CONTROL OF A FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING UNIT

CONTROL OF A FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING UNIT
 
ABSTRACT
Nigeria is one of the top oil-producing nations in the world but processing this oil into finished products has been a major challenge for the countries. Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Units of Nigerian Refineries produced petroleum products at far below their installed capacities.This work is aimed at effective design and fabrication of a mini FCC Unit. The FCCU was designed to process 0.56bbl/hr of Escravos gas oil and fabrication of same was carried out. Equipments fabricated include Feed Surge Drum (Diameter 0.631m and Height 1.002m), Feed/LCO Heat Exchanger (Shell Diameter 0.260m, Tube Diameter 0.030m and Exchanger Length 1.000m), Feed/DCO Heat Exchanger(Shell Diameter 0.275m, Tube Diameter 0.0245m and Exchanger Length 1.000m) , Feed/Slurry Heat Exchanger(Shell Diameter 0.260m, Tube Diameter 0.024m and Exchanger Length 1.000m) , Feed Fired Heater (Base Diameter 0.872m, Height 1.745m and Tube Diameter 0.024m), Riser Reactor (Diameter 0.545m and Height 1.817m), Main Fractionator (Column Diameter 0.520m and Column Height 2.925m) and Overhead Condenser (Shell Diameter 0.310m, Tube Diameter 0.0245m and Condenser Length 1.000m). Both manual and Hysys simulation software were used to carryout the design and the results obtained were compared to ascertain most acceptable technique for the design of FCCU. While  Hysys simulation gave more detailed and effective results, the manual design technique shows little descrepancy to Hysys simulation result. Therefore, the manual design technique is also valid and can also serve in the absence of the software for FCCU design.