US 11,905,468 B2
Assemblies and methods for enhancing control of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes using spectroscopic analyzers
Jeffrey A. Sexton, Findlay, OH (US); Roy Roger Bledsoe, Jr., Findlay, OH (US); Lance T. Campbell, Findlay, OH (US); Randy N. Ridge, Findlay, OH (US); and Brian K. Wilt, Findlay, OH (US)
Assigned to MARATHON PETROLEUM COMPANY LP, Findlay, OH (US)
Filed by MARATHON PETROLEUM COMPANY LP, Findlay, OH (US)
Filed on Nov. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/052,773.
Application 18/052,773 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/652,431, filed on Feb. 24, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/268,875, filed on Mar. 4, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/268,827, filed on Mar. 3, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/268,456, filed on Feb. 24, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/153,452, filed on Feb. 25, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0118319 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. C10G 11/18 (2006.01); G01N 21/359 (2014.01); B01J 19/00 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01); G01N 21/65 (2006.01)
CPC C10G 11/187 (2013.01) [B01J 19/0033 (2013.01); G01N 21/359 (2013.01); G01N 21/65 (2013.01); G05B 19/41885 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00186 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00195 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00218 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00227 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00243 (2013.01); C10G 2300/202 (2013.01); C10G 2300/208 (2013.01); C10G 2300/308 (2013.01); C10G 2300/4025 (2013.01); C10G 2300/4037 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method to enhance control of a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processing assembly associated with a refining operation, the method comprising:
supplying a hydrocarbon feedstock to one or more first processing units associated with the refining operation, the one or more first processing units comprising an FCC processing unit;
operating the one or more first processing units, thereby to produce one or more corresponding unit materials, the one or more corresponding unit materials comprising one or more of intermediate materials or unit product materials comprising FCC effluent;
conditioning a hydrocarbon feedstock sample to one or more of filter the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, change a temperature of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, dilute the hydrocarbon feedstock sample in solvent, or degas the hydrocarbon feedstock sample;
analyzing the hydrocarbon feedstock sample via a first spectroscopic analyzer, thereby to provide hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra;
conditioning a unit material sample to one or more of filter the unit material sample, change a temperature of the unit material sample, dilute the unit material sample in solvent, or degas the unit material sample;
analyzing the unit material sample via one or more of the first spectroscopic analyzer or a second spectroscopic analyzer, thereby to provide unit material sample spectra, the one or more of the first spectroscopic analyzer or the second spectroscopic analyzer being calibrated to generate standardized spectral responses;
predicting one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock sample based at least in part on the hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra;
predicting one or more unit material sample properties associated with the unit material sample based at least in part on the unit material sample spectra; and
controlling, via one or more FCC process controllers based at least in part on the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties and the one or more unit material sample properties, one or more of:
(i) a feedstock parameter associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the one or more first processing units,
(ii) content of the intermediate materials produced by one or more of the first processing units,
(iii) operation of the one or more first processing units,
(iv) content of the one or more unit materials, or
(v) operation of one or more second processing units positioned downstream relative to the one or more first processing units,
so that the controlling results in enhancing accuracy of target content of one or more of the intermediate materials, the unit product materials, or downstream materials produced by the one or more second processing units, thereby to more responsively control the FCC processing assembly to achieve material outputs that more accurately and responsively converge on target properties.