Catalytic cracking is an important process in the oil industry where petroleum vapor passes through a low-density bed of catalyst, which causes the heavier fractions to ‘crack’ producing lighter more valuable products. In the petrochemicals industry they are used for producing polyolefins on a very large scale.
What’s the meaning of catalytic cracking?
: cracking of petroleum oils (as gas oils or diesel oils) especially for the production of high-octane gasoline in the presence of a catalyst (as clay) in various forms (as pellets or beads either stationary in a fixed bed or moving through the oil or as a fine powder fluidized by a stream of air or hydrocarbon vapors) …
Why is catalytic cracking important?
Catalytic cracking produces less residuum and more of the useful gas oil constituents than thermal cracking. Finally, the process has considerable flexibility, permitting the manufacture of both motor gasoline and aviation gasoline and a variation in the gas oil production to meet changes in the fuel oil market.
What is required for catalytic cracking?
Catalytic cracking uses a temperature of approximately 550°C and a catalyst known as a zeolite which contains aluminium oxide and silicon oxide. Steam cracking uses a higher temperature of over 800°C and no catalyst.
What type of reaction is cracking?
Cracking is an example of a thermal decomposition chemical reaction.
What are the 2 types of cracking?
Cracking is primarily of two types – thermal cracking and catalytic cracking. Thermal cracking is further categorised into modern thermal cracking and steam cracking. On the other hand, sub-classifications of catalytic methods of cracking are hydrocracking and fluid catalytic cracking. 3.
What is an example of cracking?
Cracking, as the name suggests, is a process in which large hydrocarbon molecules are broken down into smaller and more useful ones, for example: The cracking products, such as ethene, propene, buta-1,3-diene and C4 alkenes, are used to make many important chemicals.
Why is catalytic cracking preferred over thermal cracking?
Catalytic cracking yields a higher quantity of branched-chain, unsaturated, aromatic hydrocarbons as compared to thermal cracking. Catalytic cracking is a better-controlled process than thermal cracking. Petrol obtained by catalytic cracking has lesser sulfur content.