Modelling and simulation of an industrial RFCCU‑riser reactor for catalytic cracking of vacuum residue

OLAFADEHAN, O. A. and Sunmola, Opeyemi Praise and Adeleke, Jaiyeola and Efeovbokhan, Vincent Enon and Abatan, Olubunmi G. (2018) Modelling and simulation of an industrial RFCCU‑riser reactor for catalytic cracking of vacuum residue. Applied Petrochemical Research, 8. pp. 219-237.

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Abstract

A one-dimensional adiabatic mathematical model was developed for the riser reactor of an industrial residue fluid catalytic cracking unit (RFCCU). A seven-lump kinetic model was presented for the catalytic cracking of vacuum residue, taking cognisance of diffusion resistance, which is a departure from the general norm in the literature. Also, heat transfer resistance between the fluid and solid phases was incorporated into the energy balances for instantaneous and one-dimensional vaporization of feedstock. The developed model was a set of twelve coupled, highly non-linear and stiff ordinary differential equations, ODEs, which was numerically solved with an implicit MATLAB built-in solver, ode23t, designed deliberately for handling stiff differential equations to circumvent the problem of instability associated with explicit methods. An excellent agreement was achieved between the industrial RFCCU plant data and the simulated results of this study, with average absolute deviation being < ± 5% for instantaneous vaporization of feedstock in all cases investigated. Moreover, the simulated results revealed that half of the reactor was relatively redundant as this accounted for only 3% of the conversion. Hence, the findings of this study could be useful to the production practice for the Khartoum Refinery Company

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Adiabatic · RFCCU-riser reactor · Catalytic cracking · Seven-lump · Diffusion resistance · ode23t
Subjects:	T Technology > TP Chemical technology
Divisions:	Faculty of Engineering, Science and Mathematics > School of Engineering Sciences
Depositing User:	Mrs Patricia Nwokealisi
Date Deposited:	27 Mar 2019 12:40
Last Modified:	27 Mar 2019 12:40
URI:	http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/id/eprint/12533

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