Process of removing heat

A method of starting up an exothermic reaction comprising:

• (a) providing at least two separate reaction trains each comprising at least one reactor;
• (b) providing a common coolant circulation system which comprises a single common reservoir comprising a coolant which is fed into each reaction train;
• (c) starting circulation of the coolant to each reaction train;
• (d) increasing the pressure the reactors to a desired reaction pressure;
• (e) feeding a reactant feedstream into each reaction train;
• (f) increasing the temperature of the single common reservoir while adjusting the GHSV of the reactant feedstreams through each reaction train to obtain the desired extent of exothermic reaction.

A method of isolating a reaction train from an exothermic reaction process circuit which comprises multiple reaction trains to which a first coolant is fed from a common first coolant reservoir and wherein each reaction train comprises a reactor to which a reactant substream is fed, comprising:

• performing the exothermic reaction in the reactor to produce reaction products and first coolant to which heat has been transferred;
• providing a second coolant circulation system associated with a second coolant reservoir;
• redirecting the first coolant to which heat has been transferred from the reaction train to be isolated to the second coolant reservoir;
• and then
• stopping the feed of the first coolant to the reaction train to be isolated while simultaneously initiating the feed of the second coolant from the second coolant reservoir to the reaction train to be isolated.

A method for removing heat from an exothermic reaction comprising:

• (a) dividing a reactant feed stream into at least two separate reactant substreams;
• (b) feeding each reactant substream into a separate reaction train which comprises a reactor;
• (c) feeding a coolant stream from a common coolant reservoir into each reactor;
• (d) performing the exothermic reaction in the reactor to produce reaction products and coolant to which heat has been transferred;
• (e) feeding the coolant to which heat has been transferred from each reaction train to a single common reservoir in which the heat is removed from the coolant;
• (f) feeding the coolant from which the heat has been removed in step (e) back into step (c), wherein:
• the coolant is a fluid which has a boiling point lower than the exothermic reaction temperature;
• the coolant to which heat has been transferred in steps (d) and (e) is a two phase coolant;
• and
• the progress of the exothermic reaction in each reactor is controlled by adjusting the pressure of the two phase coolant.