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MD FCC Catalysts - boosting middle distillates production in FCC

Maximizing middle distillates in FCC units. A range of catalysts is available from Albemarle for increasing the production of middle distillates in the FCC process while retaining the many other attractive features of this versatile bottom-ofthe- barrel upgrading process. The key to success is to adjust the catalyst properties for maximum production of LCO while maintaining maximum bottoms (slurry oil) destruction and good product quality.

The middle distillate catalyst family caters for a wide range of feedstocks and operating conditions to enable a refiner to take full advantage of the profit potential in FCC. The catalysts designated AMBER™ MD are formulated for use with gas oils. CORAL™ MD and UPGRADER™ MD have been designed for upgrading residue feedstocks. All three provide excellent selectivity to LCO, exceptionally high bottoms conversion and superior metals resistance, stability and coke selectivity. CORAL MD is the catalyst of choice for residue units limited by FCC unit regenerator temperature, whereas AMBER MD and UPGRADER MD are suited to the most demanding operations without this constraint.

Figure 1 illustrates what is achievable as a function of conversion. Maximum advantage is taken by operating in Zone 2, where, with increasing conversion, the cracking of bottoms to LCO exceeds the cracking of LCO to lighter products, or in Zone 3, where small losses in LCO yield are compensated for by increasing gasoline and lower bottoms production.

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