Abstract
High-severity fluid catalytic cracking (HS-FCC) is a breakthrough technology in the refining and petrochemicals industry. It allows refineries to produce petrochemicals from heavy oils by converting a low-value refinery stream into high-value products, suitable for integrated processes. The process’s main operating features are the down flow reactor system, high reaction temperature, short residence time, and high catalyst-to-oil (C/O) ratio with a modified separator system. The unique down flow reactor system in the HS-FCC process ensures plug flow without back-mixing, allowing more selectivity toward light olefins. HS-FCC produces four times more light olefins (propylene and butene) and higher octane gasoline than conventional FCC units. Since 1999, the HS-FCC has successfully passed several phases of testing with different types of feedstock at various feed capacities. The process has been proven in a 30 barrel per day (bpd) demonstration plant at Ras Tanura Refinery, Saudi Arabia. In 2011, a 3,000 BPD HS-FCC semi-commercial plant started operating at JX Mizushima Refinery in Japan. The unit ran successfully, meeting all design objectives. A full-scale commercial unit study for a 30,000 BPD HS-FCC plant was completed by JX and Chiyoda for HS-FCC commercialization.
Highlights
Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units currently account for 30 % of the worldwide propylene production with the remaining produced from ethylene steam cracking of light hydrocarbons and naphtha feedstocks
The HighSeverity Fluid Catalytic Cracking (HS-FCC) technology, developed by Saudi Aramco and their partners, can substantially increase the propylene yield compared to conventional FCC units
The results demonstrated the advantage of the down flow technology to suppress back-mixing and reduce thermal cracking reactions, thereby increasing the yield of light olefins while minimizing dry gas and coke yields despite the high operating temperatures [3]
Summary
Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units currently account for 30 % of the worldwide propylene production with the remaining produced from ethylene steam cracking of light hydrocarbons and naphtha feedstocks. The HighSeverity Fluid Catalytic Cracking (HS-FCC) technology, developed by Saudi Aramco and their partners, can substantially increase the propylene yield compared to conventional FCC units. Various reactions such as catalytic cracking, thermal cracking, hydrogen transfer, isomerization and condensation reactions occur in the FCC reactor. Maximum propylene production in FCC units is achieved by operating at high reaction temperature, short residence time and high catalyst-to-oil. The results demonstrated the advantage of the down flow technology to suppress back-mixing and reduce thermal cracking reactions, thereby increasing the yield of light olefins (ethylene, propylene and butylenes) while minimizing dry gas and coke yields despite the high operating temperatures [3]. Raising the temperature contributes in controlling the exothermic hydrogen transfer reaction
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