Method and apparatus for controlling catalytic cracking by near-infrared spectroscopy

Abstract

On-line controlling of catalytic cracking processing is provided which uses near infrared (NIR) analysis to characterize cracking feed for parameters such as saturates, aromatics, and thiophene content and the resulting characterization thereof. The NIR results can be used in FCC software to control on-line unit yields and qualities.

1 . A process for controlling on line catalytic cracking (FCC) of a hydrocarbon feeds, intermediates and products exhibiting absorption in the near infrared (NIR) region comprising:
 a) measuring absorbances of said feed, intermediates, or products using a spectrometer measuring absorbances at wavelengths within the range of about 780-4000 nm, and outputting an emitted signal indicative of said absorbance;   b) subjecting the NIR spectrometer signal to a mathematical treatment (e.g. derivative, smooth, baseline correction) of the emitted signal;   c) processing the emitted signal or the mathematical treatment using a defined model to determine the chemical or physical properties of feeds, intermediates or products and outputting a processed signal; and   d) controlling on-line in response to the processed signal, at least one parameter of the catalytic cracking feed, intermediate or product.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  including the step of using NIR measuring to provide real time optimization of (RTO) FCC processing. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  including the step of using NIR measuring to automatically adjust FCC processing conditions. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  including the step of using NIR measuring to maximize FCC processing as feedstock parameter changes. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  including the step of using NIR measuring of FCC feed rate, reactor temperature, feed preheat or feed pressure to optimize FCC product. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  including the step of using NIR measuring of FCC feed parameters to control weight percent of each hydrocarbon class. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  including the step of using NIR measuring to control on-line a multiplicity of parameters for FCC processing. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said absorbances are measured at wavelengths within the range of about 780-2500 nm. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said absorbances are measured at wavelengths within the range of 1100-2200 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said absorbance is measured in at least one wavelength and includes the steps of:
 a) periodically or continuously outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of the intensity of said absorbance in said wavelength, or wavelengths in said two or more bands or a combination of mathematical functions thereof,   b) mathematically converting the signal to an output signal indicative of the mathematical function; and
 controlling the process on-line in response to the output signal. 
   
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the parameter of the catalytic cracking feed is temperature throughput, pressure, hydrogen feed rate, or catalyst:oil ratio. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the parameter of catalytic cracking feed is feed properties, process conditions, equipment constraints or yields. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the step of controlling on-line allows for real time optimization processing. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said feed, intermediate, or product are measured for content of at least one of monoaromatics, diaromatics, triaromatics, tetraaromatics, polar aromatics, total aromatics benzothiophenes, dibenzothiophenes, distillation points, basic nitrogen, total nitrogen, API gravity, total sulfur, MCRT and % coker gas oil. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the catalytic cracking produces products having lower average molecular weight than the feed, by contacting the feed with catalyst in a contacting zone and recovering and separating the products exiting from the cracking zone. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the parameter of catalytic cracking of step (c) is selected from the group consisting of temperature, throughput, pressure, hydrogen feed rate, catalyst and oil ratio. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 1  including the steps of:
 obtaining a first data set of NIR spectroscopic data samples by subjecting the feed, intermediates, or products to NIR spectroscopy;   generating a second data set of NIR spectroscopic data samples by processing the first data set using a second technique;   identifying a component of the feed by performing a NIR analysis on the second data set; and   controlling the process on-line in response thereto.   
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1  including the step of:
 mathematically converting the signal to an output signal indicative of the parameter.   
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 12  including the steps of:
 periodically or continuously outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of the intensity of the NIR absorbance in the wavelength, or wavelengths in the two or more bands or a combination of mathematical functions thereof,   mathematically converting said signal to an output signal indicative of the mathematical function; and   controlling on-line in response thereto.   
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 1  including the step of using the NIR results in FCC simulation software to control on-line unit yields and qualities. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the parameters are saturates, aromatics or thiophere content. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 14  which allows direct monitoring of the feedstock properties and effluent yields in real time to ensure product quality and processing targets are achieved.