Process and ChemicalFluid Catalytic Cracking Operations
The catalytic cracker converts heavy feed into the products that carry a refinery's margin, and it does so in a coupled reactor and regenerator system where a change on one side immediately moves the other. This course covers operating it. Delegates work through feed characterisation and its effect on yields, reactor and riser behaviour, and regenerator combustion and heat balance as the constraint that usually limits the unit. Catalyst properties, circulation and management are covered in detail. Product recovery and the main fractionator follow. The course closes on troubleshooting, on the emissions and reliability constraints that bound operation, and on optimisation against product value.
Course objectives
- Characterise feed and predict its effect on yields
- Describe reactor and riser behaviour and its controlling variables
- Operate the regenerator within its combustion and heat balance limits
- Manage catalyst properties, circulation and additions
- Operate product recovery and the main fractionator
- Troubleshoot the coupled reactor and regenerator system
- Optimise the unit against product value and its constraints
Who should attend
- Refinery process and operations engineers
- Panel operators and shift supervisors on conversion units
- Catalyst and technical services staff
- Planning and optimisation engineers
- Graduate engineers entering refining
Course outline
- 01The coupled reactor and regenerator system
- 02Feed characterisation and yields
- 03Reactor and riser behaviour
- 04Regenerator combustion and heat balance
- 05Catalyst properties and circulation
- 06Product recovery and main fractionator
- 07Troubleshooting across the loop
- 08Emissions constraints and optimisation
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 to 30 October 2026 | Accra, Ghana | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | Register Now |
| 28 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 | Pretoria, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | Register Now |
| 8 to 12 February 2027 | Online | Online | R8,500 per delegate | Register Now |
| 22 to 26 March 2027 | Cape Town, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | Register Now |