Riyadh, April 17, 2024, SABIC, BASF, and Linde celebrated the inauguration of the world's first experimental plant for large-scale cracking furnaces operated by electric heating. After three years of development, engineering, and construction, the experimental plant is now ready for regular operation at BASF’s Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany.
The primary goal of this experimental plant is to demonstrate the potential for continuous production of olefins using electricity as a heat source, reaching temperatures up to 850 degrees Celsius. Cracking units play a pivotal role in producing essential chemicals, requiring a significant amount of energy to convert hydrocarbons into olefins and aromatics.
This innovative technology relies on renewable energy sources, aiming to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by at least 90% compared to conventional methods. This significant reduction in emissions contributes to enhancing energy efficiency within chemical production, a sector known for its energy-intensive processes.
The experimental plant, capable of producing olefins like ethylene and propylene while also generating higher olefins from saturated hydrocarbon feedstocks, seamlessly integrates into the existing cracking units in Ludwigshafen City. By gathering data and insights under commercial operating conditions, this plant will provide crucial information for refining the technology to achieve industrial market readiness.
The experimental furnaces within the plant will test two distinct heating concepts: direct heating through supplying electrical current to the cracking tubes and indirect heating via radiant heat from heating elements surrounding the tubes. These electrically heated furnaces will process approximately 4 tons of hydrocarbon feedstock per hour, utilizing 6 megawatts of renewable energy.
To support the development of these new furnace technologies, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action granted the project 14.8 million euros (US$17.9 million) under the "Decarbonization of Industry" funding program. This initiative aids energy-intensive industries in Germany as they work towards achieving carbon neutrality, aligning with global efforts to combat climate change.
