Process for the dehydrogenation of paraffinic hydrocarbons

A process for the dehydrogenation of a paraffinic dehydrogenatable hydrocarbon which process comprises:

• (a) contacting said paraffinic dehydrogenatable hydrocarbon and hydrogen with a dehydrogenation catalyst at dehydrogenation conditions in a first dehydrogenation zone wherein the endothermic dehydrogenation reaction reduces the temperature of a resulting hydrocarbon stream containing dehydrogenated hydrocarbon compounds;
• (b) contacting said hydrocarbon stream containing dehydrogenated hydrocarbon compounds produced in step (a) with a first hydrogen-rich gaseous stream having a temperature greater than said hydrocarbon stream to thereby increase the temperature of said hydrocarbon stream to dehydrogenation conditions;
• (c) contacting a resulting heated hydrocarbon stream produced in step (b) with a dehydrogenation catalyst at dehydrogenation conditions in a second dehydrogenation zone;
• (d) condensing at least a portion of an effluent from said second dehydrogenation zone to produce a liquid hydrocarbon stream comprising dehydrogenated hydrocarbon compounds and a second hydrogen-rich gaseous stream;
• (e) heating at least a portion of said second hydrogen-rich gaseous stream to produce said first hydrogen-rich gaseous stream of step (b);
• and
• (f) recovering dehydrogenated hydrocarbon compounds.