What is a Catalytic Cracker?
Fluid catalytic cracking is a commonly used process and a modern oil refinery will typically include a catalytic cracker as the basic gasoline-making process in a refinery. The purpose is to break complex hydrocarbons into simpler molecules in order to increase the quality and quantity of lighter, more desirable products such as gasoline. The catalytic cracker uses high temperatures, low pressure, and a catalyst to create a chemical reaction that breaks heavy gas oil into smaller gasoline molecules, effectively producing more gasoline from a barrel of oil.
