vacuum gas oils into middle distillate and allows for high selectivity.

The
conversion is typically around 50-60%. The unconverted material is low
in sulfur, nitrogen, and other impurities and is used as either feed for fluid
catalytic cracking units (FCCU) or a fuel oil blending component.
The single-stage process may be operated with partial or total recyc-
ling of the unconverted material. In total recycling, the yield of naphtha is
approximately 0.45 bbl per barrel of middle distillate products. In these
cases, the fresh feed capacity of the unit is reduced. Thus, increased
conversion is achieved basically at the cost of unit's fresh feed capacity
and a marginally increased utility cost. The partial recycling mode is
preferable to total recycling to extinction, as the latter results in the
buildup of highly refractory material in the feed to the unit, resulting in
higher catalyst fouling rates.

TWO-STAGE OPERATION

In the two-stage scheme, the unconverted material from the first stage
becomes feed to a second hydrocracker unit. In this case, the feed is already
purified by the removal of sulfur, nitrogen, and other impurities; and the
second-stage can convert a larger percentage of feed with better product
quality.
A heavy gas oil feed contains some very high-boiling aromatic mol-
ecules. These are difficult to crack and, in feed recycling operation, tend
to concentrate in the recycle itself. High concentration of these molecules
increase the catalyst fouling rate. In a two-stage operation, the first stage is
a once-through operation; hence, the aromatic molecules get no chance to
concentrate, since there is no recycle. The first stage also reduces the
concentration of these molecules in the feed to the second stage; there-
fore, the second stage also sees lower concentration of these high-boiling
aromatic molecules.
The two-stage operation produces less light gases and consumes less
hydrogen per barrel of feed. Generally, the best product qualities (lowest
mercaptans, highest smoke point, and lowest pour point) are produced
from the second stage of the two-stage process. The poorest qualities are
from the first stage. The combined product from the two stages is similar
to that from a single stage with recycling for the same feed quality.
The two-stage scheme allows more flexible adjustment of operating con-
ditions, and the distribution between the naphtha and middle distillate is more
flexible. Compared to partial and total recycling schemes, the two-stage
scheme requires a higher investment but is overall more economical.