Truly Optimize FCC Gasoline Distillation

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Truly Optimize FCC Gasoline Distillation
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By Optimization Specialist Robert

Nov 11, 2013
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This article uses FCC gasoline property optimization to discuss a complex issue,
and how to leverage cross-functional team-work to tackle the problem.
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Every great planning analyst started off as a process engineer. So w ith

confidence, I can state that the m ajority of process engineers do not really
know how to set unit operating targets on their ow n.
Through collaboration of refinery planning, process, and controlengineers, a
refinery can truly define optim aloperating targets. W hether you believe this
or not, I w illdiscuss severaldecision points around FC C gasoline stream
optim ization to support m y view .
If I w ere to give one piece of advice, I w ould suggest that every good refiner
should alw ays ask w hat is the value of the alternative disposition? in order
to understand how to set appropriate targets. U se this step-by-step guide
of questions to properly fram e the analysis:
1. W hat is the value of the m olecules in the stream above?
2. W hat is the value of the m olecules in the stream below?
3. W hat upstream unit operations affect the stream value?
4. W hat downstream unit operations affect the stream value?
5. W hat unit specific operations affect the stream value?
6. W hat product blending constraints affect the stream value?
Lets start by focusing on a sim plified

PFD of the FC C distillation section.
M ost FC C units have only tw o gasoline
product stream s com ing off the unit
the Light C at N aphtha (LCN ) and
H eavy Cat N aphtha (H CN ).
H istorically, m any refiners com bined
both gasoline stream s into a M ixed C at
N aphtha pool, but todays regulatory
environm ent and m arket econom ics
drive different unit configurations and
stream routings.
what is the value of the

alternative disposition?
Light Cat Naphtha
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W e w illbegin our analysis by focusing on the Light C at N aphtha stream .

H ow m any variables do you controlrelated to the LCN stream ? If you are a
process engineer w orth your salt, you w illsay at least half a dozen for this
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If this response surprises you, lets w ork through m y series of questions

above to fram e the analysis.
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A sub-optim alcut betw een O lefins and LCN w illeither leave too
m any olefins in the LCN stream , or not enough. The value of olefin
stream above the LCN w illbe governed by dow nstream unit
capabilities, as w ellas m arket conditions. Is there an alky unit
dow nstream of the FCC, and if so, does the Alky have capacity to
take m ore feed?
Also, consider the type of Alky dow nstream of the FC C. If your
refinery has a Sulfuric Alky, you have greater ability to cut deeper
in the olefin draw to capture C5= olefins. If your refinery has a H F
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Alky, olefin recovery w ill be lim ited by acid strength concerns.

As for m arket conditions, you should next consider if it is sum m er
or w inter. D uring the sum m er tim e, Alkylation econom ics strength
as isobutane prices deflate and the value of octane strengthens.
Below the LCN stream is H CN . W hen gasoline prices are above
that of distillate prices, som e refiners m ay be indifferent to the
LCN /H CN cutpoint distillation as both stream s end up in gasoline
product. W hen distillate prices are above that of gasoline, m ost
refiners try to m inim ize the LC N endpoint to m axim ize distillate
production.
W ith increasing regulations that m inim ize gasoline sulfur content,
FCC gasoline sulfur continues to drive greater scrutiny. Refiners
that have FC C feed H ydrotreaters have the ability to m anage FCC
gasoline sulfur by optim izing H ydrotreater severity.
Alternatively, sub-optim aloperation of the FCC feed H ydrotreater
m ay result in low er crude sulfur requirem ents, or sub-optim alLight
C at N aphtha endpoints to m anage gasoline poolsulfur. The point
is, your degrees of freedom on LCN endpoint or LCN RVP m ay be
influenced by factors upstream of the FCC.
W hat is the end destination of the LC N stream in your refinery?
D oes LCN go to a G asoline H ydrotreater (G H T) and ultim ately to
the gasoline blend pool? O r alternatively, does LCN get routed to a
Selective H ydrogenation U nit (SH U ) and then feed a
N H T/Reform er?
The ability to m inim ize olefin saturation in a dow nstream
H ydrotreater has an im pact on your refinery hydrogen and octane
balance. If refiners leave a high am ount of olefins in the LC N
stream , high post-treater severity w illincrease hydrogen
consum ption and result in low er stream octane values. If
G H T/SH U severity is not a consideration for how you m anage the
O lefin/LCN interface, you should think tw ice about this.
5/7/2015
Page 3 of 5

