Prediction of gasoline yield in a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) riser using k-epsilon turbulence and 4-lump kinetic models: A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach

Abstract

Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) is an essential process for the conversion of gas oil to gasoline. This study is an effort to model the phenomenon numerically using commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, heavy density catalyst and 4-lump kinetic model. Geometry, boundary conditions and dimensions of industrial riser for catalytic cracking unit are conferred for 2D simulation using commercial CFD code FLUENT 6.3. Continuity, momentum, energy and species transport equations, applicable to two phase solid and gas flow, are used to simulate the physical phenomenon as efficient as possible. This study implements and predicts the use of the granular Eulerian multiphase model with species transport. Time accurate transient problem is solved with the prediction of mass fraction profiles of gas oil, gasoline, light gas and coke. The output curves demonstrate the breaking of heavy hydrocarbon in the presence of catalyst. An approach proposed in this study shows good agreement with the experimental and numerical data available in the literature.

Keywords

• FCC riser
• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
• Cracking reaction kinetics
• Hydrodynamics
• 4-Lump kinetic model
• k-Epsilon turbulence model