Pyrolysis products dependence on the nature of heavy hydrocarbon feedstock

Abstract

The two-stage catalytic pyrolysis of five heavy distillates viz. sleek wax, atmospheric heavy gas oil, recycle residue (RCR), vacuum residue (VR), and asphaltene after propane deasphalting unit (PDA) has been carried out using CaO/Al 2O 3 as a catalyst. Two types of gas carriers were used, argon and steam. The use of steam as a gas carrier gives the distribution of gaseous pyrolysis products. By the use of steam, as a gas carrier, it was possible to overcome the problems of: (1) extensive downstream operations to separate the reaction products from the gas carriers; (2) deposition of carbon on the catalyst surface, the CaO/Al 2O 3 catalyst has been regenerated simultaneously with the steam; and (3) preparing an economic production of ethene and propene from heavy distillates.