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FCC

This document describes Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC), which uses a circulating fluidized bed reactor to convert heavy petroleum fractions into gasoline and heating oil. It outlines the FCC process, including the reactor, regenerator, and heat and pressure balances. The key steps are: cracking reactions occur when gas oil contacts hot regenerated catalyst in the riser reactor; cyclones separate catalyst from vapors; steam strips remaining hydrocarbons from the spent catalyst; and combustion regenerates the catalyst while supplying heat to the reactor.

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Santanu Biswas
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177 views29 pages

FCC

This document describes Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC), which uses a circulating fluidized bed reactor to convert heavy petroleum fractions into gasoline and heating oil. It outlines the FCC process, including the reactor, regenerator, and heat and pressure balances. The key steps are: cracking reactions occur when gas oil contacts hot regenerated catalyst in the riser reactor; cyclones separate catalyst from vapors; steam strips remaining hydrocarbons from the spent catalyst; and combustion regenerates the catalyst while supplying heat to the reactor.

Uploaded by

Santanu Biswas
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPS, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC)

Quak Foo, Lee Chemical and Biological Engineering The University of British Columbia

Outline
What is FCC? Why use circulating Fluidized Bed Reactor in FCC? Operating Characteristics Description of the Process Heat Balance Pressure Balance Conclusions

What is FCC?
Primary conversion process in petroleum refinery. The unit which utilizes a micro-spherodial catalyst (zeolitic catalyst) which fluidizes when properly aerated. The purpose is to convert high-boiling petroleum fractions (gas oil) to high-value, high-octane gasoline and heating oil.

Why use Circulating Fluidized Bed in FCC?


Compared with Fixed Bed, Fluidized Bed CFB fast fluidization regime CFB good for catalyst size < 0.2 mm Excellent in:

Gas-solid effective contact Catalyst effectiveness Catalyst internal temperature control Catalyst regeneration

Operating Characteristics
Particle Diameter = 150 m Geldart Classification = A Temperature = 650 0C Pressure = 100 kPa Superficial gas velocity = 10 m/s Bed depth = 0.85 m Fresh feed flow rate = 300,000 kg/hr Catalyst to oil ratio = 4.8

FCC Reactor-Regenerator

Description of the Process


Reactor Riser Cyclones Stripper Regenerator Standpipe and Slide Valve

Reactor Performance
Feed oil enters the riser near the base Contacts the incoming regenerated catalyst Cracking reactions occur in the vapor phase Expanded volume of vapors lift the catalyst and vaporized oil rises Fast reaction, few seconds of contact time

Riser

Dimensions
Diameter: 1.2 m (4 ft) Height : 36.6 m (120 ft)

Plug flow with minimum back-mixing Steam is used to atomize the feed

Increases the availability of feed

Outlet vapor velocity: 18 m/s (60 ft/sec) Hydrocarbon residence time: 2 seconds

Cyclones
Located at the end of riser to separate the bulk of the catalyst from the vapor Use a deflector device to turn catalyst direction downward Two-stage cyclones

To separate the remaining of the catalyst

Return the catalyst to the stripper through the diplegs The product vapors exit the cyclones and flow to the main fractionator column

Cyclones

Riser
Stripping Bed

Stripping Section
The spent catalysts falls into the stripper Valuable hydrocarbons are absorbed within the catalyst bed Stripping steam, at a rate of 4 kg per 1000 kg of circulating catalyst, is used to strip the hydrocarbons from the catalyst The catalyst level provides the pressure head which allows the catalyst to flow into the regenerator

Inside Stripping Section

Steam

Catalyst Level

Reactor Stripper

Reactor Riser

Regenerator

Two functions:
Restores catalyst activity Supplies heat to crack the feed

Air is the source of oxygen for the combustion of coke The air blower with 1m/s (3 ft/s) air velocity to maintain the catalyst bed in a fluidized state 14 kPa (2 psi) pressure drop in air distributors to ensure positive air flow through all nozzles

Inside Regenerator
Catalyst Low (high carbon) Oxygen

Catalyst

Dense Phase Bed

Catalyst (low carbon)

High Oxygen

Air

Standpipe & Slide Valve


Standpipe provides the necessary pressure head needed to circulate the catalyst around the unit The catalyst density in standpipe is 642 kg/m3 (40 lbs/ft3) Slide valve is used to regulate the flow rate of the regenerated catalyst to the riser Slide valve function is to supply enough catalyst to heat the feed and achieve the desired reactor temperature

