Refining fluid catalytic cracking

Ethylene as a By-Product. The contribution to world ethylene production is small, but not zero. In petroleum refining fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units, small amounts of ethylene are produced but generally not recovered, except in a few locations where large FCC units are adjacent to petrochemical faciUties. 

Carbon Monoxide Boilers Carbon monoxide boilers are used to recover waste heat generated from oil refining fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes. The FCC process produces copious volumes of by-product gas containing 5 to 8% carbon monoxide (CO), which has a heat content of about 150 Btu/lb. A 10,000 barrel (bbl) per day FCC unit produces 60,000 to 150,000 lb/hr of CO. 

Refinery Production. Refinery propylene is formed as a by-product of fluid catalytic cracking of gas oils and, to a far lesser extent, of thermal processes, eg, coking. The total amount of propylene produced depends on the mix of these processes and the specific refinery product slate. For example, in the United States, refiners have maximized gasoline production. This results in a higher level of propylene production than in Europe, where proportionally more heating oil is produced. 

Catalytic Pyrolysis. This should not be confused with fluid catalytic cracking, which is used in petroleum refining (see Catalysts, regeneration). Catalytic pyrolysis is aimed at producing primarily ethylene. There are many patents and research articles covering the last 20 years (84—89). Catalytic research until 1988 has been summarized (86). Almost all catalysts produce higher amounts of CO and CO2 than normally obtained with conventional pyrolysis. This indicates that the water gas reaction is also very active with these catalysts, and usually this leads to some deterioration of the olefin yield. Significant amounts of coke have been found in these catalysts, and thus there is a further reduction in olefin yield with on-stream time. Most of these catalysts are based on low surface area alumina catalysts (86). A notable exception is the catalyst developed in the former USSR (89). This catalyst primarily contains vanadium as the active material on pumice (89), and is claimed to produce low levels of carbon oxides. 

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. 

Occelli, M. L., (ed.) Fluid Catalytic Cracking, Role in Modem Refining, ACS Symposium Series, American Chemical Society, Washington DC, 1988, pp. 1-16. 

Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) continues to play a key role in an integrated refinery as the primary conversion process. For many refiners, the cat cracker is the key to profitability in that the successful operation of the unit determines whether or not the refiner can remain competitive in today s market. 

L. Rheaume and R. E. Ritter, in Fluid Catalytic Cracking - Role in Modem Refining,... 

The modem gasolines are produced by blending products from cmde oil distillation, that is, fluid catalytic cracking, hydrocraking, reforming, coking, polymerization, isomerization, and alkylation.Two clear examples of the possible use of solid-acid catalysts in refining processes are the isomerization of lineal alkanes and the alkylation of isobutene with butanes. In both these cases, and due to the octane... 

FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING ROLE IN MODERN REFINING... 

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