Chapter 4 Commercial Preparation and Characterization of FCC Catalysts

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the basic components of all present day Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) catalysts. Without doubt, the most important component of the modem FCC catalyst is the zeolite. Three major synthetic techniques are used in the commercial preparation of zeolite Y for FCC. These techniques are sodium silicate based, precipitated-silica based, and clay based. Two commercial methods of synthesizing zeolite Y have been developed in which kaolin clay is the starting material. One case involves total conversion of the clay into zeolite, whereas the other requires only partial conversion. By far the most common material added to commercial FCC catalysts to accomplish heavy oil conversion is alumina in various forms and amounts. Alumina has long been used as an active support in reforming and hydrotreating catalysts. In FCC catalysts, some silica is included with the alumina either in the form of added silica (polysilicic acid), silica binder, or is present naturally in the clay based in situ process.