Aim for Autothermal Operation in Diesel Production

We are currently proposing to a Refiner that they modify a DHDS soon to be built, such that they will no longer need a fired heater other than for start up. We propose to modify slightly the heat integration and to improve the feed preheat temperature to the point that the system will work off the reactor exotherm. One of the selling points is that Heater emmissions will be just about eliminated .... The concept of autothermal hydrotreater operation is well proven for highly exothermic feedstocks like pyrolisis gasoline. New advances in heat transfer allow the same for diesel desulfurization.