Fractionator with liquid-vapor separation arrangement

In a fractionation process utilizing a fractionation vessel for separation of components having different boiling points, wherein reactor effluent component vapors are fed into a vapor feed contacting zone, wherein low boiling point components separate and pass upwardly above said vapor feed contacting zone, and wherein high boiling point components separate and gravitate into a heavy bottoms liquid hold-up pool section below said vapor feed contacting zone and are removed therefrom via a bottoms outlet, which process also includes utilizing a bottoms recycle system with a heat exchanger to recycle, cooled bottoms back to said fractionation vessel at said heavy bottoms liquid hold-up pool section and (hold-up is essential for operating stability and avoiding severe coking of the fractionator baffled contacting section) to enhance operating stability and to reduce coking of the fractionator baffled contacting section above said vapor feed contacting zone, the improvement which comprises:

• preventing condensation and absorption of valuable product vapors by cooler heavy bottoms liquids by providing thermal isolation between said vapor feed contacting zone and said pool section by including within said fractionation process a remotely located bottoms liquid hold-up pool vessel connected via a bottoms liquid outlet at a separate location from product vapors to thereby separate heavy bottoms liquid within said fractionation vessel;
• and, providing a bottoms liquid removal area with vapor sealing means at the bottom of said fractionation vessel.