolong equipment life or avoid equipment failure.

A plant or refinery may include equipment such as reactors, heaters, heat exchangers, regenerators, separators, or the like. Types of heat exchangers include shell and tube, plate, plate and shell, plate fin, air cooled, wetted-surface air cooled, or the like. Operating methods may impact deterioration in equipment condition, prolong equipment life, extend production operating time, or provide other benefits. Mechanical or digital sensors may be used for monitoring equipment, and sensor data may be programmatically analyzed to identify developing problems. For example, sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more system components to detect and correct maldistribution, cross-leakage, strain, pre-leakage, thermal stresses, fouling, vibration, problems in liquid lifting, conditions that can affect air-cooled exchangers, conditions that can affect a wetted-surface air-cooled heat exchanger, or the like. An operating condition or mode may be adjusted to prolong equipment life or avoid equipment failure.

A method is disclosed of purifying a recycled or renewable organic material, wherein the recycled or renewable organic material contains one or more impurities selected from a group consisting of silicon compounds, phosphorous, Cl and sterols. Exemplary embodiments include (a) providing the recycled or renewable organic material; (c) heat treating the recycled or renewable organic material at 100 to 450° C.; and (f) hydrotreating the heat treated recycled or renewable organic material in a presence of a hydrotreating catalyst; to obtain purified hydrotreated recycled or renewable organic material.

A method is disclosed of producing hydrocarbons from a recycled or renewable organic material, wherein the recycled or renewable organic material contains from 5 to 30 wt-% oxygen as organic oxy-gen compounds and from 1 to 1000 ppm phosphorous as phosphorous compounds. Exemplary methods include (a) providing the recycled or renewable organic material (c) thermally cracking the recycled or renewable organic material thereby reducing the oxygen and phosphorous content of the recycled or renewable organic material to obtain (i) a vapor fraction containing a major part of volatiles, and (ii) a thermally cracked recycled or renewable organic material fraction containing less oxygen and less phosphorous than the recycled or renewable organic material provided in step (a); and (f) hydrotreating the thermally cracked recycled or renewable organic material fraction in a presence of a hydrotreating catalyst; to obtain hydrocarbons containing less than 1 wt % oxygen and less phosphorous than the recycled or re-newable organic material provided in step (a).

A method is disclosed of producing hydrocarbons from a recycled or renewable organic material, wherein the recycled or renewable organic material contains from 5 to 30 wt-% oxygen as organic oxy-gen compounds and from 1 to 1000 ppm phosphorous as phosphorous compounds. Exemplary methods include (a) providing the recycled or renewable organic material (c) thermally cracking the recycled or renewable organic material thereby reducing the oxygen and phosphorous content of the recycled or renewable organic material to obtain (i) a vapor fraction containing a major part of volatiles, and (ii) a thermally cracked recycled or renewable organic material fraction containing less oxygen and less phosphorous than the recycled or renewable organic material provided in step (a); and (f) hydrotreating the thermally cracked recycled or renewable organic material fraction in a presence of a hydrotreating catalyst; to obtain hydrocarbons containing less than 1 wt % oxygen and less phosphorous than the recycled or re-newable organic material provided in step (a).

A method is disclosed of producing hydrocarbons from a recycled or renewable organic material wherein the recycled or renewable organic material contains hydroxyaromatic hydrocarbon compounds. Exemplary methods include (a) providing recycled or renewable organic material; (b) optionally purifying the recycled or renewable organic material; (c) hydrotreating the recycled or renewable organic material in a presence of a hydrotreating catalyst, thereby forming a hydrocarbon stream and a phenol-containing effluent; (d) separating phenols from the phenol-containing effluent of step (c), thereby forming a phenol stream and a purified water stream; and (e) recycling the phenol stream obtained in step (d) to step (c) to increase the yield of hydrocarbons obtained from step (c); to obtain hydrocarbons containing less than 1 wt % oxygen.

A method is disclosed of producing hydrocarbons from a recycled or renewable organic material wherein the recycled or renewable organic material contains hydroxyaromatic hydrocarbon compounds. Exemplary methods include (a) providing recycled or renewable organic material; (b) optionally purifying the recycled or renewable organic material; (c) hydrotreating the recycled or renewable organic material in a presence of a hydrotreating catalyst, thereby forming a hydrocarbon stream and a phenol-containing effluent; (d) separating phenols from the phenol-containing effluent of step (c), thereby forming a phenol stream and a purified water stream; and (e) recycling the phenol stream obtained in step (d) to step (c) to increase the yield of hydrocarbons obtained from step (c); to obtain hydrocarbons containing less than 1 wt % oxygen.

The invention relates to hydrocarbon conversion, to equipment and materials useful for hydrocarbon conversion, and to processes for carrying out hydrocarbon conversion, e.g., hydrocarbon pyrolysis processes. The hydrocarbon conversion is carried out in a reactor which includes at least one channeled member that comprises refractory and has an open frontal area≤55%. The refractory can include non-oxide ceramic.