Naphtha Cracking

A presentation by :
Niteesh Kumar Vats
ME, Chemical Engg.
IISc Bangalore
Cracking
 Need for cracking

Less valuable More useful &

products valuable products
Cracking

most of the gasoline/petrol is produced by

cracking!
 Naphtha?

Historical Present
Sources of naphtha

*source- origbouk.ru/products.html
 • In 1891 The thermal cracking
method was invented.

Vladmir Shukov

• modified in 1908

William Burton

• In 1934 factory of Shukhov cracking

process established at Baku, USSR.

• 1941: Standard Jersey developed the world’s first steam

cracker at Baton Rouge.
Naphtha cracking

Petroleum industry

Hydrocracking

Petrochemical industry

Steam cracking
 Motivation for steam cracking
*source-2011-november_Olefinek eloallitasa.pdf
The worldwide
demand and
production of
olefins…

1. 94% of the world propylene.

2. In Western Europe, 95% of
Currently, production
`````ethylene and 70–75% of
through steam cracking
111propylene.
3. In Asia, 61% of ethylene.
Use of products of steam cracking
of naphtha
 Chemistry of steam cracking

Initiation

Propagation

Termination
Process of steam cracking of naphtha

Naphtha Pyrolysis section

Fractionation and
Compression Section

Product recovery and

Separation Section
 Energy analysis in steam cracking
sections

Section Energy Energy loss

required
pyrolysis 65% 75%
fractionation 15% 25%
and
compression
recovery 20% 15%
section
 Pyrolysis section

Naphtha Pyrolysis furnace

Transfer line exchange

(producing steam)

Cracked gas
 Products from separation
section

Ethylene (24%)

Propylene(20%)

Separation Butadiene(3%)
section
BTX(1%)
Petroleum
ether(25%)
“ Steam cracking is the most energy-
consuming process in the chemical industry
and globally uses approximately 8% of the
sector’s total primary energy use.”
 Latest Development in steam cracking
of naphtha
Advanced furnace materials

Advanced distillation columns

Membranes
“These latest developments in
naphtha cracking can lead to
approximately 10% savings on the
process energy used.”
 Alternative technologies

Hydro-pyrolysis
of naphtha

Catalytic cracking
of naphtha
zeolite
 How Catalytic cracking Technologies Save
Energy?
1st way:
Energy saving!

Energy required in a pyrolysis furnace

In the case of conventional steam cracking
Activation Energy
Energy

without catalysts
Energy required in a reactor In the case of
catalytic cracking technologies

Activation Energy
with catalysts

Thermodynamic Olefins and byproducts

Energy requirement

Naphtha
Progress of Cracking Process
2nd way:
selectivity of
catalyst

3rd way:
Removal of coke
 Conclusion

Plenty of room for energy savings is possible in

steam cracking. And Catalytic cracking technologies
can lead to energy saving up to 20%.

90% chemical processes

already benefits from catalysis,
so can steam cracking!
 References
• Olefins from conventional and heavy feedstock's:
Energy use in steam cracking and alternative
processes. Energy 31 (2006) 425-251
By Tao Ren, Martin Patel, Kornelis Blok
• James. G. Speight (2006). The Chemistry and
Technology of Petroleum (4th ed.). CRC Press.
• Dr. Ram Prasad (2010). Petroleum refining
Technology (1st edition). Khanna publishers