The fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit produces gasoline,
diesel fuel, and high value gaseous components from heavy gas oils (HGOs). In FCC research,
the most commonly involved batch test is the microactivity
test (MAT) which is simple, cost effective, and requires
only small quantities of catalyst and gas oil. Advances
in MAT technology have made MAT testing a useful tool to
predict the relative performance of riser pilot plants.
At NCUT, a full spectrum of research services in MAT testing
is provided to oil, catalyst, and other peripheral industries.
These include:
- FCC catalyst and feedstock characterizations, and
simulated deactivation of catalysts with metals and
steam;
- catalytic cracking of HGOs in an automated MAT unit equipped
with:
- a constant-drive syringe pump;
- a fixed-, fluid-,
or annular-bed reactor housed in a three-zone furnace;
- a water-free Ruska gasometer for gas collection;
- a special
glass vessel for liquid product collection; and
- facilities
for in situ catalyst regeneration/coke determination.
In catalytic cracking, the coke yield can also be determined externally
by the conventional carbon analysis on spent catalyst.
Liquid product can further be characterized for density,
GC-octanes and hydrocarbon type by carbon number (C3 to
C11) for gasoline using a multi-dimensional gas chromatograph.
Gasoline and other product cuts including light cycle oil
(LCO) and heavy cycle oil (HCO) can also be analyzed for
sulfur, nitrogen, H/C atomic ratio, olefins, and hydrocarbon
type by other advanced analytical tools.
For more information on NCUT’s MAT research services,
contact Dr. Siauw Ng at
(780) 987-8705 or e-mail.
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