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Ceramic Fiber Application in Ethylene Cracking Furnace

Table of Contents

Structural Features of the Ethylene Cracking Furnac

 The cracking furnace is a pivotal facility in the ethylene plant, typically being a bottom-fired or side-fired box-type heating furnace. Its structure generally comprises two parts: the upper convection section and the lower radiant section. The radiant section houses vertical furnace tubes, the area for the heating reaction of hydrocarbons, while the furnace burners of the cracking furnace are usually distributed at the furnace bottom and sidewalls.
Ethylene Cracking Furnace

Working Temperature Inside the Furnace and Use of Ceramic Fiber Products

Due to its substantial energy consumption, accounting for 60% of the entire ethylene plant’s energy consumption, enhancing the efficiency of the cracking furnace is crucial to reduce thermal losses. Hence, lightweight zirconia-containing insulation refractory materials from Anchor-Technology are the primary choice for the furnace lining. The working temperature of the furnace tubes is 1100°C, while the radiant section’s temperature generally reaches 1260°C. The refractory lining is a constituent of both the radiant and convection sections of the ethylene cracking furnace. Ceramic fiber modules containing zirconia are commonly chosen for the sidewalls of the radiant chamber, while the refractory lining at the furnace top can be a suspended ceramic fiber structure.

Key Points in the Use of Ceramic Fiber Refractory Lining in the Ethylene Cracking Furnace

Treatment of Burner Nodes on the Furnace Top

After adopting a fully fiber structure for the burners, where fiber materials cannot bear weight, an additional stainless steel fixture is required to secure the burner bricks. Simultaneously, modifications in the external structural shape of the burner bricks are necessary. A critical focus area is the connection between the burner bricks and the ceramic refractory fiber modules. Before installing the modules, envelop the burner bricks with a 20mm zirconia-containing fiber blanket and secure it with heat-resistant wire. After installing the zirconia-containing ceramic fiber modules, compress and seal tightly.

Ethylene Cracking Furnace

Usage Precautions

In the daily use of the ceramic fiber refractory lining in the cracking furnace, avoid rapid temperature changes when starting or stopping the furnace. Adjust the expansion joints promptly to meet requirements, preventing cracking or detachment of the ceramic fibers in the convection section. In the event of incidents of cracking or detachment, promptly replace the ceramic fiber lining and readjust the expansion joint positions.

Maintenance Precautions

In the daily use of the ceramic fiber refractory lining in the cracking furnace, avoid rapid temperature changes when starting or stopping the furnace. Adjust the expansion joints promptly to meet requirements, preventing cracking or detachment of the ceramic fibers in the convection section. In the event of incidents of cracking or detachment, promptly replace the ceramic fiber lining and readjust the expansion joint positions.

Fiber Module Treatment

After installing the zirconia fiber modules, apply Anchor-Technology’s ceramic fiber hardening agent to their surface. This process helps prolong the time before fiber crystallization and powdering occur due to prolonged exposure to high-temperature airflow.
Ethylene Cracking Furnace