CHAPTER 4

PRELIMINARY DESIGN
4.1 Concept Generation

The fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process continues to play a key role in an integrated

refinery as the primary conversion process of crude oil to lighter products. Fluid catalytic

cracking (FCC), a type of secondary unit operation, is primarily used in producing additional

gasoline in the refining process.

Unlike atmospheric distillation and vacuum distillation, which are physical separation

processes, fluid catalytic cracking is a chemical process that uses a catalyst to create new, smaller

molecules from larger molecules to make gasoline and distillate fuels.

There are two notable configurations for an FCC unit: the "stacked" type where the

reactor and the catalyst regenerator are contained in a single vessel with the reactor above the

catalyst regenerator and the "side-by-side" type where the reactor and catalyst regenerator are in

two separate vessels. The stacked type Fluidized Catalytic Cracking (FCC) units are designed to

operate with only a single stage of regeneration and do not contain any provision for external

heat removal from the catalyst. It is common to find stacked FCC units where the single stage of

regeneration is typically operated for partial CO combustion. The regeneration vessel does not

contain equipment that is unsuitable for higher temperatures and thus accompanies complete

catalyst regeneration. On the other hand, in the "side-by-side" type, the reactor and catalyst

regenerator are in two separate vessels. These units ranged in capacity from 4,000 to 60,000

BPD. It was used for larger units where mechanical considerations made the stacked design

difficult. This design offered an all vertical riser and thus, it became the standard for UOP rise

crackers. The side-by-side type also has very short standpipes and this greatly simplified the
 design of the catalyst circulation system. Unlike units with long vertical standpipes, circulation

in these units is not sensitive to changes in catalyst properties. Figure 4.1 shows a sample process

diagram of a stacked type fluidized catalytic cracking while Figure 4.2 shows the process

diagram for side-by-side type.

Figure 4.1 Stacked Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Unit

 Figure 4.2 Side-by-side Catalytic Cracking Unit

Aside from these two fluidized catalytic cracking techniques, there are other techniques that has

been licensed by specific companies for the benefit of their production. Here are some, together

with their advantages:

Process Features Process Benefits

Micro-Jet feed injectors
Short contact time riser reactor
Patented direct-coupled cyclones at the end of
the riser reactor for quick and efficient
recovery of product vapors
Uniformly contact feed with catalyst,
maximizing catalytic cracking (i.e.,
high liquid yields and selectivity)
Minimal erosion and catalyst attrition
Minimal thermal cracking (i.e., less
dry gas and coke)
Low pressure drop
Minimal back-mixing and less erosion
Efficient catalyst/oil contacting
Reduced hydrogen transfer
High yield selectivity
Minimal after-cracking
Low dry gas yield and delta coke
High liquid and light olefin yields
retained
 Minimal hydrocarbon loading in the
stripper
Modular Grid (MG) catalyst stripper design Highly efficient removal/recovery of
hydrocarbon product vapors from the
catalyst
Reduced delta coke
Low stripping steam requirement
High catalyst mass flux/lower stripper
vessel size
Dual diameter catalyst regenerator and Low carbon on regenerated catalyst
turbulent bed combustion Minimal catalyst deactivation
Efficient use of combustion air
Reduced after-burning and NOx
emissions
Regenerated catalyst standpipe with external Smooth, stable catalyst flow over a
hopper wide operating range
Insensitive to unit upsets
Low erosion/catalyst attrition
Spent catalyst square-bend transfer line and Improved catalyst regeneration
distribution of spent catalyst into the center of Improved slide valve pressure
the regenerator differentials
Lower catalyst hydrothermal
deactivation
Stable spent catalyst flow
Lower capital and operating cost
Simple side-by-side reactor/regenerator Low capital and operating cost
layout High mechanical reliability
Less downtime
Longer run-lengths
Lower maintenance costs
Safer operation

4.2 Concept Evaluation and Selection

Due to high reliability, efficiency and safety conditions, the proposed plant will operate

under the simple side-by-side fluidized catalytic cracking.

Process Description
 The FCC process operates in a dynamic heat balance with hot regenerated catalyst

supplying the net heat demand required by the reaction system. Finely sized solid catalyst

continuously circulates in a closed loop between the reaction system and the catalyst

regeneration system. The feed and catalyst are intimately contacted in the riser reactor, in the

proper ratio and with the proper residence time and temperature to achieve the desired level of

conversion. The reaction products are disengaged from the spent catalyst using a patented

riser/reaction termination device. The catalyst passes through a highly efficient, patented, spent

catalyst stripper where any hydrocarbon product vapors entrained with the catalyst are removed

and recovered. The regeneration system restores catalytic activity of the coke-laden spent

catalyst by combustion with air. It also provides heat of reaction and heat of feed vaporization by

returning hot, freshly regenerated catalyst back to the reaction system.

Hot regenerated catalyst flows to the base of the reaction system riser where it is

contacted with feed supplied through feed injectors. Vaporized feed and catalyst travel up the

riser where catalytic reactions occur. The reacted vapor is rapidly disengaged from the spent

catalyst in direct coupled riser cyclones and routed directly to product fractionation, minimizing

time for nonselective, post-riser cracking. Reactor vapors are quenched and fractionated in the

product recovery system, which yields dry gas, LPG, naphtha, and middle distillate products.

The spent catalyst separated by the riser cyclones is degassed of most of the reaction

vapor while flowing via diplegs into the catalyst stripper. In the stripper, hydrocarbons are

effectively removed from the catalyst by efficient contacting with steam.

The spent catalyst is transported from the stripper into the regenerator using a proprietary

square-bend transfer line. The hydrogen-rich portion of the coke deposits reacts with the lift air

at a lower combustion temperature relative to the regenerator dense bed temperature, which
reduces catalyst hydrothermal deactivation. The carbon-rich portion of the coke deposits is

burned off in the turbulent dense phase of the regenerator. Regeneration flue gasses are first

routed through cyclones to minimize catalyst losses and then sent to energy recovery and

environmental treatment before being ejected from the stack.

Hot regenerated catalyst overflows into an external catalyst hopper where it is aerated to

the proper density before flowing back to the base of the riser.

Regenerator Reactor System

The regenerator in fluidized catalytic cracking has three main functions: (1) It restores

catalyst activity (2) It supplies heat for cracking reactions (3) It delivers fluidized catalyst to the

feed nozzles. The spent catalyst entering the regenerator usually contains between 0.5 and 1.5 wt

% coke.

Components of coke are carbon, hydrogen, and trace amounts of sulfur and organic

nitrogen molecules. The reactions involved in this process are:

C + 1/2O2 CO

CO + 1/2O2 CO2

C + O2 CO2

H2 + 1/2O2 H2O

S + xO SOx

N + xO NOx

Air provides oxygen for the combustion of this coke and is supplied by one or more air

blowers. The air blower provides sufficient air velocity and pressure to maintain the catalyst bed
in a fluidized state. In some FCC units, purchased oxygen is used to supplement the combustion

air. The air/oxygen enters the regenerator through an air distribution system located near the

bottom of the regenerator vessel. The design of the air distributor is important in achieving

efficient and reliable catalyst regeneration. Air distributors are often designed for a 1.0- to 2.0-psi

(7 - 15 kPa) pressure drop to ensure positive air flow through all nozzles.