ABSTRACT
The petrochemical industry is continually striving to improve the performance of ethylene cracking
process. Temperature is a critical parameter in the operation of high temperature ethylene cracking
furnaces. Failure to accurately measure temperature can result in lost production, premature end of
tube life or catastrophic tube rupture. In an industry faced with varied sources of feed stocks, today’s
ethylene producers require a flexible design capable of meeting future needs. The modeling must
enables to simulate fluid flow, heat transfer and mass transfer. This paper presents a review of different
CFD modeling approaches for an industrial scale ethylene cracking furnace. Development of a robust
ethylene cracking furnace model can help a company increase its plant efficiency and productivity,
better predict and plan the maintenance schedule for tube replacement and ultimately improve process
safety. All these benefits will lead to operating cost savings, good return on investment and ultimately
greater profitability.