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Reactor design and optimization for converting crude (and refinery wastes) to chemicals in one step through revamped fluidized catalytic cracking

    Problem Statement

    Direct catalytic cracking of crude oil to chemicals could soon dominate the petrochemical industry, with lower fuel consumption and increased production of light olefins and aromatics. We aim to simplify the refinery into a single-step conversion scheme to produce the most demanded petrochemicals.

    Using a bottom-up holistic approach, we design a catalytic crude-to-chemicals process toward this goal. We investigate advanced reactors with intrinsic kinetic data and controlled hydrodynamics to improve the process. We study nonlinear multiscale phenomena by coupling hydrodynamics, heat transfer, and reaction kinetics.

    We use particle image velocimetry and optical probes, kinetic modeling, computational particle-fluid dynamics, and optimization approaches to improve operating scenarios and develop innovative reactor prototypes.

    We focus on the catalyst, reactor, and process levels to enhance and intensify the system. We are optimizing several state-of-the-art laboratory- and pilot-scale units, including a CircuBed®, a downer, and a multifunctional fluidized bed reactor.

    C2C-FCC

    Goals

    • Develop and scale up advanced reactors for converting crude oil to chemicals through fluid catalytic cracking, approaching intrinsic kinetics
    • Model process dynamics using reactive particle fluid dynamics coupled with experimental validations
    • Establish a design workflow for short-contact time reactors based on modeling, prototyping, and testing
    • Analyze the novel process developments in fluid catalytic cracking: novel feedstock, process modifications, etc.

    Related People

    Sherif Alabi
    Muhammed Ikbal Arikan
    Daffer AlYami
    Manel Nasfi
    Jose Ignacio Bielma Velasco
    Talal Aldugman
    Mengmeng Cui

    Related Publications

    Fuel production via catalytic cracking of pre-hydrotreated heavy-fuel oil generated by marine-transport operations

    by Izaddoust, Hita, Zambrano, Trueba, Palos, Zhang, Epelde, Arandes, Castaño
    Fuel Year: 2022 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2022.124765

    Abstract

    We examine the conversion of heavy-fuel oil waste generated by marine-transport operations into drop-in transportation fuels. The proposed conversion process comprises two steps: (i) hydrotreatment and (ii) fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) under industrially relevant conditions. CoMo/Al2O3 is employed as the catalyst for hydrotreating, primarily aimed at sulfur reduction. In the second stage, a highly intensive study of the FCC over an equilibrated steamed zeolite catalyst is performed. We provide a complete analytical overview of all the products and byproducts of these two reactions, including the coke deposited over the FCC catalysts using various characterization techniques, including high-resolution mass spectrometry. The hydrotreatment eliminates 67% of sulfur present in the original ship oil, while the cracking yields up to 47 wt% high-quality gasoline, containing 37 wt% aromatics, and 23 wt% i-paraffins. Based on the molecular-level characterization of the formed coke species and the performed parametric study, this work provides insights into the optimum operational conditions for minimizing coke deposition and improving the gasoline yield and quality.

    Keywords

    FCC HPC ANW