Assessing the CO2 emission reduction potential of steam cracking furnace innovations via computational fluid dynamics: From high-emissivity coatings, over coil modifications to firing control

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Accurate 3D modeling of steam cracking fireboxes is instrumental in the identification of the strengths and weaknesses of a specific firebox. A 3D computational fluid dynamics model for the firebox, combined with a 1D reactor model, is validated using industrial data of a naphtha steam cracker. The framework is used to assess the impact of a high-emissivity coating, geometrical changes and operational conditions on the CO2 emissions per ton ethene produced. A high-emissivity coating reduces the CO2 emissions by 4% and increases the radiation efficiency by 1.9%. A geometry with a higher number of inlets per reactor coil reduces the CO2 emissions by 3%. When the excess oxygen concentration increases at the bridgewall, the firebox efficiency decreases while CO2 emissions increase. The operational changes and technologies studied in this work can be combined to further minimize the CO2 emissions, but controlling and monitoring the excess bridgewall oxygen proved to be the most crucial parameter to realize a reduction in CO2 emissions.