Patent ID: 7323147

Claim:
An apparatus for vaporizing an oxygenate-containing feed which comprises: a) an oxygenate-containing feed preheater which comprises an inlet for an oxygenate-containing feed of an initial heat content and an outlet for an oxygenate-containing feed having an increased heat content; b) an oxygenate vapor-liquid disengaging drum comprising an inlet for receiving said oxygenate-containing feed of increased heat content, a first outlet for removing an oxygenate-containing liquid phase, a second outlet for removing a blowdown fraction and a third outlet for removing an oxygenate-containing vapor phase; c) a heat exchanger means for adding heat to said oxygenate-containing liquid phase comprising at least one heat exchanger, external to said vapor-liquid disengaging drum, comprising an inlet for said oxygenate-containing liquid phase having a first heat content and an outlet for an oxygenate-containing vapor phase which is connected to an inlet for said oxygenate vapor-liquid disengaging drum.