Steam cracker

A steam cracker is a large industrial facility that converts hydrocarbons like natural gas or petroleum liquids into useful chemicals such as ethylene and propylene. It does this by heating the feedstock with steam at high temperatures, causing the molecules to break apart or "crack" into smaller components. These chemicals are essential building blocks for manufacturing plastics, synthetic rubbers, and other materials. Essentially, a steam cracker transforms raw hydrocarbon sources into foundational chemicals used across many industries, playing a critical role in chemical manufacturing and the production of everyday products.