Assemblies and methods for enhancing fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes during the FCC process using spectroscopic analyzers

1 . A method to enhance fluid catalytic cracking (FCC), the method comprising:

supplying a hydrocarbon feedstock to one or more first processing units, 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;

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 configured 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, 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,

(iv) one or more unit materials properties associated with 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 prescriptively controlling 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.

2 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising one or more of:

(i) conditioning a hydrocarbon feedstock sample to one or more of filter the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, change a temperature of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, or degas the hydrocarbon feedstock sample; or

(ii) 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, and

wherein one or more of:

(i) the conditioning the hydrocarbon feedstock sample comprises directing the hydrocarbon feedstock sample to a sample conditioning assembly configured to one or more of:

(a) control a sample temperature of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample to maintain a hydrocarbon feedstock sample temperature within a first preselected temperature range,

(b) remove particulates from the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, or

(c) degas the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, or

(ii) conditioning the unit material sample comprises directing the unit material sample to a sample conditioning assembly configured to one or more of:

(a) control a unit material sample temperature of the unit material sample, thereby to maintain a unit material sample temperature within a second preselected temperature range,

(b) remove particulates from the unit sample material,

(c) dilute the unit material sample in solvent, or

(d) degas the unit material sample.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the unit material sample via one or more of the first spectroscopic analyzer or the second spectroscopic analyzer comprises analyzing the unit material sample via the second spectroscopic analyzer, and wherein the second spectroscopic analyzer generates spectral responses standardized with respect to the first spectroscopic analyzer.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first spectroscopic analyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzer generate standardized spectral responses such that each of the first spectroscopic analyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzer output a respective corrected material spectrum, including a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of material properties of an analyzed material based at least in part on the corrected material spectrum, and such that the plurality of material properties of the analyzed material outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer are substantially consistent with a plurality of material properties of the analyzed material outputted by the second spectroscopic analyzer.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the FCC processing unit comprises a reactor positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, and the method further comprises analyzing, via one or more of the first spectroscopic analyzer or the second spectroscopic analyzer, the FCC effluent at an outlet of the reactor.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein prescriptively controlling operation of the one or more first processing units comprises controlling one or more operating parameters of the one or more first processing units, wherein the one or more feedstock parameters associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the one or more first processing units comprises one or more of API gravity, UOP K factor, distillation points, coker gas oil content, carbon residue content, nitrogen content, sulfur content, catalyst oil ratio, saturates content, thiophene content, single-ring aromatics content, dual-ring aromatics content, triple-ring aromatics content, or quad-ring aromatics content, and wherein the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties and the one or more unit material sample properties comprises a content ratio indicative of relative amounts of one or more hydrocarbon classes present in one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein controlling the one or more operating parameters of the one or more first processing units comprises controlling the one or more operating parameters against operating constraints associated with the one or more first processing units.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the FCC processing unit comprises a reactor positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, the hydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture, and the method further comprises analyzing, via one or more spectroscopic analyzers, a reaction mixture sample taken from one or more locations of the reactor, the one or more spectroscopic analyzers calibrated, so as to generate standardized spectral responses.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the analyzing the reaction mixture sample taken from the one or more locations of the reactor comprises analyzing the reaction mixture sample taken from the one or more locations of the reactor via respective spectroscopic analyzers, the respective spectroscopic analyzers calibrated so as to generate standardized spectral responses.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the FCC processing unit comprises a riser associated with the reactor, and the method further comprises analyzing, via one of more spectroscopic analyzers, two or more reaction mixture samples taken from two or more different points along a height of the riser, the one or more spectroscopic analyzers calibrated so as to generate standardized spectral responses.

11 . A fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) control assembly to enhance fluid catalytic cracking (FCC), the FCC control assembly comprising:

(i) a first spectroscopic analyzer positioned to:

receive a hydrocarbon feedstock sample of a hydrocarbon feedstock when supplied to one or more FCC processing units associated with the refining operation, the hydrocarbon feedstock having one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters, and

analyze the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, thereby to provide hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra;

(ii) a second spectroscopic analyzer positioned to:

receive a unit material sample of one more unit materials produced by the one or more FCC processing units, the one or more unit materials comprising one or more of intermediate materials or unit product materials comprising FCC effluent, the first spectroscopic analyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzer calibrated so as to generate standardized spectral responses, and

analyze the unit material sample to provide unit material sample spectra; and

(iii) an FCC process controller in communication with the first spectroscopic analyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzer, the FCC process controller configured to:

predict one or more hydrocarbon feedstock sample properties associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock sample based at least in part on the hydrocarbon feedstock sample spectra,

predict 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 control one or more of:

(a) the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters associated with the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the one or more FCC processing units,

(b) one or more intermediates properties associated with the intermediate materials produced by one or more of the FCC processing units,

(c) operation of the one or more FCC processing units,

(d) one or more unit materials properties associated with the one or more unit materials, or

(e) operation of one or more additional processing units positioned downstream relative to the one or more FCC processing units,

so that the prescriptively controlling causes production of one or more of:

(aa) 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,

(bb) 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

(cc) 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.

