The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethylene-based polymers from waste plastics feedstocks comprising the steps in this order of: (a) providing a hydrocarbon stream A obtained by treatment of a waste plastics feedstock; (b) providing a hydrocarbon stream B; (c) supplying a feed C comprising a fraction of the hydrocarbon stream A and a fraction of the hydrocarbon stream B to a thermal cracker furnace comprising cracking coil(s); (d) performing a thermal cracking operation in the presence of steam to obtain a cracked hydrocarbon stream D; (e) supplying the cracked hydrocarbon stream D to a separation unit; (f) performing a separation operation in the separation unit to obtain a product stream E comprising ethylene; (g) supplying the product stream E to a polymerisation reactor; and (h) performing a polymerisation reaction in the polymerisation reactor to obtain an ethylene-based polymer; wherein in step (d): ⋅the coil outlet temperature is ≥800 and ≤870° C., preferably ≥820 and ≤870° C.; and ⋅the weight ratio of steam to feed C is >0.3 and <0.8. Such process allows for optimisation of the quantity of waste plastic material that finds its way back into a polyethylene that is produced as outcome of the process. The higher that quantity is, i.e. the higher the quantity of chemical building blocks that are present in the waste plastic material that are converted to the produced polyethylene, the better the sustainability footprint of the process is. The process allows for circular utilisation of plastics. In addition, the process allows for increased efficiency in the production of polyethylene in that the fraction of ethylene in the cracked hydrocarbon stream D is increased. A further advantage of the process of the present invention is that the overall energy consumption towards polyethylene is reduced.

A process for production of useful hydrocarbon materials from plastic waste and reaction system therefor is provided. The process includes frequentatively thermolyzing of high molecular weight hydrocarbons such as plastic waste to produce useful medium molecular weight hydrocarbons and low molecular weight hydrocarbons. The process utilizes low molecular weight hydrocarbons as solution reactants which helps in reducing the viscosity of the material for more effective heat transfer. The process also includes addition of one or more low molecular weight olefins and solution reactants to high molecular weight hydrocarbons to augment the free radical environment. The process also includes hydrogenating and oxidizing the high molecular weight hydrocarbons. The process enables production of the useful, predominantly hydrocarbon materials such as waxes, lube oil base-stocks, refinery feedstocks, intermediates or fuel additives. The present invention also provides a reaction system comprising thermolysis reactor including a primary zone and an optional secondary zone for production of useful hydrocarbon materials from plastic waste.

A process for production of useful hydrocarbon materials from plastic waste and reaction system therefor is provided. The process includes frequentatively thermolyzing of high molecular weight hydrocarbons such as plastic waste to produce useful medium molecular weight hydrocarbons and low molecular weight hydrocarbons. The process utilizes low molecular weight hydrocarbons as solution reactants which helps in reducing the viscosity of the material for more effective heat transfer. The process also includes addition of one or more low molecular weight olefins and solution reactants to high molecular weight hydrocarbons to augment the free radical environment. The process also includes hydrogenating and oxidizing the high molecular weight hydrocarbons. The process enables production of the useful, predominantly hydrocarbon materials such as waxes, lube oil base-stocks, refinery feedstocks, intermediates or fuel additives. The present invention also provides a reaction system comprising thermolysis reactor including a primary zone and an optional secondary zone for production of useful hydrocarbon materials from plastic waste.

The invention relates weldments useful as heat transfer tubes in pyrolysis furnaces. The invention relates to tubes that are useful in pyrolysis furnaces. The weldments include a tubular member and at least one mixing element. The tubular member comprises an aluminum-containing alloy. The mixing element comprises an aluminum-containing alloy. The mixing element's aluminum-containing alloy can be the same as or different from the tubular member's aluminum-containing alloy. Other aspects of the invention relate to pyrolysis furnaces which include such weldments, and the use of such pyrolysis furnaces for hydrocarbon conversion processes such as steam cracking.

The invention relates weldments useful as heat transfer tubes in pyrolysis furnaces. The invention relates to tubes that are useful in pyrolysis furnaces. The weldments include a tubular member and at least one mixing element. The tubular member comprises an aluminum-containing alloy. The mixing element comprises an aluminum-containing alloy. The mixing element's aluminum-containing alloy can be the same as or different from the tubular member's aluminum-containing alloy. Other aspects of the invention relate to pyrolysis furnaces which include such weldments, and the use of such pyrolysis furnaces for hydrocarbon conversion processes such as steam cracking.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems and processes for producing olefins and/or dienes. The systems and processes may include thermally cracking a C1-C4 hydrocarbon containing feed to produce a cracked hydrocarbon effluent containing a mixture of olefins and paraffins. The systems and processes may also include dehydrogenating the cracked hydrocarbon effluent to produce a dehydrogenated hydrocarbon effluent containing additional olefins and/or dienes.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems and processes for producing olefins and/or dienes. The systems and processes may include thermally cracking a C1-C4 hydrocarbon containing feed to produce a cracked hydrocarbon effluent containing a mixture of olefins and paraffins. The systems and processes may also include dehydrogenating the cracked hydrocarbon effluent to produce a dehydrogenated hydrocarbon effluent containing additional olefins and/or dienes.

A method of thermally cracking a hydrocarbon feed (105) includes feeding the hydrocarbon feed (105) into at least one coil (130) in a reaction section (112) of an electric heater (110), using electrical energy to heat the hydrocarbon feed (105) in the electric heater (110) to a reaction temperature, and directing a reaction output from the electric heater (110) to at least one exchanger (150) to cool the reaction output.

The invention provides methods for treating a source oil phase consisting of heavy oil, bitumen, a mixture of heavy oil and bitumen, a mixture of solvent and heavy oil or bitumen or both. The method comprises: introducing the source oil phase to a heated lower section of a device to provide an interior source oil phase; heating the interior source oil phase so as to thermally separate a light oil phase component therefrom and provide a vaporized light oil; and condensing the vaporized light oil phase on one or more internal cooling fins housed within the upper section of the device, to provide a condensed light oil phase liquid, wherein the internal cooling fins are angled so as to direct the condensed light oil phase liquid downwardly to a light end collection system.

The invention provides methods for treating a source oil phase consisting of heavy oil, bitumen, a mixture of heavy oil and bitumen, a mixture of solvent and heavy oil or bitumen or both. The method comprises: introducing the source oil phase to a heated lower section of a device to provide an interior source oil phase; heating the interior source oil phase so as to thermally separate a light oil phase component therefrom and provide a vaporized light oil; and condensing the vaporized light oil phase on one or more internal cooling fins housed within the upper section of the device, to provide a condensed light oil phase liquid, wherein the internal cooling fins are angled so as to direct the condensed light oil phase liquid downwardly to a light end collection system.