A Comparative Study of Different Kinetic Lumps Models in the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit Using COMSOL Multiphysics

Abstract

The COMSOL Multiphysics computational fluid dynamics software was used to simulate the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) riser reactor of the FCC unit. The 4-, 5-, 10-, 20-, and 35-lump kinetic models were used to describe the kinetics of the cracking reactions in the riser reactor. The results of the kinetic lump models of the distributions of pressure, velocity, temperature, and yields of products were compared using practical values from the Port Harcourt Refinery Company plant. The results showed that the higher the kinetic lumps the better the accuracy of the prediction of the product yields and that the 10-, 20-, and 35-lump kinetic models could be used to predict the yield of various fractions of the riser reactor using COMSOL Multiphysics.