Cyclone separator performance analysis applicable at FCC with variable nozzle function

Abstract

The topic of this research is renewable energy, biofuels are converted into biogasoline in FCC (Fluid Catalytic Cracking). As known, climate change occurs because of exhaust emissions in the environment. The solution is used biofuels. This biofuel is biogasoline from cooking oil catalytic process in FCC. In 2020, testing at the FCC yielded less than 10% biogasoline. Therefore, it is necessary to improve FCC equipment performance, cyclone separator which functions to separate biogasoline vapor from the catalyst. The higher separation is better quality of biogasoline vapor. The goal is to analyze the cyclone separator performance. The methodology is compared cyclone separator with and without a nozzle (variable nozzle function) on the catalyst inlet side. The catalyst used is sand with a mesh of 60 then weighed 10 grams. The sand was flowed and then pushed by air to the cyclone separator. In a cyclone separator there will be turbulent flow, and the heavy sand mass would descend to the lower outlet side, while the light sand mass would exit towards the upper outlet. The sand that comes out of the cyclone separator is then weighed using digital scales. The results of this test are that in a cyclone separator that uses nozzle on the inlet side of the catalyst, the performance is obtained by 67%, while without nozzle on the inlet side of the catalyst it is 75%. Conclusions, the cyclone separator with better performance is the one without using a nozzle on the inlet side of the catalyst.