Process fluid catalytic cracking

A number of mechanistic modeling studies to explain the fluid catalytic cracking process and to predict the yields of valuable products of the FCC unit have been performed in the past. Weekman and Nace (1970) presented a reaction network model based on the assumption that the catalytic cracking kinetics are second order with respect to the feed concentration and on a three-lump scheme. The first lump corresponds to the entire charge stock above the gasoline boiling range, the second 

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The most dominant catalytic process in the United States is the fluid catalytic cracking process. In this process, partially vaporized medium-cut petroleum fractions called gas oils are brought in contact with a hot, moving, freshly regenerated catalyst stream for a short period of time at process conditions noted above. Spent catalyst moves continuously into a regenerator where deposited coke on the catalyst is burnt off. The hot, freshly regenerated catalyst moves back to the reactor to contact the hot gas oil (see Catalysts, regeneration). 

The Houdry fixed-bed cyclic units were soon displaced in the 1940s by the superior Fluid Catalytic Cracking process pioneered by Warren K. Lewis of MIT and Eger Murphree and his team of engineers at Standard Oil of Newjersey (now Exxon). Murphree and his team demonstrated that hundreds of tons of fine catalyst could be continuously moved like a fluid between the cracking reactor and a separate vessel for... 

Since 1945, the fluid catalytic cracking process has rapidly overtaken fuel production and has become the central technology in the U.S. petrochemicals industi y. With fluid cracking, the scale of petrochemical operations grew eiinriiiotisly. For the first time, refiners could process virtually any volume of oil rapidly and efficiently. 

Analysis of feed and products from a fluid catalytic cracking process ... 

MSCC [Millisecond catalytic cracking] A fluid catalytic cracking process which uses an ultra-short contact time reaction system. It is claimed that less capital investment and higher liquid yields can be achieved using this process, compared with conventional FCC units. Developed by Bar-Co and now offered by UOP it has been operating since 1994. 

The first cracking catalysts were acid-leached montmorillonite clays. The acid leach was to remove various metal impurities, principally iron, copper, and nickel, that could exert adverse effects on the cracking performance of a catalyst. The catalysts were first used in fixed- and moving-bed reactor systems in the form of shaped pellets. Later, with the development of the fluid catalytic cracking process, clay catalysts were made in the form of a ground, sized powder. Clay catalysts are relatively inexpensive and have been used extensively for many years. 

Al-Enezi, G., Fawzi, N., and Elkamel, A. (1999) Development of regression models to control product yields and properties of the fluid catalytic cracking process. Petroleum Science e[ Technology, 17, 535. 

Lee, L.S., Chen, T.W., Haunh, T.N., and Pan, W.Y. (1989) Four lump kinetic model for fluid catalytic cracking process. Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 67, 615. 

The fluid catalytic cracking process using vacuum gas oil feedstock was introduced into the refineries in the 1930s. In recent years, because of a trend for low-boiling products, most refineries perform the operation by partially blending... 

This process is a version of the fluid catalytic cracking process that has been adapted to conversion of residua that contain high amounts of metal and asphaltenes (Finneran, 1974 Murphy and Treese, 1979 Johnson, 1982 Feldman et al.,... 

The R2R process is a fluid catalytic cracking process for conversion of heavy feedstocks. 

In the S W fluid catalytic cracking process (Figure 8-15), the heavy feedstock is injected into a stabilized, upward flowing catalyst stream whereupon the feedstock-steam-catalyst mixture travels up the riser and is separated by a high efficiency inertial separator. The product vapor goes overhead to the main fractionator (Long, 1987). 

Hydrotreating processes have two definite roles (1) desulfurization to supply low-sulfur fuel oils and (2) pretreatment of feed residua for residuum fluid catalytic cracking processes. The main goal is to remove sulfur, metal, and asphaltene contents from residua and other heavy feedstocks to a desired level. 

Octane barrel yield a measure used to evaluate fluid catalytic cracking processes defined as (RON + MON)/2 times the gasoline yield, where RON is the research octane number and MON is the motor octane number. 

Riser pipe the pipe in a fluid catalytic cracking process (q.v.) where catalyst and feedstock arc lifted into the reactor the pipe in which most of the reaction takes place or is initiated. 

Shell fluid catalytic cracking a two-stage fluid catalytic cracking process in which the catalyst is regenerated. 

J.L. Mauleon and J.B. Sigaud "Characterization and selection of heavy feeds for upgrading through fluid catalytic cracking process" in the 12th world Petroleum Congress, Houston 1987,... 

Kurihara, H. "Optimal Control of Fluid Catalytic Cracking Processes", Sc.D. Thesis, M.I.T., Cambridge, MA, 1967. 

Figure 15. Fluid catalytic cracking process (Kellogg-Orthoflow system according to Refs 74 and 75 (a) reactor (b) regenerator.

With this decision made, Ashland set out to develop a new residual oil conversion process which could effectively produce a greater amount of transportation fuel from each barrel of crude processed. It was concluded that a new process would take the best features from the fluid catalytic cracking process and couple them with innovative improvements in related key areas such as unique... 

Cerqueira and co-workers203 confirmed the appearance of the of the tetrahedral aluminium and phosphorus in AlPO-like crystalline structures both in beta (BEA) and in MOR zeolites treated with phosphoric acid. 31P MAS,27Al MAS and TQM AS NMR spectra permitted the species present in the samples to be assigned. Possibly, besides the the Altet-f species, other Al species are also taking part in the activity and selectivity of the catalysts. The formation of Alocl o P can also contribute to the increase in the activity by preventing further dealumination. Dual zeolite additives have no impact on the quality of naphtha when compared to MFI-based additives, which are used in the fluid catalytic cracking processes. 

In petrochemical and oil refining operations, the zeolite is primarily responsible for the catalyst s activity, selectivity and stability (catalytic, thermal and hydrothermal). The fluid catalytic cracking process (FCC) is the most widely used of the oil refining process and is characterized by the use of a finely divided catalyst, which is moved through the processing unit. The catalyst particles are of such a size (about 70 pm) that when aerated with air or hydrocarbon vapor, the catalyst behaves like a liquid and can be moved easily through pipes. 

A significant application of FF on a commercial scale is the FF regenerator in fluid catalytic cracking processes. In Chapter 9, J. Chen, H. Cao, and T. Liu of Luoyang Petrochemical Engineering Corporation (LPEC) describe the development and design of four types of FF regenerators and the results of their commercial operation. More than 30 such units are in operation in China. 

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