Catalytic Hydrocracking is a refinery process for converting high boiling hydrocarbons to more valuable lower boiling products such as gasoline, kerosene, and diesel that is a two-stage process combining catalytic cracking and hydrogenation, wherein heavier feedstocks are cracked in the presence of hydrogen. The Catalytic Hydrocracking is attributed to the increasing demand for light and middle distillates, the availability of byproduct hydrogen in large quantities from catalytic reforming, and the environmental regulations limiting sulphur and aromatic hydrocarbons. The Hydrocracking catalyst is the Alumina that is widely used in hydrocracking process as catalyst support due to its high surface area, high thermal stability, and low prices.
Reference Definition by EIA: Catalytic Hydrocracking is a refining process that uses hydrogen and catalysts with relatively low temperatures and high pressures for converting middle boiling or residual material to high-octane gasoline, reformer charge stock, jet fuel, and/or high grade fuel oil. The process uses one or more catalysts, depending upon product output, and can handle high sulphur feedstocks without prior desulfurization.
Related Definitions in the Project: The Plant and Process Unit
