Basic Chemicals by Steam Cracking

Steam cracking (or middle temperature pyrolysis ) converts alkanes and refinery cuts [e.g., ethane, light fuels (naphtha)] into a mixture of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, with ethylene, propylene, butenes, butadiene, benzene, and toluene being the most valuable products. 

View on the cracking furnaces of the steamcracker at the Gelsenkirchen site of BP, BP Europa SE. 

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Initially, ethylene was obtained by the dehydration reaction of ethanol. Nowadays, ethylene is obtained by steam cracking from naphtha as a basic chemical. Steam cracking degrades longer aliphatic chains and introduces the double bond. Steam cracking is done at temperatures up to 900°C and leaves a wide variety of products behind. Ethylene is recovered by distillation processes. 

More than 90% of today s petrochemicals are produced from refineiy products. Most are based on the use of C2-C4 olefins and aromatics finm hydrocarbon steam cracking units, which are even more closely linked to refineries. In North America, the feedstock for steam cracker units have generally been ethane, propane, or LPG. As a result, most of the propylene and aromatics have been provided by FCC units and catalytic reformers. In maity other parts of the world where naphtha feed has been more readily available, suppUes of propylene and aromatics have been produced directly by steam cracking. When necessary, the catalytic dehydrogenation of paraffins or dealkylation of toluene can balance the supply of olefins or benzene. In Table 7.2 some of the catalytic processes that convert olefins and benzene from a steam cracker into basic petrochemicals for the modem chemical industry are shown. 

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