BRUXELLES EUROPE
CO-Processing FCC Unit - Crude Palm Oil
Procedures
Co-Processing refers to the simultaneous trasformation of biogenic feedstocks and intermediate petroleum distillates such as vacuum gas oil (VGO) in existing petroleum refinery process units to produce renewable hydrocarbon fuels. Co-Processing has recently received attention due its potential to provide low carbon renewable fuels at economically competitive prices by utilizing existing refining, transport and storage infrastructure. Several entities including national labs and universities are involved in co-processing research and development, and a few commercial refiners are exploring both pilot and commercial production.
Current research is mostly directed at the potential of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) and hydrocracking/hydrotreating units for co-processing.
Research also demonstrates that it is possible to improve renewable gasoline yields to levesl comparable to that of 100% VGO, if raw pyrolysis oil is upgraded to hydrodeoxygenated oil (HDO) and then co-processed with VGO. A study by Fogassy et al. simulating FCC Fuid Cat Cracker Unit conditions found that co-processing 20 percent HDO with 80% VGO resulted in gasoline yields comparable to that of the conventional FCC feedstock (VGO).
PILOT Plant