Catalytic cracking

Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking uses heat, pressure and a catalyst to break
larger hydrocarbon molecules into smaller, lighter molecules.
Feed stocks are light and heavy oils from the crude oil distillation
unit which are processed primarily into gasoline as well as fuel
oil and light gases.
The catalytic cracking processes, and also other refinery catalytic
processing, produce coke which accumulates on the surface of
catalyst and causes the gradually losses of catalytic properties
(deactivation).
Therefore, the catalyst needs to be regenerated continuously or
periodically by burning the coke off the catalyst at high
temperatures. A fluidized-bed catalytic cracking units (FCCU)
are the most common reactor to use.
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
 Catalytic cracking
Catalytic Cracking
Temp. : 520 – 550 o C (from bottom to top---decreases)
Pressure : 2 –3 atm
Cat/oil : 4.5 –6
Contact time : 70 –80 %
Increasing temp. results in increase conversion, but decreasing
yield of gasoline, due to the secondary cracking to smaller
products.
Catalyst regenerator conditions :
Temp. : 650 – 760 o C
Pressure : ~ 3 atm.
Catalytic cracking
Catalytic cracking
 Catalytic hydrocracking
Catalytic hydrocracking
Primarily used for cracking gas-oil that contains high percentage of polynuclear
aromatics, to give gasoline, diesel fuel, or jet fuel.
Catalysts require both an acidic component and a metal component
Acidic component : SiO2-Al2O3, Zeolites
Metal component : CO, Mo, Ni, W yield lubricating oils + middle or heavy distillate
fuels. Pt or Pd yield gasoline or diesel + jet fuels.
Reactions conditions :
Temperature : 300 – 425 o C
Presssure : 100 – 170 atm
Reactor : Fixed bed
Catalytic hydrocracking normally utilize a fixed-bed catalytic cracking reactor in
presence of hydrogen under pressure (1,200 to 2,000 psig). Feedstocks are often the
fraction that are most difficult to crack in the catalytic cracking units (FCCU). These
feed include middle distillates, cycle oils, residual fuel oils and reduced crudes. The
hydrogen suppresses the formation of heavy residual material and increases the yield
of gasoline by reacting with the cracked products. Because the heavy, sulfur and
nitrogen containing hydrocarbons are potentially poison the catalyst, they must be
removed. That is why, hydrocracking feedstocks are usually first hydrotreated.
Catalytic hydrocracking
Catalytic hydrocracking
Catalytic hydrocracking
 Steam Cracking
Ethylene+Propylene are the most important chemical feedstocks. But,
due to their relatively high reactivities, only very limited amounts of
olefins exist in natural gas + crude oil. Thus they must be produced by
cracking processes.
Dominant steam cracking feedstocks are LPG (C3H8+C4H10) + NGL
(C2H6, LPG, light naphtha). Most C4 olefins are obtained from catalytic
cracking, and < 10% from steam cracking.
Thermodynamics & Kinetics
All olefins are thermodynamically unstable with respect to H2 and
graphite (coke). Thus, distribution of desired H2 products is controlled
by regulating kinetic parameters :
1. Temperatur
At 400 oC, HC’s chains preferentially cracked in center of molecule.
With increasing temperature cracking shifts toward end of molecule,
leading to larger quantities of the preferred low M.W. olefin products.
Reaction rate also increases with temp., allowing shorter residence
 Steam Cracking
2. Residence time : short residence times result in more olefin formation.
Longer residence times increase secondary reactions, such as coke
formtion + oligomerization.
3. HC partial pressure : formation of low M.W. olefin products causes
pressure to increase. Thus, reaction is favored by low pressure.
Steam is added to decrease partial pressure of HC and to minimize
coke formation.
Process
1) HC feed heated with steam to ~ 1050 oC and Fed to Cr-Ni reactor
tubes.
2) Cracked poducts exit at ~ 850 oC and are rapidly quenched to ~ 300
o
C to prevent secondary reactions.
3) Products scrubbed to remove H2S and CO2 then drift.

4) C2 + C3 components separated by low temp. fractional distillation. C4

components must be separated by chemical means, because B.P.’s
are too similar.
Steam Cracking
Steam Cracking
Steam Cracking
Steam Cracking
Steam Cracking
Steam Cracking
Steam Cracking
Steam Cracking
Steam Cracking
Steam Cracking
Steam Cracking