So w hat about FCC operations in itself? Im sure that this is one of
the first item s that you consider w hen deciding how to optim ize
your product cutpoints. O r is it?
Every refinery sets FCC Riser targets based on refinery
configuration and m arket econom ics. H ow ever, m any refineries
failto recognize the im portance of m anaging product distillation
targets as a function of riser adjustm ents.
W hile riser targets m ay be prim arily influenced by volum e
expansion, discounted LPG value, and gasoline vs distillate
econom ics, subtle constraints such as olefin content and octane
value w illbe influenced by a com bination of riser and distillation
targets. Sim ilar to FC C Riser, cat-to-oilratio affects product m ix,
thus distillation strategies.
After considering the 5 points above, a prudent refiner m ust now
consider product blend constraints to properly define stream
distillation targets. For LC N distillation optim ization, refiners need
to prim arily consider constraints for gasoline blending.
As LCN is often routed to gasoline, w e should understand flexibility
to m anage olefins, sulfur, and arom atics. D epending on your
region, each one of these m ay surface as a hard blending
constraint, by w hich you m ay need to change stream distillation to
m anage.
Heavy Cat Naphtha

Sim ilar to our analysis on LC N , H eavy Cat N aphtha distillation has just as
m any considerations as w ell. As m any of the LCN /H CN distillation variables
w ere discussed above, Illnow cover H CN /LCO and H C N routing factors
below .
See LC N discussion above
M any refiners have the ability to route LCO to D ieselH ydrotreaters
or H ydrocrackers. This provides great flexibility as FCC m ain
fractionator operations enable refiners another handle to increase
dieselproduction.
W hen dieselprices are higher than that of gasoline, refiners can
m inim ize H CN endpoint to a dieselflash lim it. If LCO is routed to a
H ydrocracker instead of a H ydrotreater, H CN endpoint can be
adjusted to a jet flash lim it.
O ftentim es, H C N endpoint can also be used to optim ize fueloil
blending if LC O is used as a cutter. W hen distillate prices are
higher than that of gasoline, it can also prove econom ic to
m inim ize H CN endpoint so that the LCO stream has better viscosity
cutting efficiency.
5/7/2015
Page 4 of 5
Sim ilar to the LCN stream , H CN product sulfur can be influenced by

decisions m ade upstream of the FC C. If H C N is routed to gasoline
blending, the stream endpoint m ay be sub-optim ally adjusted if
the sulfur content cannot be m anaged through desulfurization or
feedstock optim ization efforts.
FCC G asoline Post-treater efficiency m ay have an effect on H CN
distillation targets. If gasoline sulfur specs lim it your refinery, you
m ay need to reduce H C N EP if your refinery is desulfurization
lim ited.
If H C N can be routed to a Jet H ydrotreater, m ake-up hydrogen
constraints m ay lim it the H C N volum e or distillation. As H C N
contains m ore unsaturated m olecules than straight-run feedstocks,
hydrogen consum ption w illincrease significantly for H CN .
O ften-tim es, draw constraints on a fractionator can be m anaged
differently by adjusting unit yield profiles. M ost engineers
intuitively adjust distillation param eters to m anage draw
constraints; how ever, m any engineers neglect the handle to using
reactor yields. W hile every FCC unit is built differently, dont
forget that unit severity or catalyst circulation are dynam ic
variables that can be used as w ell.
As H eavy Cat N aphtha can be routed to gasoline, jet, or diesel, all
of the blend constraints for each product pool need to be
considered w hen adjusting H CN distillation.
W hen routing H CN to gasoline, use H CN endpoint to adjust
gasoline sulfur, endpoint, and arom atics.

W hen routing H CN to jet, use H CN IBP to m eet jet flash.
Accordingly, use H C N endpoint to m anage jet freeze and

sm oke point.
W hen routing H CN to diesel, use IBP to m anage diesel
flash.
N ow that w eve covered half-a-dozen considerations for each FC C gasoline

product stream , you can see how proper optim ization requires team -w ork to
solve.
A great process engineer understands how to capture value through
flexibility of unit operations. A great refinery econom ics provides direction
on w here m arket opportunities exist. C om bine the efforts of both, and
unleash the fullpotentialof value in FCC gasoline distillation.
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Shiraz Daud : I wud like to see the pfd. so it would be nice help if u may
share it with me "the pfd for the production of gasoline by the HF Alkylation
Process"
Nov 12, 2013
Hassan Abed Al-Kareem : so valuable article...thanks a lot

Nov 12, 2013
Kevin Proops : A great process engineer might also understand that

changing LCN-HCN split will affect LPG recovery in the primary abosrber,
unless debutanized gasoline can be recycled. Less light cat naphtha will mean
less absorption of light ends in the reflux drum an
Nov 12, 2013
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