Process for mixing dilution steam with liquid hydrocarbons before steam cracking

A system for steam cracking a whole crude or a portion thereof to produce olefins and/or aromatics, the system comprising:

• a volatilization device comprising a steam inlet, a hydrocarbon inlet, a vapor phase outlet, and a liquid phase outlet configured to separate a vapor phase comprising volatilized hydrocarbons and steam from a liquid phase comprising unvaporized hydrocarbons;
• a control system configured to maintain a flow rate of the whole crude, introduced via the hydrocarbon inlet, and steam, introduced via the steam inlet, wherein the contacting of the whole crude and steam forms hydrocarbon droplets having a D10 of greater than about 30 microns;
• a separator fluidly connected to the liquid phase outlet configured to separate the liquid phase into a second vapor phase comprising volatilized hydrocarbons and steam, and a second liquid phase comprising unvaporized hydrocarbons;
• a steam pyrolysis reactor comprising of a convection section and a steam pyrolysis heater section,
• the convection system configured to heat the vapor phase, the liquid phase, and the second vapor phase;
• the steam pyrolysis heater section configured steam crack hydrocarbons in the vapor phase, thereby generating olefins and/or aromatics.

A system for producing olefins from a wide boiling range hydrocarbon feedstock, the system comprising:

• a volatilization device comprising a steam inlet, a hydrocarbon inlet, a vapor phase outlet and a liquid phase outlet;
• a control system configured to maintain a flow rate of the hydrocarbon feedstock, introduced via the hydrocarbon inlet, and steam, introduced via the steam inlet, at a relative contact velocity of less than 30 m/s;
• and
• a steam pyrolysis reactor for converting volatilized hydrocarbons recovered via the vapor phase outlet to form olefins and aromatics.