Short Review on CO Combustion Promoters for FCC Regenerator

Fluidized Catalytic Cracking (FCC) is one of the key processes of any petroleum refinery as it produces gasoline, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and valuable petrochemical feedstock viz. ethylene and propylene. FCC is a catalytic process where zeolite (USY and ZSM-5) based catalysts are being used, contain a high concentration of acidic sites, which are responsible for cracking heavy hydrocarbon molecules into smaller ones. During these cracking reactions, significant coke formation occurs over the catalyst surface and blocks the pores, thus resulting drop in catalytic activity. To regain the catalyst activity, the coke on the catalyst is burned in the FCC regenerator unit and provides heat demand for the FCC riser bed where the cracking reaction takes place and the cycle continues. The temperature of the FCC regenerator reaches around 700 °C due to the combustion of coke on the catalyst. Due to incomplete combustion of coke on catalyst produces CO which burns above the catalyst bed, which is denoted as a dilute bed. The heat of reaction of CO combustion needs to be realized on catalysts bed and also to avoid the heat loss in the regenerator dilute bed. Higher dilute bed temperature damages the FCC regenerator internals, which is to be avoided. Conventionally, additives named CO Combustion Promoters (COPs) have been used for the promotion of CO to CO₂ in the catalyst bed which helps in improving regeneration of FCC equilibrium catalysts. The present article covers the concept and various types of COP reported in the literature. Different preparation methodologies, physico-chemical properties and evaluation results have been discussed. These insights would be helpful to understand the structure–property–activity relationship of COP. Further, it can also help to select the right COP for the desired commercial applications.