Technology

Fluid Coking™ is a continuous fluid-bed process developed from the basic principles of FCC, with close integration of endothermic (cracking, coking) and exothermic (Coke burning) reactions^[1]. In Fluid Coking, heavy hydrocarbons such as Vacuum Resid, Atmospheric Resid, Oil Sands Bitumen, heavy whole Crudes, Deasphalter Bottoms or FCC Bottoms are converted into lighter products^[2]. Part of the Coke product is burned to provide the heat necessary for coking reactions to convert Vacuum Residua into gases, distillate liquids, and Coke. Different from the bulk liquid-phase coking in delayed coking, coking takes place on the surface of circulating coke particles of Coke heated by burning the surface layers of accumulated Coke in a separate burner^[1].

Higher temperatures and short residence times in the reactor lead to higher liquid and lower Coke yields compared with those of delayed coking. Coke is deposited layer by layer on the fluidized Coke particles in the reactor. Air is injected into the burner to burn 15–30% of the Coke produced in the reactor, part of the particles are returned to the reactor, and the remainder is drawn out as the fluid Coke product. Fluid coking can process heavier Vacuum Distillatation Resid and gives a higher distillate yield (and lower Coke yield) than delayed coking^[1].

The Fluid Coker produces a full range of products from a C₄-reactor gas stream through a full range of liquid products to a product Coke stream^[2].

1. Fluid and Flexi-Coking, via e-education.psu.edu

2. ExxonMobil Reasearch and Engineering, FLUID COKING™Conversion Technology Datasheet, via yumpu.com