Ethylene production by steam cracking is the second largest CO2 emitter from the chemical industry and is responsible for >200 million tons of CO2/year, equivalent of 75 million ICE vehicles on road.
The first plant using steam cracking was first developed and commissioned in 1921 by Union Carbide and is the most widely used industrial process for producing ethylene today, 100 years later!.
The process employs gigantic furnaces, accounting for 30-40% of the capital costs of the plant and coking issues are well known to be an operational challenge. One has to see it in person to appreciate the magnitude of scale and footprint of one furnace. A typical world scale ethylene plant employs 5 – 8 furnaces.
Our technology can eliminate furnaces and reduce the capital cost of the plant by 25% at similar operating costs (without CO2 credits). A proprietary new catalyst and reactor system are at the heart of the solution. If the technology is successful, the CO2 emissions (scope 1 & 2) can be reduced by >80% and lesser amounts produced as a byproduct are separated at a higher pressure, making it easy to capture. ART technology can disrupt the ethylene industry by allowing up to 50% higher plant capacities than incumbent with a pre-determined capital.
Our core technology is applicable to other processes like production of hydrogen.
