PROCESS FOR STEAM CRACKING OF HYDROCARBON FEEDSTOCKS CONTAINING ASPHALTENES

摘要

A process for cracking a hydrocarbon feedstock containing asphaltenes, wherein the asphaltenes are removed from the feedstock before the hydrocarbons undergo steam cracking. The process includes: (a) heating an asphaltene-containing hydrocarbon feedstock upstream with respect to a plurality of pyro lysis furnaces comprising at least two pyro lysis furnaces to form a vapor phase that is essentially free of asphaltenes and a liquid phase containing asphaltenes; (b) separating the vapor phase from the liquid phase; (c) transferring at least a portion of the separated vapor phase in parallel flow to at least two of the plurality of pyrolysis furnaces; and (d) cracking at least a portion of the hydrocarbons contained in the separated vapor phase in the at least two of the pyrolysis furnaces to form a cracked product. Several pyrolysis furnaces, e.g., from three to ten pyrolysis furnaces, can be used in the practice of the present invention.