Bp Chemicals Limited

David William Sims

Kenneth C Kirkwood

Stephen A Leng

This invention relates to a process for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock comprising a mixture of ethane and propane by (a) subjecting the feedstock to a fractionation process so as to separate the feedstock into an ethane rich stream and a propane rich stream, (b) steam cracking each of these streams separately under optimum cracking conditions for each stream in separate furnaces, (c) recovering the ethylene so formed in said crackers and (d) recycling the residual uncracked ethane and propane from the cracked products to the respective ethane rich and propane rich feedstreams being fed to the steam cracker. The process enables yields of ethylene to be increased.

Steam cracking of ethane-rich and propane-rich streams

This invention relates to a process for the conversion of waste and/or fresh polymers, especially polyolefins, into lower hydrocarbons by vaporizing them in a fluidized bed of particulate material in the presence of a fluidizing gas at a temperature from 300.degree.-690.degree. C. The lower hydrocarbons can be further converted to useful olefins, paraffins or waxes by steam cracking the lower hydrocarbons, preferably in the absence of any catalyst. This is an effective and efficient method of recycling waste polymers.

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Dunfermline, United Kingdom

David William Sims