Why talk about Cracking Furnaces?

Industry feedback clearly identifies cracking furnaces as the main cause of lost production in the ethylene plants. 
Cracking furnaces are the most important part of an ethylene plant, also called as the heart of an ethylene plant. They are a vital part because

• They determine the total feed throughput and conversion
• They are the key to determine product selectivity
• They determine the feed flexibility
• Being a high energy consumer, they determine the overall energy efficiency and utility costs
• They are the highest contributor to maintenance budget and attention. And have high impact on plant reliability. Therefore, typically determine plant capability
• They have high environmental impact.
• High capital intensity