Environmental Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Additives - An Attractive Solution for the Reduction of SOx and NOx Emissions

Giovanni Conforti, Refining Technologies, Grace GmbH, Worms, Germany
Ljubica Simic, Refining Technologies, Grace Gmbh, Worms, Germany

Environmental Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) additives offer an attractive solution for the reduction of SOx and NOx emissions. The other, more costly, options for reducing SOx and NOx emissions include flue gas scrubbing (FGS) or the use of lower sulfur/nitrogen-containing feedstocks, or the use of hydrotreated feedstocks. FGS requires a significant capital investment and the operating costs are high. In addition, discarding the spent treating compounds can be problematic. Choosing to process lower sulfur/nitrogen feeds can be expensive and greatly reduces operational flexibility. Finally, the use of hydrotreated feedstocks reduces SOx and NOx significantly, but also requires the highest capital investment. As such, many refiners instead utilize specialized environmental FCC additives because of their robust performance, cost-effectiveness and flexibility.

Grace offers a full portfolio of environmental FCC additives, including:

• Super DESOX^®: SOx reduction additive
• CP^® P: Low NOx combustion promoter
  DENOX^®: NOx reduction additive
  

The presentation will highlight these additives in more detail, including the chemistry utilized in the technologies, and the mechanistic pathways leading to lower SOx and NOx emissions. A general market overview of environmental FCC additives will be discussed, including the latest additive technology developments.

All of these additives have been successfully applied at the PAZ Ashdod FCC unit, and a case study of the performance achieved will be discussed.

The lecture will be presented jointly by Grace and PAZ Ashdod representatives.