Cracking processes Thermofor

An improved design undertaken by Sacony used high-velocity gases to replace the mechanical elevator systems as catalyst carriers. These so-called air-lift units improved upon the Thermofor process both in terms of economies and octane numbers. It was, however, only with the fluid cracking process that catalytic technology realized fully continuous production. 

Fluid catalytic cracking rapidly overtook its competitors as both a source of fuel and of critical organic intermediates. Prior to 1942, the Houdry Process controlled 90 percent of the catalytic fuel market. But only three years later, in 1945, fluid cracking led all other catalytic cracking processes in market share (40 percent). At this time Thermofor technology stood at 31 percent, and Houdry at less chan 30 percent. 

THERMOFOR PROCESS. A moving-bed catalytic cracking process in which petroleum vapor is passed up through a reactor countercurrent to a flow of small beads or catalyst. The deactivated catalyst then passes through a regenerator and is recirculated. 

Figure 7-14 Thermofor moving bed catalytic cracking process.

Socony-Vacuum utilized Thermofor kilns to bum off coke deposited on Fuller s earth during the filtration of lube oils (57). They adapted one of these kilns to introduce the first moving bed catalytic cracking process. The first semi-commercial 500 BPD (barrel per day) Thermofor Catalytic Cracking (TCC) unit went on stream in the Paulsboro refinery in 1941. It utilized bucket elevators to transport catalyst from the reactor to the regenerator. In 1943, Socony-Vacuum installed a 10,000 BPD TCC unit (52) at a subsidiary refinery. 

The first Thermofor cracking unit came on line in late 1942. By March of 1943, twenty Thermofor units had been completed or were under construction. The larger Thermofor plants could circulate 100-150 tons of catalyst per hour and could process up to 20,000 barrels of petroleum per day. 

Airlift Thermofor Catalytic Cracking Also called Airlift TCC. A continuous catalytic process for converting heavy petroleum fractions to lighter ones. The catalyst granules are moved continuously by a stream of air. Developed by Mobil Oil Corp., United States, and first operated in 1950. See also Thermofor. 

TPC [Thermofor pyrolytic cracking] A continuous process for thermally cracking petroleum fractions on a moving bed of hot pebbles. Developed by the Socony Vacuum Oil Company (now a part of Mobil Corporation). See also Thermofor. 

C. D. Prater, J. Wei, V. W. Weekman, Jr., and B. Gross, A Reaction Engineering Case History Coke Burning in Thermofor Catalytic Cracking Regenerators Costei D. Denson, Stripping Operations in Polymer Processing Robert C. Reid, Rapid Phase Transitions from Liquid to Vapor John H. Seinfeld, Atmospheric Diffusion Theory... 

Some of the principles used in Thermofor catalytic cracking have been applied to a coking operation. Coke itself, instead of catalyst, is the solid circulated. The coke is heated in the regenerator of the unit and more coke is deposited on the hot moving solid in the reactor of the unit. Appropriate proportions of the coke are removed continuously as the process proceeds (84). 

Airlift Thermofor catalytic cracking a moving-bed continuous catalytic process for conversion of heavy gas oils into lighter products the catalyst is moved by a stream of air. 

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