Case Study · Hydrocarbon & Chemical
Ethylene Cracker High Emissivity Coating: 12% Fuel Savings at Huntsman
| Industry | Hydrocarbon & Chemical |
|---|---|
| Asset | Ethylene cracking furnace |
| Customer or location | Huntsman Chemical, Texas, USA |
| Products used | Emisshield ST-series |
| Headline metric | 12% fuel savings |
| Secondary metric | ~$1.5M per year |
| Also measured | ROI 3 months |
Huntsman Chemical coated the insulating firebrick and Z-Blok ceramic fiber modules of its Texas ethylene cracker with Emisshield ST-series products. Fuel consumption fell 12%, worth an estimated $1.5 million a year with a three-month return on investment, ceramic fiber shrinkage dropped to under 1%, and downtime was reduced two to three times.
01
What was the challenge?
The cracker needed to reduce fuel use and extend the life of its refractory. Emisshield was applied alongside other upgrades (new IFB in the lower radiant walls, new Z-Blok modules, new radiant tubes, low-NOx burners, and penetration seals) to evaluate energy-savings potential.
02
What was applied?
Operating at about 1,150°C, the furnace received Emisshield ST-series products on the IFB and the Z-Blok modules, applied with a standard HVLP spray gun.
03
What were the results?
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel consumption | Baseline | −12% |
| Annual cost | Baseline | ~$1.5M (US$1.47M) saved per year |
| Return on investment | 3 months | |
| Ceramic fiber shrinkage | 5 to 7% (normal) | <1% |
| Downtime | Baseline | Reduced 2 to 3× |
| Exterior unit temperature | Baseline | Lowered by >66°C |
Reduced coking and stabilized heat profiles delivered the fuel saving and consistent ethylene yield through reduced downtime, with longer refractory and ceramic fiber life and better temperature uniformity.
04
Why did it work?
Coated IFB and fiber re-radiate burner energy into the coils across a broader spectrum instead of reflecting it into the flue gas. Lower and flatter tube-wall temperatures slow coking; the sealed fiber surface stops shrinkage. See Energy Savings.
Related
Related pages and studies
Next Step