66
worldwide, around 500 of them have FCC units commissioned in their setup [3]. Some
of the major licensors of FCC technology are Kellogg Brown & Root, CB&I Lummus,
ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, Shell Global Solutions International, Stone &
Webster Engineering Corporation, Institut Francais du Petrole (IFP), and Universal Oil
Products [4–10]. All these licensors have their unique configurations and advantages,
but the core principle remains the same. The yield of gasoline is heavily dependent on
the morphology of the FCC catalyst. Refiners maximize their margins by optimizing the
FCC unit’s operating parameters and work in conjunction with catalyst manufacturers to
optimize catalyst formulations. The FCC units are flexible in terms of hydrocarbon feed,
required yields of gasoline or LPG, and compliance with environmental regulations.
Although the FCC technology is over 79 years old, new and upcoming refining
trends keep the field engaging for academia and industries around the world. New
sources of hydrocarbon feeds like shale oil and tight oil, novel and customizable catalysts, mining of heavier crude oil yielding more residue, alternate energy, and shift of
product demand toward petrochemicals are some trends that keep FCC technology front
and center when it comes to innovation in conversion technologies. The demand for
automotive gasoline is predicted to decline in the next 30 years due to the rise of more
sustainable energy sources. However, the demand for petrochemicals and polymers, in
particular, continues to skyrocket as there is a continuous gap in the market for the supply of light olefinic hydrocarbons, which are required to synthesize these petrochemicals [11]. Steam cracking of light hydrocarbon streams has traditionally been the main
source of such light olefins [12]. However, the existing capacity worldwide is unable to
satisfy the increasing demand. FCC units are now being designed to work at higher
severity to maximize yields of light olefins and work in conjunction as a petrochemical
complex in an attempt to placate the demand for petrochemical feedstock and still keep
oil refinery’s margins viable in a possible scenario when automotive fuels have been
completely substituted by superior and sustainable sources of energy [13].
2 Fluid Catalytic Cracker
Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) is one of the most flexible and profitable secondary
processes in an oil refinery. FCC converts low-value distillates and residues into
cleaner and premium hydrocarbon products such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG),
gasoline. The yields of these sought-after products strongly depend upon the source
of feedstock, operating conditions of the unit, and, most importantly, the type of
catalyst. FCC technology is very complex due to intricate hydrodynamics, heat
transfer and mass transfer effects, and complex cracking kinetics, which are still not
understood perfectly. These complex interactions coupled with the economic importance of the unit have motivated many research efforts on catalyst development,
additive development, modeling, and optimization of FCC processes.
FCC units operate at elevated temperatures and near atmospheric pressure. The
catalyst is a finely divided silica/alumina-based particulate mixture. This catalyst,
when fluidized with steam, flows similar to a fluid inside the unit. Any FCC can be
A. R. Khande et al.
worldwide, around 500 of them have FCC units commissioned in their setup [3]. Some
of the major licensors of FCC technology are Kellogg Brown & Root, CB&I Lummus,
ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, Shell Global Solutions International, Stone &
Webster Engineering Corporation, Institut Francais du Petrole (IFP), and Universal Oil
Products [4–10]. All these licensors have their unique configurations and advantages,
but the core principle remains the same. The yield of gasoline is heavily dependent on
the morphology of the FCC catalyst. Refiners maximize their margins by optimizing the
FCC unit’s operating parameters and work in conjunction with catalyst manufacturers to
optimize catalyst formulations. The FCC units are flexible in terms of hydrocarbon feed,
required yields of gasoline or LPG, and compliance with environmental regulations.
Although the FCC technology is over 79 years old, new and upcoming refining
trends keep the field engaging for academia and industries around the world. New
sources of hydrocarbon feeds like shale oil and tight oil, novel and customizable catalysts, mining of heavier crude oil yielding more residue, alternate energy, and shift of
product demand toward petrochemicals are some trends that keep FCC technology front
and center when it comes to innovation in conversion technologies. The demand for
automotive gasoline is predicted to decline in the next 30 years due to the rise of more
sustainable energy sources. However, the demand for petrochemicals and polymers, in
particular, continues to skyrocket as there is a continuous gap in the market for the supply of light olefinic hydrocarbons, which are required to synthesize these petrochemicals [11]. Steam cracking of light hydrocarbon streams has traditionally been the main
source of such light olefins [12]. However, the existing capacity worldwide is unable to
satisfy the increasing demand. FCC units are now being designed to work at higher
severity to maximize yields of light olefins and work in conjunction as a petrochemical
complex in an attempt to placate the demand for petrochemical feedstock and still keep
oil refinery’s margins viable in a possible scenario when automotive fuels have been
completely substituted by superior and sustainable sources of energy [13].
2 Fluid Catalytic Cracker
Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) is one of the most flexible and profitable secondary
processes in an oil refinery. FCC converts low-value distillates and residues into
cleaner and premium hydrocarbon products such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG),
gasoline. The yields of these sought-after products strongly depend upon the source
of feedstock, operating conditions of the unit, and, most importantly, the type of
catalyst. FCC technology is very complex due to intricate hydrodynamics, heat
transfer and mass transfer effects, and complex cracking kinetics, which are still not
understood perfectly. These complex interactions coupled with the economic importance of the unit have motivated many research efforts on catalyst development,
additive development, modeling, and optimization of FCC processes.
FCC units operate at elevated temperatures and near atmospheric pressure. The
catalyst is a finely divided silica/alumina-based particulate mixture. This catalyst,
when fluidized with steam, flows similar to a fluid inside the unit. Any FCC can be
A. R. Khande et al.