The Linde Ethylene Technology
Ever since building world's first ethylene plant in 1931, Linde has been incorporating the latest innovations into the design of each new plant. Extensive feedback of operating data and information on process and equipment performance in operating plants has been providing Linde with substantial background for the yet more efficient design of future plants and is the basis of Linde's worldwide accepted leading position in this technology.
The key to the outstanding Linde ethylene process are the PYROCRACK furnaces and the subsequent ULTRAREC olefins recovery process with three process units and their special arrangement in the process sequence
The PYROCRACK furnaces are based on an outstanding technology for cracking of all feedstocks from ethane, propane, butane, LPG, naphtha, AGO to hydrocracker residue with an endpoint of up to 600°C. PYROCRACK furnaces cover the residence time range of 0.15 to 0.5 sec and guarantee excellent productivity due to long run length and highest yields.
Features of the ULTRAREC-recovery unit are
The "Front End Deethanizer", removing all heavy hydrocarbons upstream of the low temperature cooling and allowing the application of the front end acetylene hydrogenation.
The "Front End Hydrogenation" that shows excellent records regarding safety, yields and operability.
The "Open Ethylene Refrigeration Cycle", leading to remarkable savings in investment costs and energy consumption.
These features translate into lowest energy and feedstock consumption figures for all feedstocks in single train plant up to 900,000 MTA ethylene capacity.
Example
Customer:
VEBA AG, Ruhr Oel GmbH
Plant location:
Gelsenkirchen/Germany
Process:
LINDE process for cracking of naphtha and recovery of ethylene
Capacity:
440,000 MTA ethylene
260,000 MTA propylene
Additional products:
H2 fraction, C3 fraction, C4 fraction, hydrogenated pyrolysis gasoline
Scope of work:
Engineering, procurement on behalf of and for account of Ruhr Oel GmbH, erection supervision management, start-up consulting.
