Acidity Enhanced FCC Additive for Heavy Hydrocarbon Cracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) catalysts and additives with zeolite components are unable to effectively crack heavy hydrocarbons due to their small pore size, leading to over-cracking and the formation of coke and dry gases when processing heavy fuel oil with large molecular sizes.
Innovation Solution
An FCC additive composition comprising acidity enhanced modified clay and alumina, along with a binder, phosphorus oxide, and boron oxide, which has enhanced pore size and acidity, allowing for effective cracking of large hydrocarbon molecules and reducing dry gas formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional FCC additives containing zeolite component are used, then cracking of hydrocarbons occurs, but the small pore size of zeolite prevents cracking of heavy fuel oil with large molecular sizes, leading to over-cracking and formation of coke and dry gases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system combining modified clay (with larger pore structure) and modified alumina (with enhanced acidity) to create an additive that can handle both large heavy fuel oil molecules and provide effective cracking activity, avoiding the limitations of zeolite-only compositions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the catalyst components by treating clay and alumina with acids to enhance their pore sizes and acidity, enabling them to effectively crack heavy fuel oil molecules while controlling the cracking process to minimize harmful byproducts
2Productivity
If heavy fuel oil is cracked on the surface of FCC catalyst matrix to produce smaller hydrocarbons for zeolite pore cracking, then large hydrocarbons can be processed, but over-cracking occurs resulting in excessive dry gas formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates different functional zones within the additive composition where modified clay provides external surface cracking activity for heavy fuel oil while modified alumina provides controlled acidity for subsequent cracking, allowing selective cracking at different locations to minimize over-cracking
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The FCC additive composition effectively cracks heavy hydrocarbons into lighter fractions with reduced dry gas production, improving the efficiency of the cracking process and product yield.
Implementation Method 1
an acidity enhanced modified alumina having an acidity in the range of 370 to 400 micromole/gm... capable of cracking bottoms containing heavy fuel oil
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is an FCC additive composition comprising an acidity enhanced modified clay; an acidity enhanced modified alumina; a binder; a phosphorous oxide and a boron oxide, as well as a process for preparing the FCC additive composition. The FCC additive as disclosed is capable of cracking bottoms comprising large hydrocarbon molecules/heavy fuel oils, it enhances bottoms conversion and reduces formation of dry gas.