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FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING

Fluid catalytic cracking continues to play a key role in modern refinery as the primary conversion process. Most of the existing FCC units have been designed or modified by six major technical licenser providers: ABB Lummus global Exxon engineering KBR Shell oil Stone and Webster engineering corp. Universal oil products

PROCESS DESCRIPTION

Process description

The objective of above mentioned designs is upgrade low value feedstock to more value products. The FCC units uses microspheroidal catalysts for aeration by feed gas. FCC unit is used to convert gas oil to high value and high octane gasoline and heating oil, And this gas oil will boils at 650-1100c. The gas oil comes from the vacuum distillation unit and the delayed cocker will be sent to the highly complicated Fluid Catalytic Cracking unit.

Process description

In the FCC unit there will be six different sections listed as: Feed preheat Riser- reactor- stripper Regenerator catalyst recovery Main fractionators Gas plant Treating facilities

Feed preheat
The gas oil which is produced by the refinery or supplement is sent to the surge drum for steady flow and it will remove the water present. Feed is heated in the surge to 260-370c. The feed is first heated with heat exchangers using hot streams produced by the fractionators. The feed preheated provides control over catalyst oil ratio, a key variable in the process

The preheated Feed enters at bottom of the riser and contacts with regenerated catalyst as weight ratio range between 4:1 to 9:1. The circulating catalyst provides energy for an endothermic reaction at riser and the energy which is gained at regenerator section, the temperature range(677-740). The vaporized feed entered to the riser and the expanded vapor carry the catalyst through the riser, at the end products and catalyst will separates.

Riser Reactor - Stripper

The riser is a vertical pipe having a insulation thickness 4-5inch for resistance. Its having 2 to 6ft dia and 75 to 150 ft long and the catalyst and vapor travel the length of the riser with back mixing for desired cracking reactions with a span of 2 sec. Risers are designed with an outlet vapor velocity as 50-75ft/sec.

Riser design

The inertial separation device connected on end of the riser to separate catalyst from the vapor and use of deflector device to turn catalyst direction downward. The riser is attached with rough-cut cyclones and this will separate 75 to 99% of catalyst from the product vapors. Extended contact time of the vapor with catalyst in the reactor allow some nonselective catalytic recracking of some of the desirable products.

Catalyst Separation

When the catalyst falls into stripper, HCs are absorbed on the surface of catalyst, HC vapor also falls into stripper and the stripping steam remove entrained HCs between catalyst. The high temperature and long residence time leads to convert HCs to lighter products. A well designed stripper contains steam superficial velocity 0.75ft/sec and catalyst flux rate 500 to 700 lbs/miniute.

Stripper

It is important to reduce the amount of HC vapors carried through regenerator, but not all the HCs can be displaced from the catalyst pores. These HCs have higher hydrogen-carbon ration than coke on the catalyst. The flow of spent catalyst will be managed by valve that sides back and forth.

stripper

The regenerator have two main functions: It restores the catalyst activity Supply heat to crack the feed.

The components of coke enter into regenerator, the following reactions takes place: C+1/2O2 CO C+O2 CO2 CO+1/2O2 CO2 H2+1/2O2 H2 o S+xo sox N+XO NOX

regenerator

Air blower provides oxygen for combustion of coke, and high velocity and pressure to maintain catalyst in fluid state. Air distributors are designed with 1-2 psi pressure drop to create positive flow of air through nozzles. The two phases have common velocity (24ft/sec) and variation in catalyst particles.

Regenerator

The catalyst flows down from the regenerator , through a transfer line is called stand pipe and it will support the catalyst to circulate through the unit. Standpipes are sized for a flux rate in a range of 100 to 300lb/sec/ft2. Longer stand pipe may need external aeration and the catalyst density in the standpipe is 35-45lb/ft3. Slide valve operation is controlled by the reactor temperature .

Stand pipe/slide valve

The flue gas exits the cyclone separator to a chamber in the top of the regenerator. The hot flue gas holds an appreciable amount of energy. In some units, the flue gas is set to a CO boiler where both the sensible and combustible heat are used to generate high pressure steam. In some units flue gas will be send to orifice chambers and turbo expanders to recover pressure energy.

FLUE GAS RECOVERY

There are two different modes of regeneration are practiced: Partial combustion , complete combustion Partial combustion generates less energy when the coke yield is increased and in this the excess reaction component is carbon, all the oxygen is consumed. Complete combustion generates more energy when coke yield is increased and in this the excess reaction component is oxygen, all the carbon is consumed.

Partial versus complete combustion

Main Factionator

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