In a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) process, the purpose of the deethanizer and chilling train systems is to separate the cracked gas into a methane-rich tail gas product, a C2, and a C3 process stream. By the use of staged cooling, process-to-process inter-change against propane feed to the reactor and use of high efficiency heat exchangers and distributed distillation techniques, refrigeration power requirements are reduced and a simple and reliable design is provided by the process described herein.

In a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) process, the purpose of the deethanizer and chilling train systems is to separate the cracked gas into a methane-rich tail gas product, a C2, and a C3 process stream. By the use of staged cooling, process-to-process inter-change against propane feed to the reactor and use of high efficiency heat exchangers and distributed distillation techniques, refrigeration power requirements are reduced and a simple and reliable design is provided by the process described herein.

In a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) process, the purpose of the deethanizer and chilling train systems is to separate the cracked gas into a methane-rich tail gas product, a C2, and a C3 process stream. By the use of staged cooling, process-to-process inter-change against propane feed to the reactor and use of high efficiency heat exchangers and distributed distillation techniques, refrigeration power requirements are reduced and a simple and reliable design is provided by the process described herein.

Methods and systems for steam cracking a mixed butane containing feed stream are disclosed. The feed stream includes n-butane and isobutane. The disclosed methods and systems entail splitting the feed into an enriched n-butane fraction and an enriched isobutane fraction. The enriched n-butane fraction is provided to the cracking furnaces, which yield the olefin products and also yield C4 species. The C4 species are partially hydrogenated and provided as a reactant feed to an alkylation reaction. The enriched isobutane fraction is also provided to the alkylation reaction, whereby high value alkylate product is produced. The disclosed methods and systems have increase olefins (especially ethylene) yield because the feed to the cracking process is enriched in n-butane. The economics are also improved because high value alkylate product is produced from a portion of the isobutane.

Methods and systems for steam cracking a mixed butane containing feed stream are disclosed. The feed stream includes n-butane and isobutane. The disclosed methods and systems entail splitting the feed into an enriched n-butane fraction and an enriched isobutane fraction. The enriched n-butane fraction is provided to the cracking furnaces, which yield the olefin products and also yield C4 species. The C4 species are partially hydrogenated and provided as a reactant feed to an alkylation reaction. The enriched isobutane fraction is also provided to the alkylation reaction, whereby high value alkylate product is produced. The disclosed methods and systems have increase olefins (especially ethylene) yield because the feed to the cracking process is enriched in n-butane. The economics are also improved because high value alkylate product is produced from a portion of the isobutane.

A method of recovery of rich gas where the rich gas is a hydrocarbon gas comprising less than 50 mole % methane is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of gathering the low pressure gas, compressing the gathered gas, cooling the compressed gas in a condenser so that a portion of the compressed gas condenses to form a liquefied gas and liquefied gas vapour in the condenser, and discharging the liquefied gas and liquefied gas vapour from the condenser, in which the cooling of the compressed gas is performed using at least one heat exchanger (40).

A method of recovery of rich gas where the rich gas is a hydrocarbon gas comprising less than 50 mole % methane is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of gathering the low pressure gas, compressing the gathered gas, cooling the compressed gas in a condenser so that a portion of the compressed gas condenses to form a liquefied gas and liquefied gas vapour in the condenser, and discharging the liquefied gas and liquefied gas vapour from the condenser, in which the cooling of the compressed gas is performed using at least one heat exchanger (40).

Apparatus and process for converting aromatic compounds, comprising/using: a fractionating train (4-7) suitable for extracting at least one benzene-comprising fraction (22), one toluene-comprising fraction (23) and one fraction (24) comprising xylenes and ethylbenzene from the feedstock (2); a xylene separating unit (10) suitable for treating the fraction comprising xylenes and ethylbenzene and producing a para-xylene-comprising extract (39) and a raffinate (40) comprising ortho-xylene, meta-xylene and ethylbenzene; an isomerizing unit (11) for treating the raffinate and producing a para-xylene-enriched isomerizate (42), which is sent to the fractionated train; and an alkylating reaction section (13) for treating at least part of the benzene-comprising fraction with an ethanol source (30) and producing an alkylation effluent (31) comprising ethylbenzene, which is sent to the isomerizing unit.

Apparatus and process for converting aromatic compounds, comprising/using: a fractionating train (4-7) suitable for extracting at least one benzene-comprising fraction (22), one toluene-comprising fraction (23) and one fraction (24) comprising xylenes and ethylbenzene from the feedstock (2); a xylene separating unit (10) suitable for treating the fraction comprising xylenes and ethylbenzene and producing a para-xylene-comprising extract (39) and a raffinate (40) comprising ortho-xylene, meta-xylene and ethylbenzene; an isomerizing unit (11) for treating the raffinate and producing a para-xylene-enriched isomerizate (42), which is sent to the fractionated train; and an alkylating reaction section (13) for treating at least part of the benzene-comprising fraction with an ethanol source (30) and producing an alkylation effluent (31) comprising ethylbenzene, which is sent to the isomerizing unit.

A process and apparatus integrate a deethanizer column with a cryogenic heat exchanger by reboiling the deethanizer column with a refrigerant stream and/or cooling a deethanizer overhead line in the cryogenic heat exchanger. A single stage separator and a single deethanizer column may be used to obtain high purity hydrogen in the net gas stream and an ethane rich off-gas stream, whereas conventionally a dual stage separator and two deethanizer columns were necessary for equivalent purity, respectively.