(45o) Catalyzed-Assisted Manufacture of Olefins (CAMOL): Updated for Use in Naphtha Service

Since the commercialization of the olefins plant, operators have searched for ways to be more competitive.  One area always targeted includes keeping their furnaces in operation longer between decoking steps. Over the years, many anti-coking methods/technologies have become commercially available using different approaches to prevent coils from coking.  One of the latest available technologies is the novel CAMOL^TM (Catalyzed-assisted Manufacture of Olefins) Technology from BASF Qtech.  As reported in the introduction of the technology to the EPC in 2008 & 2010, the CAMOL^TMtechnology differs from other available anti-coking technologies in that the technology not only eliminates the catalytic (or filamentous) coke make through a physical barrier, but also gasifies the thermal (or amorphous) coke for an even greater coking resistance.  The coating process has generated a coating with almost identical thermo-mechanical properties as the base metal substrate (alloy). This allows bonding to the base metal similar to being welded with a minimum risk of spallation when going through thermal cycling. Commercially, the CAMOL Technology has been available since 2006 and is now in operation in furnaces of various designs.

With CAMOL^TM, operators have experienced extended run lengths, reduced energy requirement and GHG emissions, lower average TMT operating temperatures, reduced DMDS consumption, and less carburization.  In addition, the technology has exhibited high operating temperature stability (>1130^oC/ 2065^oF).

At BASF SE in Ludwigshafen, Germany, the technology has been in operation since early 2010 in mostly naphtha service. After overcoming some initial challenges associated with a catalytic surface technology, such as reactivating the catalytic species after decoking, the coil is now successfully operating with run lengths significantly higher than uncoated coils.  This paper will report on the results and learnings from the experiences gathered over the past three years along with the advancements made since the last report in 2010.