12 . The FCC control assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a sample conditioning assembly positioned to one or more of:

(i) condition the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, prior to being supplied to the first spectroscopic analyzer, to one or more of filter the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, change a temperature of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, or degas the hydrocarbon feedstock sample, or

(ii) condition the unit material sample, prior to being supplied to the second spectroscopic analyzer, to one or more of (a) filter the unit material sample, (b) change a temperature of the unit material sample, (c) dilute the unit material sample in solvent, or (d) degas the unit material sample, and

wherein the sample conditioning assembly comprises one or more of:

(i) one or more filters comprising filter media positioned to remove one or more of water, particulates, or other contaminants from one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample,

(ii) a temperature control unit positioned to receive the one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample and a temperature of the one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample to provide a temperature-adjusted sample stream of the one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample, or

(iii) a degassing unit positioned to degas the one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample to provide a degassed sample stream of the one or more of the hydrocarbon feedstock sample or the unit material sample.

13 . The FCC control assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first spectroscopic analyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzer generate standardized spectral responses such that each of the first spectroscopic analyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzer output a respective corrected material spectrum, including a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of material properties of an analyzed material based at least in part on the corrected material spectrum, and such that the plurality of material properties of the analyzed material outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer are substantially consistent with a plurality of material properties of the analyzed material outputted by the second spectroscopic analyzer.

14 . The FCC control assembly of claim 13 , wherein the one or more FCC processing units comprises a reactor positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, wherein the second spectroscopic analyzer is configured to analyze the FCC effluent at an outlet of the reactor, wherein the FCC process controller is configured to prescriptively control during the FCC process control one or more operating parameters of the one or more first processing units, and wherein the FCC process controller is configured to prescriptively control, during the FCC process control, one or more operating parameters of the one or more first processing units against operating constraints associated with the one or more first processing units.

15 . The FCC control assembly of claim 11 , wherein the one or more FCC processing units comprises a reactor positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, the hydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture, and wherein one or more of (i) the second spectroscopic analyzer or (ii) one or more additional spectroscopic analyzers, is configured to analyze a reaction mixture sample taken from one or more locations of the reactor.

16 . The FCC control assembly of claim 11 , wherein the one or more FCC processing units comprises:

a reactor positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, the hydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture, and

a riser associated with the reactor,

wherein the FCC control assembly comprises a spectroscopic analyzer configured to analyze a reaction mixture sample at an outlet of the riser, and

wherein the second spectroscopic analyzer is configured to analyze the FCC effluent at an outlet of the reactor, the reaction mixture sample at the outlet of the riser and the FCC effluent at the outlet of the reactor analyzed substantially during concurrent periods of time.

17 . The FCC control assembly of claim 11 , wherein the one or more FCC processing units comprises a reactor positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, the hydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture, and wherein the FCC control assembly comprises one or more spectroscopic analyzers configured to analyze two or more reaction mixture samples taken from two or more different locations of a cross section of the riser, the one or more spectroscopic analyzers being calibrated to generate standardized spectral responses.

18 . The FCC control assembly of claim 11 , wherein the one or more FCC processing units comprises:

a reactor positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, the hydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture, and

a riser associated with the reactor, and wherein

the FCC control assembly further comprises a third spectroscopic analyzer, one or more of the second spectroscopic analyzer or the third spectroscopic analyzer being configured to analyze a reaction mixture sample taken from an inlet of the riser.

19 . The FCC control assembly of claim 11 , wherein the one or more FCC processing units comprises:

a reactor positioned to receive the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock into the FCC effluent, the hydrocarbon feedstock and the catalyst providing a reaction mixture, and

a catalyst stripper bed associated with the reactor and positioned to receive at least a portion of the catalyst after the catalytic cracking, and wherein

one of the first spectroscopic analyzer, the second spectroscopic analyzer, or an additional spectroscopic analyzer is configured to analyze the at least a portion of the catalyst.

20 . The FCC control assembly of claim 11 , wherein the prescriptive control comprises controlling one or more process parameters, the one or more process parameters comprising one or more of:

(i) the one or more hydrocarbon feedstock parameters,

(ii) a rate of supply of the hydrocarbon feedstock to the one or more FCC processing units,

(iii) a pressure of the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the one or more FCC processing units,

(iv) a preheating temperature of the hydrocarbon feedstock supplied to the one or more FCC processing units,

(v) a reactor temperature in a reactor of the one or more FCC processing units,

(vi) a reactor pressure associated with a reaction mixture in the reactor, the reaction mixture comprising the hydrocarbon feedstock and a catalyst, thereby to promote catalytic cracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock,

(vii) the one or more unit materials properties associated with the one or more unit materials produced by the one or more FCC processing units, or

(viii) one or more downstream properties associated with the one or more downstream materials produced by the one or more additional processing units.