High pressure ethane cracking with small diameter furnace tubes

A system for performing steam cracking, comprising:

• a steam cracker furnace comprising a pre-heating section and a radiant section, the radiant section comprising a plurality of radiant coils having an inner diameter ≤6.0 cm, the pre-heating section being in fluid communication with a coil inlet of the plurality of radiant coils via a plurality of critical flow nozzles;
• a separation stage, in fluid communication with a coil outlet of the plurality of radiant coils, for separating H2 and C1-C4 hydrocarbons from an effluent generated by the plurality of radiant coils;
• and
• a compressor comprising a compressor inlet, a compressor outlet, and three or less compression stages, the separation stage being in fluid communication with the compressor via the compressor inlet.