Compositions for mitigating coke formation in thermal cracking furnaces

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates to compositions or combinations of compounds that mitigate coke formation in thermal cracking furnaces.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

#The following Example is offered to illustrate this invention and the modes of carrying out this invention.

#Dimethyl sulfide (DMS), dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), and anhydrous diethylhydroxylamine (DEHA) were purchased from Aldrich Chemical Company. Research-grade iron-nickel powders were obtained from Johnson Matthey Inc.

#Powdered Fe—Ni was placed in the bottom of a ceramic boat in the center of the quartz reactor (40 mm I.D. and 90 cm long) which was jacketed by a conventional Lindberg horizontal furnace. The metal powder was then reduced in a 10% H2—He mixture at 600° C. for 1 hour, then the reactor was purged with helium as the reactor system was brought to the desired temperature. The gas flow to the reactor was monitored and regulated with MKS mass flow controllers. After the desired temperature was reached, the reactant mixture containing ethane/steam (4:1) was introduced by the use of mass flow controllers and the DEHA/sulfur species mixtures were introduced using a SAGE syringe pump. The reactions were typically carried out for two hours over which time the exit gas compositions were analyzed by gas chromatography. After the reaction period, the reactor was again purged with helium as it cooled to room temperature.