In chemical processes for cracking hydrocarbons, reactors are subject to coking During the decoke process carburization of the metal substrate can occur, negatively impacting reactor life. Decokes are also costly due to down-time where costs are incurred without production of commercial products. Reducing the frequency of decokes provides an opportunity to reduce the financial impacts of downtimes. A start-up procedure is described herein that limits initial coke deposition, leading to a reduced tendency for carburization of the metal substrate, improving reactor life, and more importantly, extending reactor run length.

In chemical processes for cracking hydrocarbons, reactors are subject to coking During the decoke process carburization of the metal substrate can occur, negatively impacting reactor life. Decokes are also costly due to down-time where costs are incurred without production of commercial products. Reducing the frequency of decokes provides an opportunity to reduce the financial impacts of downtimes. A start-up procedure is described herein that limits initial coke deposition, leading to a reduced tendency for carburization of the metal substrate, improving reactor life, and more importantly, extending reactor run length.

A reactor has an inner surface accessible to the hydrocarbon and comprising a sintered product of at least one of cerium oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, zirconium oxide, boehmite and silicon dioxide, and a perovskite material of formula A.sub.aB.sub.bC.sub.cD.sub.dO.sub.3-δ. 0<a<1.2, 0≦b≦1.2, 0.9<a+b≦1.2, 0<c<1.2, 0≦d≦1.2, 0.9<c+d≦1.2, −0.5<δ<0.5. A is selected from calcium, strontium, barium, and any combination thereof. B is selected from lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and any combination thereof. C is selected from cerium, zirconium, antimony, praseodymium, titanium, chromium, manganese, ferrum, cobalt, nickel, gallium, tin, terbium and any combination thereof. D is selected from lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, ferrum, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, cadmium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, gallium, indium, tin, antimony and any combination thereof.

A reactor has an inner surface accessible to the hydrocarbon and comprising a sintered product of at least one of cerium oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, zirconium oxide, boehmite and silicon dioxide, and a perovskite material of formula A.sub.aB.sub.bC.sub.cD.sub.dO.sub.3-δ. 0<a<1.2, 0≦b≦1.2, 0.9<a+b≦1.2, 0<c<1.2, 0≦d≦1.2, 0.9<c+d≦1.2, −0.5<δ<0.5. A is selected from calcium, strontium, barium, and any combination thereof. B is selected from lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and any combination thereof. C is selected from cerium, zirconium, antimony, praseodymium, titanium, chromium, manganese, ferrum, cobalt, nickel, gallium, tin, terbium and any combination thereof. D is selected from lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, ferrum, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, cadmium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, gallium, indium, tin, antimony and any combination thereof.

A method of passivating a metal surface of hydrocarbon processing equipment is provided in which a water soluble molybdate compound is introduced into water or steam which is in contact or will come into contact with a metal surface of the hydrocarbon processing equipment to passivate the metal surface to inhibit surface coke formation.

A method of passivating a metal surface of hydrocarbon processing equipment is provided in which a water soluble molybdate compound is introduced into water or steam which is in contact or will come into contact with a metal surface of the hydrocarbon processing equipment to passivate the metal surface to inhibit surface coke formation.

The invention relates a process for removing coke formed during steam-cracking of a hydrocarbon feed. The process includes providing a decoking feed to at least one radiant coil of a steam-cracking furnace under conditions to remove at least a portion of coke from the at least one radiant coil to form a decoking effluent. The decoking effluent is cooled with a liquid quench medium to provide an partially-quenched decoking effluent. The partially-quenched decoking effluent is cooled with a gaseous quench medium to provide a quenched effluent. An apparatus configured to perform such a process is also described.

The invention relates a process for removing coke formed during steam-cracking of a hydrocarbon feed. The process includes providing a decoking feed to at least one radiant coil of a steam-cracking furnace under conditions to remove at least a portion of coke from the at least one radiant coil to form a decoking effluent. The decoking effluent is cooled with a liquid quench medium to provide an partially-quenched decoking effluent. The partially-quenched decoking effluent is cooled with a gaseous quench medium to provide a quenched effluent. An apparatus configured to perform such a process is also described.

Processes herein may be used to thermally crack various hydrocarbon feeds, and may eliminate the refinery altogether while making the crude to chemicals process very flexible in terms of crude. In embodiments herein, crude is progressively separated into at least light and heavy fractions. Depending on the quality of the light and heavy fractions, these are routed to one of three upgrading operations, including a fixed bed hydroconversion unit, a fluidized catalytic conversion unit, or a residue hydrocracking unit that may utilize an ebullated bed reactor. Products from the upgrading operations may be used as feed to a steam cracker.

A method for cleaning a coke deposit from an internal surface of a process equipment, comprising removing at least a portion of the coke deposit from the internal surface using a flexible pig comprising a plurality of bristles, without damaging a metal protective layer of the internal surface of the process equipment. A flexible pig for cleaning a coke deposit from an internal surface of a process equipment without damaging a metal protective layer of the internal surface, comprising a flexible body formed of a polymeric material, and a plurality of bristles partially encapsulated by the polymeric material of the flexible body.