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Improved methods and related apparatus are disclosed for efficiently recovering the heat of condensation from overhead vapor produced during separation of various components of dehydrogenation reaction effluent, particularly in ethylbenzene-to-styrene operations, by the use of at least a compressor

Improved methods and related apparatus are disclosed for efficiently recovering the heat of condensation from overhead vapor produced during separation of various components of dehydrogenation reaction effluent, particularly in ethylbenzene-to-styrene operations, by the use of at least a compressor to facilitate azeotropic vaporization of an ethylbenzene and water mixture within a preferred range of pressure/temperature conditions so as to minimize undesired polymerization reactions.

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What we claim is: 1. In a method of manufacturing styrene by dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene in the presence of steam at elevated temperatures in a reactor system containing a dehydrogenation catalyst, the improvement comprising the steps of: (a) separating the unreacted ethylbenzene from the crude

What we claim is: 1. In a method of manufacturing styrene by dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene in the presence of steam at elevated temperatures in a reactor system containing a dehydrogenation catalyst, the improvement comprising the steps of: (a) separating the unreacted ethylbenzene from the crude styrene by fractionation in an ethylbenzene-styrene fractionator carried out at an overhead pressure below about 200 mmHg in the presence of a polymerization inhibitor; (b) condensing the ethylbenzene overhead vapor from the fractionator in an azeotropic vaporizer to provide heat for boiling a reactor feed consisting essentially of an azeotropic mixture of ethylbenzene and water; and, (c) compressing the vaporized reactor feed, the overhead vapor from the fractionator, or both to obtain an azeotropic mixture of ethylbenzene and water at a suitable pressure for feeding to the reactor system. 2. A method according to claim 1, further wherein the ethylbenzene-styrene fractionator is operated at an overhead pressure of between about 50-170 mmHg. 3. A method according to claim 1, further wherein the azeotropic mixture is boiled at a pressure of between about 250-390 mmHg. 4. A method according to claim 1, further wherein the temperature difference between the condensing overhead vapor and the boiling azeotropic mixture of ethylbenzene and water in the azeotropic vaporizer is between about 15-25° C. 5. A method according to claim 1, further wherein the fraction of overhead ethylbenzene vapor condensed in the azeotropic vaporizer is between 0.30 and 1.0. 6. A method according to claim 1, further wherein the water in the azeotropic mixture is derived from process condensate. 7. A method according to claim 1, further wherein the molar ratio of water to ethylbenzene in the reactor feed is between about 4 and 12. 8. A method according to claim 1, further wherein the pressure at the inlet to the reactor system is between about 400-1100 mmHg. 9. A method according to claim 1, further wherein said dehydrogenation catalyst consists essentially of an iron oxide based dehydrogenation catalyst. 10. A method according to claim 1, further wherein said fractionation is carried out under vacuum. 11. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises compressing only the vaporized reactor feed. 12. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises compressing only the overhead vapor from the fractionator. 13. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises compressing both the vaporized reactor feed and the overhead vapor from the fractionator. 14. In a method of dehydrogenation of an alkylaromatic compound in the presence of steam at elevated temperatures in a reactor system containing a dehydrogenation catalyst, the improvement comprising the steps of: (a) separating unreacted alkylaromatic compound from the crude product by fractionation in a fractionator carried out at an overhead pressure below 200 mmHg in the presence of a polymerization inhibitor; (b) condensing the overhead vapor from the fractionator to provide heat for boiling a reactor feed consisting essentially of an azeotropic mixture of the alkylaromatic compound and water; and, (c) compressing the vaporized reactor feed, the overhead vapor from the fractionator, or both to obtain an azeotropic mixture of the alkylaromatic compound and water at a suitable pressure for feeding to the reactor system.