Ethylene Tar Production

[ribabata]

Can anyone provide me with some detailed process description on the production of ethylene tar? This tar results from the production of ethylene from the steam cracking process (typically ethane as raw meterial). Heavy hydrocarbons, which consist of fuel oil, tar, coke etc. settles in separator drums.

I'm interested in the downstream process. How is the ethylene tar separated from this point? I'd imagine that there will be a process to further separate the fuel oil from the tar. Some producers simply incinerate the bottoms to provide energy

Any information will be appreciated

 

[Longinthetooth]

All the major ethylene technology contractors have their ways of separating the heavy ends (tar) as soon as the gas leaves the cracking furnace. The raw cracked gas is quenched by oil and/or water and the tar drops out. The bottoms liquids are subjected to separation and the oil or water is cooled and recycled. All methods have pluses and mimuses and can be quite complex, but all invove a mixture of separating drums, filters, coalesers, and propiatary chemicals addition. The benzene rich fuel oil (sic) (typicaly C5+) is removed later in the process (after compression) by distilation.
Tar disposal is usualy contingent on having someone who wants to buy the stuff. If no local outlet, you burn it in the boiler plant.