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Ethylene by Steam Cracking of Naphtha
Ethylene, the most-made organic chemical, comes from cracking hydrocarbons with steam. Naphtha mixed with steam passes through furnace tubes at around 850 °C for milliseconds and is quenched at once. The cracked gas is compressed in three stages and separated by cryogenic distillation into ethylene, propylene and the rest.
The picture: our diagram of furnace, quench, compressor and cold column.
Advanced
Continuous; months between de-cokings
Instructions
1
1
Crack with steam
Crack with steam
Mix naphtha with steam and pass it through the furnace tubes at around 850 °C. Keep it there only milliseconds.
Materials for this step:
Naphtha1 tTools needed:
Steam Cracking Furnace
Water2
2
Quench
Quench
Cool the gas at once in a transfer line heat exchanger or with quench oil, so the cracking stops.
Tools needed:
Steam Cracking Furnace3
3
Compress
Compress
Compress the cracked gas in three stages.
Tools needed:
Gas Compressor4
4
Separate cold
Separate cold
Separate the gas by cryogenic distillation into hydrogen and methane, ethylene, propylene and heavier parts.
Tools needed:
Cryogenic Distillation Column5
5
De-coke the furnace
De-coke the furnace
Coke builds up in the tubes. Every few months take the furnace off line and remove it.
Tools needed:
Steam Cracking Furnace6
6
How much gas a kilogram of ethylene is
How much gas a kilogram of ethylene is
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