Hydrocracking vs Catalytic Cracking

Hydrocracking is essentially the combination of two processes: hydrogenation and cracking. Therefore,
hydrocracking utilizes a bifunctional catalyst. The catalysts (highly active noble metals used for
hydrogenation e.g. Pt and Pd) used in hydrocracking are very susceptible to poisoning and great care
must be taken to remove sulfur from the feedstock. The process is typically accompanied by
hydrotreating in order to remove heteroatom species (e.g. S, N and O). Additionally, while catalytic
cracking is a carbon rejection process, hydrocracking is in a hydrogen addition process. Therefore, some
complications from coking are avoided during the hydrocracking process. Several factors distinguish
these two cracking processes; however, typically both processes are used in order to provide the most
optimal yield of products in an economically efficient manner. The advantages of hydrocracking include
its ability to handle a wide range of feedstock, as well as the selectivity of its distillates.

The primary objective of both cracking processes is to produce lighter saturated hydrocarbons with
reduced molecular weights and boiling points from heavy oils. But due to the fact that aromatic rings
cannot be cracked until they are fully saturated with hydrogen, the hydrocracking process allows for the
processing of more aromatic feedstock, including the byproducts of catalytic cracking (e.g. light cycle
oil). Furthermore, by modifying reactor configurations (e.g. fixed bed, ebullated bed, or expanded bed),
catalysts, and hydrogen/carbon ratios, hydrocracking can be highly flexible, with the ability to process
both relatively light feedstock as well as heavy vacuum residue into light and middle distillates.

Another difference between hydrocracking and catalytic cracking includes the change in enthalpy; while
catalytic cracking is an endothermic process, hydrocracking is an exothermic process. The heat for
catalytic cracking is supplied by the regeneration of catalysts. The evolution of the catalytic cracking
(from Houdry to Thermafor to the modern fluid catalytic cracking) has continuously improved upon the
thermal efficiencies of the process.

Although the hydrocracking process has several advantages over fluid catalytic cracking, hydrocracking
is, in comparison, a more costly process. Therefore, it is not exclusively used, and refineries typically
operate with both processes in order to produce the most desirable yield of products.

The downstream sector of the oil and gas industry relies heavily on effective conversion processes
throughout the year. In order to protect the bottom-line, the refinery operator must understand the
high temperature, rapid discharge catalytic conversion processes that determine the end products. Fluid
catalytic cracking (FCC) and hydrocracking encompass the two most significant types of conversion
processes in today’s refinery. Each possesses advantages in converting specific feedstocks to more
desirable products.

FCC involves a carbon rejection. This endothermic process uses an acid catalyst to convert low-value
feed to useable gas, gasoline, light and heavy cycle oil, and decant oil as well as petroleum
coke. According to the EIA, FCC has greatly impacted the fuels industry in the U.S.’s gasoline-driven
society. An important process feature involves the need for catalyst regeneration by means of burning
off the catalyst coke. There are seemingly endless design configurations throughout the industry to limit
the cost of this energy intensive process. This process produces higher octane products than thermal
cracking products for gasoline production due to the isomerization mechanisms that produce iso-
paraffins. This process may require some pre-hydrotreatment stage to protect the catalyst from
poisoning.

Similarly, hydrocracking usually involves a two-stage conversion process. First, the feed is hydrotreated
to remove heteroatoms that might poison the hydrocracking catalyst. Then, the feed completes an H/C
ratio enhancement that hydrogentates the feed and removes impurities (cracking). This EIA article
illustrates the general flow of the feed through the reactor, separator, and fractionator to produce jet
fuel, diesel, and kerosene among other products. Compared to FCC, hydrocracking is much more
suitable for processing heavy crudes with aromatic characteristics. The heteroatoms may be removed
with this process and even utilized as a byproduct.

Both processes have strengths and weaknesses, and given the increase in demand for gasoline and
distillates such as jet fuel and diesel, these processes will continue to be developed in tandem.