Formation of aromatics in heavy gasoline and light LCO ends in FCC

CATEGORY: LIGHT ENDS 
Formation of aromatics in heavy gasoline and light LCO ends in FCC

Type	Journal Article
Author	Richard Pujro
Author	Marisa Falco
URL	http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926860X14006280
Volume	489
Pages	123-130
Publication	Applied Catalysis A: General
Date	January 2015
Abstract	Researchers reacted decalin, a naphthenic bicyclic compound, over a commercial FCC catalyst in its fresh, equilibrium and three dealuminated forms in order to analyze the formation of aromatic hydrocarbons in the gasoline and LCO cuts, heavy and light ends. They employed a batch, fluidized bed CREC Riser simulator laboratory reactor at 450 °C with short contact times from 1 to 8 s. The dealuminated catalysts exhibited an activity intermediate between those of the fresh and equilibrium catalysts, which correlates to zeolite content and acidity. These properties appear to be the most important characteristic in controlling the selectivity of the set of reactions. Authors describe a reaction network in which hydrogen transfer reactions are considered to be the most important to form aromatics. This is essentially unavoidable when a bicyclic naphthenic is converted on these catalysts. Aromatic belonged mainly to the gasoline boiling point range and, to a lower extent, to LCO.