Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC)
The key component of the refinery is the fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, which upgrades heavy, low-value petroleum streams like vacuum gas oil (VGO) into higher-value products like gasoline and C3/C4 olefins, which are then used in the alkylation unit to produce ultraclean gasoline (C7–C8 alkylates). Over the course of the FCC's more than 60-year existence, numerous advancements have been made.
Two domains have witnessed significant advancements: novel catalysts and enhanced designs for reactors and regenerators.
New methods have recently been developed using a range of techniques, including deep catalytic cracking (DCC), such as petro-FCC, residue FCC (RFCC), and olefin synthesis. Additionally, the original FCC was created to increase yield, control emissions, and flexibility. adaptability to many primitive types.
The FCC unit primarily relies on briefly passing feed vapor over a zeolite catalyst inside a riser-reactor for a few seconds. To separate the desired products, the fractured products are removed from the solids and placed in a distillation column. After coke is burned and the catalyst is replenished, it is cycled back into the regenerator. The heat needed to complete the often endothermic reaction in the riser is produced by the combustion of the coke.
* FCC's function in the refinery
This diagram illustrates the crucial role the FCC plays in the utilization of feedstocks like atmospheric residue desulfurized (ARDS) oil and hydrotreated VGO (HT VGO). Vacuum leftovers have been desulfurized and utilized as feed more recently. The unit in this instance is referred to as a residue FCC (RFCC unit). The fundamental ideas of processing apply to both units. The FCC's job is to crack heavy, desulfurized feedstock into lighter gasoline, primarily high octane. The primary purpose of an FCC placed in a refinery is to manufacture gasoline. In addition, LPG and olefins (C5 = and C4 =) are produced by the FCC. Olefins can be used in the synthesis of MTBE and alkylation.
As evidenced by the UOP petro-FCC process, certain FCC units can really be set aside specifically for the manufacturing of petrochemicals.
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