Furnace for cracking hydrocarbons and method of operation therefor

A furnace configured for cracking hydrocarbons comprising a furnace internal volume and one or more tubes;

• the furnace internal volume comprising at least a high temperature volume and arranged with a heat source configured for heating the high temperature volume during operation;
• the tubes, each with an entry portion connectable to an external inlet on one side and an exit portion connectable to an external outlet at another side of the respective tube, arranged to pass through the high temperature volume in the furnace internal volume, such that during operation the tubes in the high temperature volume are exposed to heat from the heat source;
• wherein the furnace is an acoustic resonance system having a thermoacoustic engine configured as a source for generating acoustic waves in the furnace internal volume with a frequency of the acoustic waves that substantially corresponds with a resonance frequency of the furnace internal volume,
• wherein the thermoacoustic engine comprises an acoustic resonator tube and a thermoacoustic core for converting thermal power to acoustic power and generating the acoustic waves, the thermoacoustic core comprising a regenerator body arranged inside the acoustic resonator tube using heat from the furnace internal volume to create a thermal gradient across the regenerator body;
• a first open end of the acoustic resonator tube being connected to the furnace internal volume through a first opening in a wall of the furnace internal volume.