ON THE SIMULATION OF FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING RISER-TYPE REACTORS

摘要

Two-phase flow, heat transfer and reaction in Fluid Catalytic Cracking riser-type reactors is modelled using 3-D Computational Fluid Dynamics techniques. The modelling process concerns the HAR (Hellenic Aspropyrgos Refinery) riser reactor and its operating conditions. The simulation of the feedstock vaporization inside the reactor is addressed, and the impact of this phenomenon in the cracking operation and the modelling technique is evaluated. A detailed ten-lump kinetic model is incorporated into the hydrodynamics model and predictions are compared with ones presented in the literature. Model predictions are also compared with industrial reactor operating data. The effect of feed injector geometry on overall reactor performance is also studied. It is concluded that the developed model is capable to predict a considerable impact of feed injector geometry on reactor performance; more specifically it is predicted that by increasing the number of operating feed injection nozzles reactor selectivity is improved.