AM-99-55 EXPLOITING SYNERGY BETWEEN FCC AND FEED PRETREATING UNITS TO IMPROVE REFINERY MARGINS AND PRODUCE LOW-SULFUR FUELS

Description:

This paper illustrates how FCC feed treatment helps meet the new fuel specifications and also improve refinery economics. Initially, the paper shows the impact of hydrotreating severity on FCC performance. Next, it shows the benefit achieved from partial-conversion hydrocracking instead of hydrotreating the FCC feed. The level of conversion achieved from partial-conversion hydrocracking is greater than from the conventional mild hydrocracking approaches of the past, and the distillate quality is also much higher. Several new partial-conversion hydroracking flow schemes that can produce diesel with 50 wppm sulfur and 50 cetane index are introduced.