Patent ID: 7358413

Claim:
A process for cracking a hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid, said process comprising: (a) heating said hydrocarbon feedstock; (b) mixing the heated hydrocarbon feedstock with steam and optionally water to form a mixture stream; (c) introducing the mixture stream to a flash/separation apparatus to form i) a vapor phase which partially cracks and/or loses heat causing partial condensation of said vapor phase to provide coke precursors existing as uncoalesced condensate, and ii) a liquid phase; (d) removing the vapor phase as overhead; (e) treating said overhead by contacting with a hydrocarbon-containing nucleating liquid substantially free of resid and comprising components boiling at a temperature of at least about 260° C. (500° F.) under conditions sufficient to at least partially coalesce said coke precursors to provide coke precursor liquid; (f) removing said coke precursor liquid; (g) heating the treated overhead from which said coke precursor liquid is removed to provide a heated vapor phase; (h) cracking the heated vapor phase in a pyrolysis furnace to produce an effluent comprising olefins; and (i) quenching the effluent and recovering cracked product therefrom.