Cracking furnaces’ reliability, in simplistic yet effective terms, can be measured by looking at the actual production relative to their overall capability. Many factors, from design/engineering/fabrication/construction through operation and maintenance, contribute towards overall availability and reliability. The furnaces typically determine the total ethylene plant capacity limits and require significant attention, throughout their lifecycle, to achieve best-in-class performance and availability expectations.
Key factors during project development and execution:
Key factors during project development and execution:
- Selection and design of main components – radiant coils, convection coils, transfer-line exchangers, burners, fans, SCR, etc.
- Process controls, monitoring, and safety systems
- Engineering specifications
- Fabrication details, inspection
- Quality of construction
- Working knowledge of fundamentals on the process side (feeds, yields/severity, selectivity, coking/fouling/run-length, decoking, corrosion, erosion, etc.) and fireside (combustion, burners, SCR, emissions, fouling/corrosion/erosion, etc.)
- Design limits, process safety
- Operating variables/interactions, controls, performance monitoring
- Operating modes and procedures
- Predictive and preventive maintenance, frequency (relationship of operating parameters, failure modes, etc.)
- Equipment monitoring
- Personnel training and competency