Braskem, Lummus to study e-cracking at Brazil facility

SAO PAULO (ICIS)–Polymers major Braskem and US petrochemicals engineering services provider Lummus are to carry out a joint study to electrify one of its steam crackers in Brazil.

Financial details were not disclosed.

The two companies did not disclose which facility Lummus’ proprietary technology for e-cracking will be tested.

Lummus commercializes its proprietary technology under the branded name SRT-e.

“The SRT-e electric cracking heater leverages Lummus’ proven Short Residence Time (SRT) technology modified to operate using electricity and incorporates a modular unit-cell design that can be replicated for plants to accommodate any commercial capacity,” said the two companies.

“The technology uses all commercially demonstrated components, plus an optimum heat flux profile leading to a longer radiant coil life and longer run length. In addition, decoking can be carried out on a unit-cell basis so maintaining a spare heater is not required.”

Steam cracking is one of the most energy-intensive activities within a petrochemical plant. The sheer amount of energy required has so far made crackers’ electrification elusive.

Some petrochemicals majors are developing experimental e-cracking units. In 2022, Dow and Shell announced one test unit in the Netherlands.

Also in 2022, Germany’s BASF and Saudi Arabia’s SABIC, together with industrial gases major Linde, announced another test unit at BASF’s flagship Ludwigshafen site.