Heat Balance
A catalyst cracker continually adjusts itself to stay in heat balance. The reactor and regenerator heat flows must be equal. Heat balance performed around

the reactor the stripper-regenerator


Use to calculate catalyst circulation rate and catalyst-to-oil ratio

overall heat balance

Heat Balance

The unit produces and burns enough coke to provide energy to:
Increase the temperature of the fresh feed, recycle, and atomizing steam from their preheated states to the reactor temperature. Provide the endothermic heat of cracking. Increase the temperature of the combustion air from the blower discharge temperature to the regenerator flue gas temperature. Make up for heat losses from the reactor and regenerator to surroundings. Provide for heat sinks, such as stripping steam and catalyst cooling.

FCC Heat Balance


Flue gas Regenerator Spent Catalyst Heat of Coke Combustion Heat of Reaction Reactor

Products
Heat Losses

Heat losses

Recycle
Regenerated Catalyst Fresh Feed Feed Preheater

Regeneration Air

FCC Heat Balance


Flue gas Regenerator Spent Catalyst Heat of Coke Combustion Heat of Reaction Reactor

Products
Heat Losses

Heat losses

Recycle
Regenerated Catalyst Fresh Feed Feed Preheater

Regeneration Air

Heat Balance Around Stripper-Regenerator


Heat to raise air from the blower discharge temperature to the regenerator dense phase temperature. (108 106 Btu/hr) Heat to desorb the coke from the spent catalyst. (39.5 106 Btu/hr) Heat to raise the temperature of the stripping steam to the reactor temperature. (4.4 106 Btu/hr) Heat to raise the coke on the catalyst from the reactor T to the regenerator dense phase T. (3.7 106 Btu/hr)

Heat Balance Around Stripper-Regenerator


Heat to raise the coke products from the regenerator dense temperature to flue gas temperature. (2.17 106 Btu/hr) Heat to compensate for regenerator heat losses. ( 19.3 106 Btu/hr) Heat to raise the spent catalyst from the reactor temperature to the regenerator dense phase. (305.5 106 Btu/hr)

Reactor Heat Balance


Hot-regenerated catalyst supplies the bulk of the heat required to vaporize the liquid feed To provide the overall endothermic heat of cracking To raise the temperature of dispersion steam and inert gases to the reactor temperature

Reactor Heat Balance


Heat into the reactor Regenerated catalyst = 1186 106 Btu/hr Fresh feed = 267 106 Btu/hr Atomizing steam = 12 106 Btu/hr Heat of absorption = 35 106 Btu/hr Total heat in = 1500 106 Btu/hr

Reactor Heat Balance

Heat out of the reactor


Spent catalyst = 880 106 Btu/hr To vaporize feed = 513 106 Btu/hr Heat content of steam = 15 106 Btu/hr Loss to surroundings = 6 106 Btu/hr Heat of reaction = ?

Total heat out = 1414 106 Btu/hr + Heat of reaction

Reaction Heat Balance


Calculation of Heat of Reaction Total heat out = Total heat in Total heat in = 1500 106 Btu/hr Total heat out = 1414 106 Btu/hr + Heat of reaction Therefore, Overall Endothermic Heat of Reaction = 86 106 Btu/hr

Pressure Balance
Deals with the hydraulics of catalyst circulation in the reactor and regenerator circuit. The incremental capacity come from increased catalyst circulation or from altering the differential pressure between reactor-regenerator.

Pressure Balance Results

In spent catalyst standpipe:


Pressure buildup = 27 kPa (4 psi) Catalyst density = 658 kg/m3 Optimum pressure to circulate more catalyst

In regenerated catalyst standpipe:


Pressure buildup = 55 kPa (8 psi) Catalyst density = 642 kg/m3

Conclusions
Circulating Fluidized Bed is used in FCC unit. Stripping steam of 4 kg per 1000 kg circulating catalyst is required. Overall endothermic Heat of Reaction is 86 MBtu/hr. Pressure buildup in spent catalyst standpipe is 27 kPa (4 psi). Pressure buildup in regenerated catalyst standpipe is 55 kPa (8 psi).

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