Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamics and Reaction Kinetics Analysis in FCC Riser Reactors

Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) is the refinery process for the conversion of high molecular-weight hydrocarbons to produce higher valuable products such as gasoline. The optimization of FCC process is challenging due to the complex interactions between a large number of dependent and independent parameters. One of the most uncertain aspects of a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit is the description of fluid-solid mixing at the riser entrance. Most of the existing models assume an instant mixing of solids and gaseous reactants. However, a finite mixing length at the bottom of the riser may have a pronounced effect on the FCC operation, particularly, when very short residence times are allowed in the current commercial FCC risers. A good solid-fluid mixing is essential to ensure a complete feed vaporization which is important for several reasons including assuring a thorough catalyst to oil contact and minimizing coke deposition. In this study, the Eulerian-Eulerian multiphase flow and the 3-lump kinetic models were used to simulate the hydrodynamics and cracking reactions occurring in the FCC riser reactors. The model demonstrated the capability of commercial CFD code FLUENT 6.2 to describe the flow field in the riser reactor. The model also takes into account the temperature, the heat of reactions and gasoline distribution along the riser height.