TechnipFMC announced that Videolar-INNOVA S.A. (INNOVA) recently started up the first Direct Heating Unit (DHU) in Brazil. This groundbreaking technology for adding heat to high temperature processes employs flameless combustion for the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene.

INNOVA’s 420,000 metric ton styrene plant, located in Triunfo, Brazil, is the first commercialization of TechnipFMC’s DHU technology in the world. Unlike conventional furnace burners, where fuel and air are combined at a single point, in a DHU unit, fuel is added incrementally to a high velocity air stream over an extended reaction zone. This allows the fuel to react in a controlled manner at significantly lower temperatures than flame combustion. TechnipFMC supplied the Project Development Process field services, and the DHU equipment, as well as the technology license for the unit.

Stan Knez, President of TechnipFMC Process Technology, remarked: “We are very pleased with this successful start-up of INNOVA’s DHU. This technology represents one of the most significant styrene process advancements in over 60 years. We look forward to realizing the possibilities for DHU technology.”

INNOVA Industrial Director, Sergio de Oliveira Machado, extolled the success of this project, stating: “The DHU technology has surpassed our expectations and we are very pleased with how the project was completed with full cooperation from TechnipFMC’s Badger Technology.”  

The DHU technology was jointly developed with support from Total Petrochemicals and Refining and Shell Catalysts and Technologies, and is licensed through Badger Licensing LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TechnipFMC.  DHU technology is now routinely incorporated as part of the Total/Badger styrene technology for grassroots and revamp applications.  The second commercial application of DHU is due to start-up later this year.

###

About TechnipFMC

TechnipFMC is a global leader in subsea, onshore/offshore, and surface projects. With our proprietary technologies and production systems, integrated expertise, and comprehensive solutions, we are transforming our clients’ project economics.

We are uniquely positioned to deliver greater efficiency across project lifecycles from concept to project delivery and beyond. Through innovative technologies and improved efficiencies, our offering unlocks new possibilities for our clients in developing their oil and gas resources. 

Each of our more than 37,000 employees is driven by a steady commitment to clients and a culture of purposeful innovation, challenging industry conventions, and rethinking how the best results are achieved. 

To learn more about us and how we are enhancing the performance of the world’s energy industry, go to TechnipFMC.com and follow us on Twitter @TechnipFMC.