Benefits from Educated Selection of Advanced Materials for Radiant Coils – A 10 Year Field Performance Review of Alumina Forming Alloys

Alloys for radiant coils operate at severe conditions. They typically face high temperatures beyond 1100 °C, alternating reducing and oxidizing atmospheres, corrosion attacks, and have to provide excellent creep resistance properties as well as resistance to coke formation.

New insights on the interactions between protective scales and coke depositions allow further understanding on possible degradation mechanisms. Based on this knowledge it is possible to give recommendations on smart material selections. Each steam cracker is operated under different conditions and therefore requires customized solutions for optimum improvement. In order to achieve this, it is imperative to know the real bottlenecks under the existing operational situation of the steam cracker. Only then it is possible to take the desired improvements of the operators into consideration.

Results of smart material selections on field applications and the resulting benefits will be exemplary presented.