65
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. K. Pant et al. (eds.), Catalysis for Clean Energy and Environmental
Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65021-6_3
Recent Developments in FCC Process
and Catalysts
Ajay R. Khande, Prabha K. Dasila, Supriyo Majumder, Pintu Maity,
and Chiranjeevi Thota
Abstract Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) is the major conversion process used in
oil refineries to produce valuable hydrocarbons from crude oil fractions. The
demand for oil-based products is ever increasing, and research has been ongoing to
improve the performance of FCC catalysts, which are complex mixtures of zeolite,
matrix, clay, and binder materials. In this chapter, an overview of the basic understanding of the FCC process, catalysts, and the latest developments in this research
area is given. Developments discussed also include approaches for processing very
heavy or very light crude oil fractions. Furthermore, these developments enable
refiners to process complex feedstocks and increase yields of propylene, olefins,
and gasoline/diesel-range fuels. The current chapter also contains a brief history of
FCC as well as details of the process, chemical reactions involved, catalyst materials, and recent developments in FCC catalysis research.
Keywords Fluid catalytic cracking · Zeolite · Crude oil · Catalytic materials
1 Introduction
The fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) is one of the most integral conversion processes in a
modern petroleum refinery. Colloquially known as the workhorse of the refinery, it converts low-value vacuum distillates into high octane gasoline and LPG by cracking
heavier hydrocarbon molecules in the presence of a fluidized bed of particulate catalyst.
Other conversion processes include the hydrocracker, which is usually intended for diesel maximization and delayed coker units, which convert residue to valuable products.
The total installed capacity for FCC units worldwide was around 14.4 million barrels
per day [1]. It processes about a third of the total refinery’s throughput and contributes
the majority of the world’s gasoline demand [2]. Out of the total 700 refineries
A. R. Khande · P. K. Dasila · S. Majumder · P. Maity · C. Thota ()
Corporate R&D Centre, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd,
Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
e-mail: ajayrajukhande@bharatpetroleum.in; prabhakiran@bharatpetroleum.in;
supriyomajumder@bharatpetroleum.in; pmaity@bharatpetroleum.in; chiranjeevit@
bharatpetroleum.in
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. K. Pant et al. (eds.), Catalysis for Clean Energy and Environmental
Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65021-6_3
Recent Developments in FCC Process
and Catalysts
Ajay R. Khande, Prabha K. Dasila, Supriyo Majumder, Pintu Maity,
and Chiranjeevi Thota
Abstract Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) is the major conversion process used in
oil refineries to produce valuable hydrocarbons from crude oil fractions. The
demand for oil-based products is ever increasing, and research has been ongoing to
improve the performance of FCC catalysts, which are complex mixtures of zeolite,
matrix, clay, and binder materials. In this chapter, an overview of the basic understanding of the FCC process, catalysts, and the latest developments in this research
area is given. Developments discussed also include approaches for processing very
heavy or very light crude oil fractions. Furthermore, these developments enable
refiners to process complex feedstocks and increase yields of propylene, olefins,
and gasoline/diesel-range fuels. The current chapter also contains a brief history of
FCC as well as details of the process, chemical reactions involved, catalyst materials, and recent developments in FCC catalysis research.
Keywords Fluid catalytic cracking · Zeolite · Crude oil · Catalytic materials
1 Introduction
The fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) is one of the most integral conversion processes in a
modern petroleum refinery. Colloquially known as the workhorse of the refinery, it converts low-value vacuum distillates into high octane gasoline and LPG by cracking
heavier hydrocarbon molecules in the presence of a fluidized bed of particulate catalyst.
Other conversion processes include the hydrocracker, which is usually intended for diesel maximization and delayed coker units, which convert residue to valuable products.
The total installed capacity for FCC units worldwide was around 14.4 million barrels
per day [1]. It processes about a third of the total refinery’s throughput and contributes
the majority of the world’s gasoline demand [2]. Out of the total 700 refineries
A. R. Khande · P. K. Dasila · S. Majumder · P. Maity · C. Thota ()
Corporate R&D Centre, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd,
Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
e-mail: ajayrajukhande@bharatpetroleum.in; prabhakiran@bharatpetroleum.in;
supriyomajumder@bharatpetroleum.in; pmaity@bharatpetroleum.in; chiranjeevit@
bharatpetroleum.in