Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) plants are used to convert heavy distillates into lighter ones like gasoline and diesel. The feedstock is primarily vacuum gas oil, often mixed with refinery residues. 

The main products are:  

• Gas fraction (mainly C3/C4)
• Liquid fraction
• Coke (solid formation on the catalyst).

FCC units produce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides (NOx) and these particulates are tightly regulated. This places refinery operators under pressure to manage NOx emissions and ensure they do not impair air quality. 

We offer solutions to enrich regeneration air with oxygen to help you improve regenerator capacity, while reducing emissions and increasing operational flexibility.

FCC oxygen enrichment involves the addition of a controlled flow of gaseous oxygen into the combustion air. The additional oxygen in the regenerator results in higher plant efficiency due to:

• Increased plant capacity by up to 35%
• More flexibility in the selection of feedstock, especially to enable use of heavier feedstock with a higher tendency to form coke
• Increased conversion ratio and gasoline yield
• Resolved air blower constraints
• Reduced CO in the regenerator off-gas
• Less abrasion of the catalyst and less erosion of the cyclones due to reduced gas velocity, resulting in less downtimes and repairs

In order to help control particulates, sulfur dioxide and NOx emissions from the FCC we offer the LOTOX^® technology. LOTOX^® is a patented innovation that uses ozone to selectively oxidize insoluble NOx to highly soluble species that can be easily removed in a wet scrubber. The benefits include increased capacity, greater flexibility in the choice of feeds, increased conversion rates and reduced emissions.