Chemistry of ethylene production from naphtha Although many alternative processes available such as steam cracking, catalyst cracking

etc., notably all these processes share same chemistry of converting petroleum naphtha to ethylene. Therefore its important to understand the chemistry underlying the conversion as its applicable to all processes. Pyrolysis of naphtha is the key process in ethylene chemistry. The same process is used not only for naphtha as the feedstock but for other feed stocks such as ethane, gas oil also. Typically naphtha contains a range of hydrocarbons from six carbon atoms to twelve carbon atoms. Therefore it has been difficult to exactly identify the reactions occur as the feed composition defers. The primary reactions for naphtha pyrolysis are chain initiation, hydrogen- abstraction, radical decomposition and radical isomerization. As the identification is difficult, models have been developed for identifying the pyrolysis of paraffins. A Paraffin feed N Number of C atoms in paraffinic feed n constant

The mechanism is based on the free radical reaction. Feed is pyrolised in the furnace to obtain ethylene and free radicals of methyl and ethyl. Then the reaction continues with the free radical reacting with the feed and other free radicals. The radicals disappear in number of ways arising the termination of reaction which lead to stoppage of the reaction.

Whenever new chain is started ethyl and methyl radicles are formed. Therefore reaction produces methane, ethane, propane, butane with the primary product ethylene. First the paraffin is cracked inside the furnace at the temperature about 760 C- 870 C. A hydrocarbon mixture is heated in metal tubes inside a furnace in the presence of steam to a temperature at which the hydrocarbon molecules thermally decomposes then it will follow a free radical reaction mechanism to produce the end product ethylene and the by products such as hydrogen, methane, ethylene, propylene, butadiene. most of the by products are recycled and again feed to the cracker for increasing the yield of ethylene. If the dehydration continued for a longer time, formation of aromatics, acetylene and coke would occur. All the reactions are endothermic and require temperature of around 850 C for naphtha cracking. The required residence time is limited to few seconds and temperature is controlled around 850 C, not allowing to reach above 900 C 1000 C to increase efficiency of the process and prevent further dehydration. Dehydration produces undesirable products such as coke, acetylene and aromatic derivatives. [1]

Bibliography
[1] TURCU, E. A. (2003). Analysis of steam cracking process for the industrial etylene plant . Rumenia: DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY POLITEHNICA OF BUCHAREST .