CRACKING
Submitted to:
Ms. Jyoti Rana
Assistant Professor
Department of
Mechanical Engineering
Submitted By:
15BPE1003 Tarique Anwar
15BPE1004 Davnindar Singh Bhatia
6/2/2019 Department of Petroleum Engineering
Why Cracking is Required?
gasoline obtained from Octane Number
the CDU does not have • Heptane- High tendency to auto
good octane number ignite, octane number 0
(40 – 60) and needs to
be upgraded to obtain • Octane- low tendency to auto ignite,
the desired octane octane number 100
number (85 – 95).
6/2/2019 Department of Petroleum Engineering
Cracking
cracking involves decomposition of petroleum fractions having huge
quantities of higher molecular weight compounds to lighter fraction
Types
• By Heating : High temp, high pressure required(old technique)
• With Catalyst
• Acid treated silica-alumina was used as
catalyst.
• 20 – 80 mesh size catalysts used for FCCR and
3 – 4 mm pellets used for MBRs
• During operation, poisoning occurs with Fe,
Ni, Vd and Cu
6/2/2019 Department of Petroleum Engineering
Cracking Chemistry
Long chain paraffins olefins and olefins
Straight chain paraffins branched paraffins
Alkylated aromatics aromatics and paraffins
Ring compounds alkylated aromatics
Naphthenes aromatics and hydrogen
Undesired reaction: Coke formation due to excess cracking
6/2/2019 Department of Petroleum Engineering
Operating conditions
This is dependent on the feed stock properties, type of feed.
Cracking is a gas phase reaction. Therefore, entire feedstock
needs to be vaporized.
Reaction time: 1-3 sec, good quality product and less coke
formation
vacuum gas oil, thermal cracking requires operating at 600 C and
20 atm gauge pressure
vacuum gas oil, catalytic cracking is usually carried out at 480 C
and 0.7 – 1 atm gauge pressure.
Cracking is an endothermic reaction
6/2/2019 Department of Petroleum Engineering
Process technology
Two main flow sheets
cracking coupled with main distillation column and
stabilization of naphtha.
Feed enters the cracking reactor.
cracked product from the reactor enters a main distillation
column that produces unstablized naphtha, light gas oil,
heavy gas oil, slurry and gas.
Fluidized catalytic cracking reactor (FCCR) is used
Moving Bed Reactor
6/2/2019 Department of Petroleum Engineering
Main
Distillation col
Feed light
gas oil
product
Unstabilized Naphtha
Cracking Heavy
Reactor gas oil
Sludge, gas
Heavy
product Decant oil
Phase separator Unit
6/2/2019 Department of Petroleum Engineering
6/2/2019 Department of Petroleum Engineering
Fluidized catalytic cracking reactor (FCCR)
The basic principle of the riser and the cyclone unit
assembled in a reactor
FCCR is to enable the vessel.
fluidization of catalyst
Riser: In the riser (a long
particles in the feed stream tube), the feed is allowed
at desired pressure and to get in contact with the
temperature. hot catalyst. The hot
regenerate the catalyst by catalyst is enabled to rise
burning off the coke in air. through lift media in the
riser. The lift media is
FCCR and a catalyst usually steam or light
regenerator (CR). hydrocarbon gas.
6/2/2019 Department of Petroleum Engineering
The riser contact time is about
250 milliseconds.
CR
During this entire
operation, the catalyst
temperature is increased to
620 – 750 oC
The flue gas is obtained at
600 -760 oC and is sent for
heat recovery unit to
generate steam
6/2/2019 Department of Petroleum Engineering
Moving Bed Reactor
Reactor
Regenerator
Lift engaging hopper
Catalyst Disengaging
hopper
6/2/2019 Department of Petroleum Engineering
Thank You