Residuum fluid catalytic cracking process and apparatus using microwave energy

Abstract

Abstract A fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process and apparatus which exposes a residuum to microwave energy to activate the residuum prior to feeding to a fluid catalytic cracking riser. The process and apparatus also cracks a portion of a light hydrocarbon stream to produce reactive free radical and olefinic compounds by contacting the light hydrocarbon stream with a fluid catalytic cracking stream in the riser. The catalyst and activated light hydrocarbon stream then combines with the microwave-activated residuum in the riser. The present invention may be employed in a multiple riser system or in a single riser system. The present invention minimizes coke production by quickly and uniformly heating residuum in the microwave heater prior to passing into the riser. The present invention further minimizes coke production by combining the residuum with the catalyst and light hydrocarbons in the riser for, preferably, less than about 1 second, prior to separating the hydrocarbons from the catalyst in the multiple riser system, or prior to diluting the residuum with vacuum gas oil, additional catalyst and recycled heavy cycle oil in the single riser system.

Inventors

• 👤 Joseph A. Herbst
• 👤 Hartley Owen
• 👤 Paul H. Schipper

Bibliographic Details