THE EFFECT OF OPERATING VARIABLES ON THE DYNAMICS OF CATALYTIC CRACKING PROCESSES

The dynamic Characteristics of a Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Process are examined over a wide range of operating conditions. A novel Order of Magnitude Approach is introduced to successfully provide physical insight into the cause and effect relationship between operating conditions and dynamic characteristics. It is shown that the original five-dimensional dynamic model is characterized by three fast time constants and two slow ones that dominate the dynamic responses. The two most important time constants are expressed as explicit functions of the operating conditions. These formulas correctly indicate in which parameter regions the open loop response is oscillatory (underdamped) or nonoscillatory (overdamped). Extensive process variables, that are either flow or capacity, related are defined in order to provide an approximate physical meaning for the dynamic modes of the system. It is shown that the two slow modes of the process are related to the enthalpy content of the regenerator and the sensible heat content of the catalyst phase in both the reactor and regenerator.