Posted on 01/21/2013 9:22:28 AM PST by thackney
A hydrocracking unit, or hydrocracker, takes gas oil, which is heavier and has a higher boiling range than distillate fuel oil, and cracks the heavy molecules into distillate and gasoline in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst. The hydrocracker upgrades low-quality heavy gas oils from the atmospheric or vacuum distillation tower, the fluid catalytic cracker, and the coking units into high-quality, clean-burning jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline. There are two main chemical reactions occurring in the hydrocracker: catalytic cracking of heavy hydrocarbons into lighter unsaturated hydrocarbons and the saturation of these newly formed hydrocarbons with hydrogen. The catalytic cracking of the heavier hydrocarbons uses heat and causes the feed to be cooled as it progresses through the reactor. The saturation of the lighter hydrocarbons releases heat and causes the feed and products to heat up as they proceed through the reactor. Hydrogen is also used to control the temperature of the reactor—it is fed into the reactor at different points. This keeps the reactor temperature from cooling to the point that cracking will not occur and from rising too high as to jeopardize the safety of the operation.
Many refiners do not have hydrocrackers, but as demand for middle distillates such as jet fuel, kerosene, and diesel increases both in the United States and around the world, refiners may find incentive to build them to increase distillate yield. In the emerging low-sulfur world, the hydrocracker often converts high-sulfur materials, which would end up in marine or boiler fuel, into low-sulfur fuels for vehicles and airplanes. A refinery's ability to upgrade low-value products into high-value products and convert high-sulfur material to low-sulfur material with a secondary unit like a hydrocracker plays a key role in determining its economic fate.
Same thing as a Cat Cracker, right..?
We also need investment in plants that turn natural gas into diesel and jet fuel.
If our leaders had half a brain,,they would be spending money on this rather than wind mills, geothermal and solar power.
Energy independence is more vital than ever to our national security.
Yes, but a crude one.
Similar, but not the same.
Hydrocrackers require a feed of hydrogen. This creates new bonds of hydrogen generating more valuable products. Often a catalytic cracker would be upstream of the hydrogen cracker, if the refinery has both in the process stream.
The box on the flow charts I posted above represent more than a single vessel. For example:
My refinery does not. The Wood River Conoco plant has two CCU’s. I spent the entire turnaround last fall xraying weld repairs in CCU one.
I’m proud of our Cokers at Wood River. They are two years old and are the largest in the world on the smallest footprint. It took the worlds second largest crane to build the worlds largest crane to build it. It was made by Bechtel and can be seen from all around North Madison county Beginning in late February will have my company doing the inspections on it and CCU2 for the Spring Turnaround..
The spring turnaround beg
A CCU is not a hydrocracker, it is a catalytic cracker.
A hydrocracker is similar, but the hydro of the name is for the hydrogen it uses.
BTW, the Wood River new Coker unit was designed by Foster Wheeler. I worked on the project while at Foster Wheeler.
Just kidding. Very informative thread.
I take it asphalt comes from the bottom of the barrel?
I think I mixed up the BP Whiting Refinery with the Wood River. Sorry, too many past jobs and clients.
Agreed. Refining for dumb-me.
Correct. The extraction and processing of crude is all we need. We have plenty of it, and thechnical know how to do safely,create jobs and make money. The angst is purely political..
Hydrocracking — that’s the practice of snapping each other with wet towels after the game.
Thanks thackney.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.