(31d) Unintended Consequences of Process Additives on Acetylene Converter Performance in a Gas Feed Steam Cracker

Dupont Sabine River Works Ethylene Plant produces 1.5 Billion Pounds of Ethylene in a Gas-feed Steam Cracker that has been in operation since 1967. Acetylene is removed by a Front End Wet Raw Gas Converter that utilizes Süd-Chemie sulfided Nickel Catalyst Olemax 100 series (C36). During operation, this catalyst is maintained in its sulfided state by continuous addition of H2S.

Plant experience has shown that process changes implemented in the pyrolysis furnaces, cracked gas compressor and DMS-hydrotreater have caused unexpected significant changes in the converter performance. Three ?war stories? are illustrated in this presentation; while the observations are well documented, their underlying causes have not been fully established.