Steam catalytic cracking of naphtha over ZSM-5 zeolite for production of propene and ethene: Micro and macroscopic implications of the presence of steam
One option to produce more ethene and propene can be to crack naphtha type fractions in dedicated smaller FCC units. We present here the results obtained for high temperature steam catalytic cracking (SCC) of a representative naphtha product (n-heptane) with ZSM-5. It has been found that under those conditions the presence of steam produces an irreversible dealumination of the zeolite as well as a reversible deactivation due to the interaction of water with active sites with a negative effect on protolytic cracking. A kinetic decay model that takes into account the two phenomena has been developed. The apparent activation energy is lower in the presence of steam. It appears that whilst the …
IM-5 zeolite for steam catalytic cracking of naphtha to produce propene and ethene. An alternative to ZSM-5 zeolite
Steam catalytic cracking of naphtha in smaller FCC units can be considered an option to produce more ethene and propene. These units will operate at high reaction temperatures and in the presence of steam. The profitability of these units could be improved with the use of new catalysts with higher activity and hydrothermal stability, without compromising the selectivity to light olefins. We have explored the possibilities of IM-5 zeolite for high temperature steam catalytic cracking (SCC) of a naphtha, as an alternative to commonly used ZSM-5 zeolite. So, we compare the catalytic activity, the effect of operating variables of the process and the yields of interest products between the two z…
Catalytic cracking of n-alkane naphtha: The impact of olefin addition and active sites differentiation
An extended dual kinetic model allows to fit the n-heptane cracking results working in a wide range of reaction conditions. The duality of the model is provided by the contribution of monomolecular and bimolecular cracking mechanisms. It takes into account the role played by the olefins formed on the global cracking or added within the feed. Furthermore by means of this model and the kinetic parameters obtained when cracking n-heptane on ZSM-5, it has been observed that, while some characterization techniques show a homogeneous zeolite surface from the point of view of the active sites, rigorous kinetic experiments point to the possibility that the reactant sees a heterogeneous surface with…
Stabilization of ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts for steam catalytic cracking of naphtha for production of propene and ethene
In order to increase ethene and propene, naphtha steam catalytic cracking has been considered. The cracking of C 5-C 12 n-alkanes with ZSM-5 has been studied in absence and in presence of steam and the influence of the operation variables was studied. Irreversible catalyst deactivation by dealumination also occurs in the reactor when the cracking is carried out in the presence of steam. To diminish steam deactivation, the influence of zeolite Si/Al framework and a postsynthesis treatment by phosphorous have been studied and optimized. Much more stable catalyst can be achieved that result in an increase in activity without penalty for production of ethene and propene.