US 12,031,094 B2
Assemblies and methods for enhancing fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes during the FCC process 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 Jun. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/213,233.
Application 18/213,233 is a continuation of application No. 18/052,780, filed on Nov. 4, 2022, granted, now 11,702,600.
Application 18/052,780 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 2023/0357649 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C10G 11/00 (2006.01); G01N 21/31 (2006.01); G01N 33/28 (2006.01); G06F 30/28 (2020.01)
CPC C10G 11/00 (2013.01) [G01N 21/31 (2013.01); G01N 33/28 (2013.01); G06F 30/28 (2020.01); C10G 2300/4006 (2013.01); C10G 2300/4012 (2013.01)] 43 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method to enhance a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process associated with a refining operation, during the FCC process, the method comprising:
supplying a hydrocarbon feedstock to one or more first processing units associated with the refining operation, the hydrocarbon feedstock having one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters and 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;
analyzing a hydrocarbon feedstock sample of the hydrocarbon feedstock via a first spectroscopic analyzer, thereby to provide hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra;
analyzing a unit material sample of the one or more corresponding unit materials 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 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
prescriptively controlling, during the FCC process, via one or more FCC process controllers based at least in part on the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters, the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties, and the one or more unit material sample properties, one or more of:
(i) the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the one or more first processing units,
(ii) one or more intermediates properties associated with the intermediate materials produced by one or more of the first processing units,
(iii) operation of the one or more first processing units,
one or more unit materials properties associated with the one or more unit materials, or
(iv) operation of one or more second processing units positioned downstream relative to the one or more first processing units,
so that the prescriptively controlling during the FCC process causes the FCC process to produce one or more of:
(a) one or more intermediate materials each having one or more properties within a selected range of one or more target properties of the one or more intermediate materials,
(b) one or more unit materials each having one or more properties within a selected range of one or more target properties of the one or more unit materials, or
(c) one or more downstream materials each having one or more properties within a selected range of one or more target properties of the one or more downstream materials,
thereby to cause the FCC process to achieve material outputs that more accurately and responsively converge on one or more of the target properties.