UOP FCC Innovations Developed Using Sophisticated Engineering Tools

Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) technology has been a part of the petroleum industry since the 1940’s. Yet, despite being a very mature technology, continued development is vital, especially as many refiners move their FCC operations from fuels production to higher value products. Advanced diagnostic and design tools are accelerating process developments and have resulted in several innovations. Through the development and commercialization of world record scale FCC units, technical discoveries have emerged, which have provided opportunities for improvements across all units, independent of size. Through the development and use of sophisticated engineering tools such as Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) modeling, combined with radioactive tracer and tomography, physical inspection reports and commercial yield analysis, new technological innovations can be delivered more confidently, faster and with reduced risk. This paper will highlight advancements in regenerator technology for higher capacity through existing assets, emissions reduction and feed distribution systems for large diameter risers. It will showcase how UOP is using and validating innovative tools to both improve existing FCC designs and move an aged technology towards true growth opportunities