Low Emissions Oxidative Dehydrogenation Apparatus for Producing Butadiene

An apparatus for producing butadiene by way of oxidative dehydrogenation of a butane-rich feed stream includes: (a) a reactor adapted for receiving said butane-rich feed stream and converting butenes to butadiene by oxidative dehydrogenation, thereby providing a butadiene enriched product effluent stream which exits the reactor at an elevated temperature; (b) a superheater coupled to the reactor to receive the butadiene enriched product effluent stream from the reactor at elevated temperature as well as being configured to receive reactor feed, said superheater being adapted to transfer sensible heat from the butadiene enriched product effluent stream to reactor feed and provide superheated feed to the reactor and (c) a first feed vaporizer coupled to the superheater to receive the butadiene enriched product effluent stream as it exits the superheater and to transfer sensible heat from the butadiene enriched product effluent stream to reactor feed. Also provided are (d) a second feed vaporizer coupled to the reactor for providing vapor feed thereto; (e) a purification train for recovering butadiene from the butadiene enriched product effluent stream; and (f) a thermal oxidizer for recovering energy by way of oxidizing by-products from the purification train and providing energy for said second vaporizer.