An industrial application of APC technique in fluid catalytic cracking process control

A highly non-linear fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process with multiple constrains and high coupling has been a prime candidate for process control applications. In this paper, the advanced process control (APC) based on MPC algorithm is applied to MIMO system-FCC process by assembling the mass and energy balance on the technical process. The control strategies of main process section-RXRG (reactor/regenerator), which can be decomposed functionally into riser cracking severity control, regenerators coke combustion control, pressure balance control, main fractionator bottoms control and product yield optimization control, are proposed and implemented. The industrial application shows that APC technique is capable of mastering and improving the key process targets.