Valorisation of plastic pyrolysis oil via co-processing in FCC units Optimising the value of PPO within a refinery involves its integration through co-processing in an FCC unit to enhance circularity
Sanju Kumari, Hemant Mishra, Somanath Kukade, and Pramod Kumar Hindustan Petroleum Green R&D Centre, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
F luid catalytic cracking (FCC) is a vital lighter products, such as cracked naphtha, distillate, and olefins. It relies on a catalyst, typically composed of zeolites, to break down large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller, valuable hydrocarbons. The process occurs in a fluidised bed reactor, where hot catalyst particles mix with the feedstock and undergo cracking reactions that produce a range of hydrocarbon products. One of the most common feedstocks for FCC is vacuum gas oil (VGO), a heavy distillate obtained from crude oil vacuum distillation. VGO contains long-chain hydrocarbons that are cracked into smaller, valuable hydrocarbon products, such as cracked naphtha, liquified petroleum gas (LPG) distillate, and olefins, through catalytic cracking. The catalyst, after being deactivated by coke deposition, is regenerated in a separate vessel where the coke is burnt off, restoring the catalyst’s activity for reuse in the process. refining process used to convert heavy hydrocarbon fractions into more valuable, As refiners explore alternative feedstocks to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and address environmental concerns, feedstocks such as plastic pyrolysis oil (PPO) are being considered
feedstocks. Integrating PPO into FCC operation offers environmental benefits, such as diverting plastic waste from landfills, reducing crude oil consumption, lowering emissions, and improving sustainability. Figure 1 illustrates the strategy for maximising the value of PPO within a refinery, demonstrating its integration through co-processing in an FCC unit for enhanced circularity. “ Integrating plastic pyrolysis oil into FCC operation offers environmental benefits, such as diverting plastic waste from landfills, reducing crude oil consumption, lowering emissions, and improving sustainability ” Operational challenges Processing PPO in an FCC unit presents significant challenges. Unlike VGO, which is relatively stable and well-characterised, PPO contains a variety of contaminants, including chloride, nitrogen, sulphur, olefins, diolefins, oxygenates, and metals, which can negatively impact catalyst performance and operational stability.
for processing in FCC units. PPO is obtained via thermal pyrolysis of plastic waste such as LDPE, HDPE, PP, and PTFE, producing a mixture of hydrocarbons
LDPE & HDPE
Pyrolysis plant
FCC unit
Propylene & fuels
Figure 1 Approach to valorise plastic pyrolysis oil in a refinery by co-processing in the FCC unit for enhanced circularity
that can resemble petroleum-based
Refining India
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