Modeling and simulation of a honeycomb reactor for high-severity thermal cracking

A new steam cracking technology has been developed that uses honeycomb‐type ceramic reactors with high surface to volume ratios and is heated by flue gas. “Rectangular” process gas temperature profiles are possible with such a reactor. An optimal combination of temperature profile and residence time leads to a very significant increase in olefins yield with respect to conventional cracking units. Benchscale results are compared with predictions based on a reactor model, which accounts in great detail for the geometry of the structure and the associated heat transfer, combined with a rigorous kinetic model based on radical reaction mechanisms.