Coolbrook, a transformational technology and engineering company, has successfully demonstrated electric steam cracking of naphtha at its large-scale pilot plant in Brightlands Chemelot Campus, the Netherlands. The tests have validated the potential of Coolbrook’s RotoDynamic ReactorTM (RDR) Technology to replace traditional fossil fuel-based cracker furnaces with electric RDR units in the petrochemical industry.
In addition to decarbonization, the RotoDynamic reactor technology significantly improves process efficiency of petrochemical plants thereby reducing the demand for feedstocks and enabling higher circularity in plastics and other materials.
Based on the positive results achieved in late 2023 Coolbrook will continue the performance testing and optimization of the RotoDynamic reactor technology in 2024 and thereafter. Coolbrook will first test various traditional feedstocks and later also recycled and renewable feedstocks to enable circular and bio-based materials manufacturing at industrial scale.
The successful testing of RDR technology also provides a solid basis for Coolbrook’s engineering, manufacturing, and supply of industrial scale RDR equipment to customers. As the next step, Coolbrook aims to deploy the RDR Technology at industrial scale and integrated to customer projects, with the first projects to be launched during 2024.
“The successful cracking of naphtha in our large-scale pilot reinforces Coolbrook’s position as clear leader in electric steam cracking. We look forward to finalising the pilot tests and deploying the RDR technology at customer sites together with our industry forerunner customers and technology partners to enable transitioning to net-zero in a cost and energy-efficient manner,” said Joonas Rauramo, CEO, Coolbrook.
Through electrification of the steam cracking process, petrochemical sectors are able to stop burning of fossil fuels to produce ethylene, propylene and high-value chemicals that are the most essential building blocks for various plastics, rubbers and other materials utilized to produce and manufacture everyday essential materials, products and goods.
Steam cracking furnaces emit approximately 300 million tons of CO2 each year and electrification, combined with renewable electricity can reduce these emissions to zero. Earlier this year Coolbrook also successfully conducted the testing of its RotoDynamic Heater technology, which has the potential to reduce industrial CO2 emissions at scale in chemicals, steel, cement and other energy-intensive industrial sectors that have been considered hard to abate and impossible to electrify.
The press release stated that the combined CO2 emission reduction potential of Coolbrook’s RotoDynamic technology is in excess of 2.4 billion tons annually, corresponding to 30% of global industrial CO2 emissions and 7% of all global CO2 emissions. “Coolbrook’s RotoDynamic Technology is the only electric technology that can transform heavy industries to net zero. Together with our committed ecosystem of the most forward-looking petrochemical, cement and steel producers, technology providers and academics, we can make a real difference and start a clean new industrial era,” Rauramo concluded.
