Posted: May 22nd, 2023

Cracking can be hydro cracking or fluid catalytic cracking

Cracking as a process is challenging as it involves several complicated processes. Cracking can be hydro cracking or fluid catalytic cracking (FCC). FCC produces high volumes of gasoline and liquid petroleum gases also known as LPG while cracking of naphtha through hydro systems produces jet fuels and diesel products. The FCC system is composed of cat crackers which are used in oil refineries within the US due to high gasoline demand. FCC was first employed and used in 1942. It uses a powder catalyst mainly alumina obtained from crushed pumice. The gasoline which is produced in the FCC portion has high octane number.

However, gasoline is unstable chemically due to olefin properties. The olefin contained in products of gasoline is used to make polymers used in the production of storage tanks, fuel pipes and automotive injectors. The deposits especially in storage tanks have profound negative effects on the final product. The amount of deposit may increase with a coefficient in production rate and the operation of the FCC unit. The FCC liquefied petroleum gas is believed to be a rich source of c3 to c4 isobutene and olefin. Hydro cracking on the other hand employs operation of hydrogen gas created under partial and optimum pressure.