STEAMCRACKER
Over 97% of the world's supply
of Ethylene is produced by the steam cracking
of hydrocarbons. Nearly any hydrocarbon can be
cracked to form ethylene, but the most common
are Naphtha, Ethane, Propane, Gas Oil, and Butane.
Many useful byproducts are also produced from
steam cracking. The quality and quantity of these
byproducts is strongly dependant on the cracker
feed source. In most cases, liquid phase hydrogenation
is used to purify these byproducts prior to further
processing.
Eliminating highly unsaturated compounds from
monomers produce a number of potential benefits,
such as a reduction in:
- catalyst consumption;
- polymer defects; and
- fouling of other contaminate
removal catalysts.
Elimination of acetylenes, diolefins,
and styrene in pyrolysis gasoline reduces:
- gums in gasoline components;
- fouling the hydrodesulfurization
catalyst; and
- energy required for redistillation
of products.
Reduction of unsaturated compounds
in cracker feed:
- increases the yield of olefins
in cracking;
- reduces coking in furnaces;
and
- reduces energy required for
recycle cracking.
In all cases, the extent of
the reaction (e.g., selective hydrogenation, hydroisomerization,
or olefin saturation) is determined by the choice
of catalyst, and by process operating conditions.
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