With the positioning of the C3 splitter, Project ONE has gained a new eye-catcher.
The column, which at 100 metres is the tallest on site, was recently hoisted onto its foundation. This marks another step forward in the construction of our installation.
The C3 splitter is not only a new feature in the Project ONE skyline, but also an impressive feat of engineering.
What exactly is the role of the C3 splitter once we go live with Project ONE?
During the cracking process in the furnaces, in addition to the largest fraction (ethylene), a number of other hydrocarbons are formed, such as propylene, which goes to the warm distillation section. With an annual production volume of approximately 240,000 tons, propylene is the most important export product of our cracker after ethylene. In the C3 splitter, the propylene-propane mixture is further purified by physically separating the two molecules. This is a complex process, precisely because propylene and propane are very similar hydrocarbons. The height of this slender column is therefore explained by the presence of no fewer than 175 separation plates.
