CFD investigation of hydrodynamics, heat transfer and cracking reactions in a large-scale fluidized catalytic cracking riser

A three-dimensional reactive gas-particle CFD model was built to study the hydrodynamics, heat transfer and cracking reaction behaviors within an industrial Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) riser reactor designed to maximize propylene production. The two-fluid methodology (TFM) was used to simulate the riser hydrodynamics with solid phase properties derived from the kinetic theory of granular flows (KTGF). An 11-lump kinetic model was selected to represent the cracking reaction network in the CFD model. The selection of the kinetic model is dictated by the properties of the feedstock processed and the aim of the process which is maximizing propylene. A novel treatment of the coke component was conducted by incorporating coke into the secondary granular phase which is more realistic since carbon deposition occurs on catalyst phase. Momentum transfer, heat transfer and reaction behavior inside the riser were discussed in detail and inhomogeneity in these aspects were observed especially above the high speed injection nozzles. The numerical results of this investigation show a good agreement with the process real data on the yield distribution despite the use of a coarse grid to mesh such an industrial scale FCC riser. The methodology employed used and the results obtained should serve as guidelines for possible process redesign and optimization.