Process for producing a feed stream for a steam reforming plant

A process for producing a feed stream for a steam reforming plant containing at least one reforming stage, the process comprising the following steps:

• a) providing a first liquid input stream containing olefins and a second input stream comprising hydrogen;
• b) combining of the first input stream and the second input stream to form a hydrogenation input stream;
• c) heating of the hydrogenation input stream in a heating apparatus and vaporization of the hydrogenation input stream in a vaporization apparatus, thereby forming a heated and vaporized hydrogenation input stream;
• d) introducing the heated and vaporized hydrogenation input stream into a hydrogenation reactor comprising at least one hydrogenation zone, at least partially converting the olefins present in the heated and vaporized hydrogenation input stream in the hydrogenation reactor under olefin hydrogenation conditions, and then discharging a gaseous olefin hydrogenation product stream from the hydrogenation reactor;
• e) separating the gaseous olefin hydrogenation product stream in a separation apparatus into a gaseous reforming feed stream which is fed into a steam reforming plant and a gaseous recycle stream;
• f) cooling of the gaseous recycle stream, with this being at least partially condensed and subsequently introduced into a phase separation apparatus in which it is separated into a gaseous partial recycle stream and a liquid partial recycle streams;
• and
• g) discharging the gaseous partial recycle stream and the liquid partial recycle stream from the phase separation apparatus, with the gaseous partial recycle stream being combined with the second input stream and the liquid partial recycle stream being combined with the first input stream and/or being recirculated to process step (b),
• wherein an entry temperature of the heated and vaporized hydrogenation input stream into the hydrogenation reactor is regulated by means of the heating apparatus (process step (c)) and/or by means of the separation apparatus (process step (e)).