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

Problem statement

The direct catalytic cracking from crude oil to chemicals could dominate the petrochemical industry shortly, with less fuel consumption and increasing production of light olefins and aromatics. We aim to simplify the refinery into a unique one-step conversion scheme, targeting the production of the most demanded petrochemicals.

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

We use particle image/tracking velocimetry experiments, kinetic modeling, computational particle fluid dynamic modeling, and optimization approaches to improve operating scenarios and develop innovative reactor prototypes.

We focus on the catalyst, reactor, and process levels for system enhancement and intensification. We are optimizing several state-of-the-art laboratory and pilot-scale units, including a circulating Berty, downer, and multifunctional fluidized bed reactors.

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…
C2C-FCC2023

Related People

Manel Nasfi
Salman Aldossary
Isa Al Aslani
Jose Ignacio Bielma Velasco
Talal Aldugman
Mengmeng Cui

Related Publications

Operating Ranges of Coupled–Decoupled Counter-current Downer and Riser Reactors

by Cui, Alfilfil, Morales-Osorio, Almajnouni, Gascon, Castaño
ACS Eng. Au Year: 2025 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsengineeringau.4c00041

Abstract

The counter-current downers have the potential to combine the hydrodynamic characteristics of co-current risers and downers with less back-mixing and improved solid holdup. However, flooding may occur when particles suspend or reverse the flowing direction under increasing superficial gas velocity or solid mass flux. Here, we evaluate transported bed configurations by coupling the counter-current downer with a riser reactor to take advantage of the flooding behaviors. We analyze the theoretical hydrodynamics in risers and co- and counter-current downers from particle mechanics to cluster development. By validation with experimental results from the literature, we determine the proper simulation strategy for counter-current downers using computational particle fluid dynamics by replacing the particle size with empirically calculated cluster size. We investigate the effects of superficial gas velocity and solid mass flux with Geldart group A particles until beyond the flooding point of the counter-current downer. The coupled riser–counter-current downer reactor configuration offers more uniform axial and dynamic radial solid distribution while keeping a relatively high solid holdup to better utilize the reactor volume for enhanced gas–solid contact. The fluidization regime diagram by the Richardson–Zaki equation fails to capture the counter-current operation, so we provide a separate graph to mark the limitation of the coupled and decoupled riser and counter-current downer reactor configurations.

Keywords

C2C FCC CRE MKM