INDMAX Technology: Light olefins from petroleum residue
Background
In the emerging scenario, the demand
growth of propylene as petrochemical
feedstock expected to be much higher
than that of ethylene. As ethylene is the
primary product from the steam cracker,
its capacity would not be sufficient to
cater to the incremental demand of
propylene. The available fluid catalytic
cracking technologies in the market were
able to produce propylene @ 5-9 wt% on
fresh feed basis.
INDMAX produces high yield of
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) up to 50
wt% of feed with high light olefins
content from various petroleum
fractions. The technology has been
successfully commercialized in
Guwahati Refinery of Indian Oil
Corporation Ltd with installation of
100,000 MTPA capacity plant. This unit
was commissioned in June 2003 and has
been successfully operating since then
with heavy feed and CCR up to 4 wt%
contributing significantly to refinery’s
margin.
Now, this technology is being globally
licensed by M/s Lummus Technology
Inc., USA (a CB&I Company) under a
Cooperation Agreement. While IOCL
will provide basic process design,
Lummus will provide Basic Engineering
Package employing their proprietary
efficient hardware components.
Process Description
INDMAX employs similar hardware
configuration of Riser-Regenerator
system of conventional Fluid Catalytic
Cracking (FCC) process. The feed and
regenerated catalyst is contacted at the
bottom of riser and reactions take place
while the catalyst and feed mixture
moves up along the Riser. The product
vapors are separated from the catalyst at
the top of Riser using cyclone separator
system and sent to fractionator and gas
concentration section for separation into
products of desired cut points. The
entrapped hydrocarbons inside the
catalyst pores are recovered using steam
in stripper. The coke on the spent
catalyst is burnt in the Regenerator and
the regenerated catalyst is re-circulated
to Riser bottom. The catalyst system and
operating conditions employed in
INDMAX are different from
conventional FCC.
Operating Data octane gasoline depending on
refiner’s objective
Product yields, wt% of feed • High coke and dry gas selectivity
LPG 30 - 50 with proprietary catalyst
Gasoline 20 - 40 • Lower catalyst consumption owing
Propylene 12 – 27 to lower regenerator temperature
Butylenes 10 – 20 with a given feedstock and excellent
Ethylene 3 – 14 metal tolerance of catalyst

Our Back up Strengths

Salient Features
• 4.17 MMTPA Indmax is under
• Employs high riser outlet temp implementation at Paradip Refinery
(ROT) of more than 530°C and high of IndianOil and expected to be
catalyst to oil ratio (C/O) of more commissioned by 2012.
than 12.
• Single stage full burn Regenerator;
Use of catalyst cooler for feed with
higher CCR
• Employs proprietary catalyst system
with low coke and dry gas make,
higher metal tolerance and high
selectivity towards light olefins,
• Highly efficient feed nozzle, stripper
internal and cyclone system

Advantages

• Highly attractive yields of LPG and • Another unit of 0.74 MMTPA

light olefins (ethylene, propylene and capacity is under active
butylenes) yield consideration at Bongaigoan
• Higher octane gasoline (RON 95 to Refinery of IndianOil.
104) containing higher BTX • Proven experience in design,
aromatics revamp, troubleshooting,
• Capability to handle wide range of optimization, etc. of process units
feed stocks, starting from employing circulating fluidized bed
hydrotreated VGO to residue with 10 systems.
wt% CCR
• Operability at wide range of • Wide operating experience of
severities with a given hardware to FCCUs / INDMAX unit
maximize either light olefins or high

Contact Details:
Dr. SSV Ramakumar, DGM (CD)
Phone:0129 -2294240,0129 - 4005409
E-mail:ramakumarssv@iocl.co.in