ABSTRACT
Science and technology are moving in a rapid pace surpassing visionary scientific frontiers. Energy engineering and energy technology are today moving toward a path of newer scientific rejuvenation and a greater scientific regeneration. Energy security, depletion of fossil fuel resources, and climate change are the scientific parameters of immense concern in present day human civilization. Thus, there is a need of new innovations in energy engineering, petroleum engineering science, and chemical process engineering. Petroleum refining today stands in the midst of immense scientific vision and deep scientific introspection. The challenge and the vision of petroleum engineering science are today evergrowing and crossing visionary frontiers. In this chapter, the author pointedly focuses on the deep scientific success, the scientific potential, and the vast scientific imagination in the operation of a petroleum-refining unit, mainly industrial fixed bed catalytic reactors. Petroleum refinery and petroleum refining units are the heart of chemical process engineering and petroleum engineering paradigm today. Scientific vision, scientific forbearance, and 270deep scientific fortitude are the hallmarks of research pursuit in petroleum refining, fixed bed catalytic cracking, and fluidized bed catalytic cracking in present day human civilization. This chapter is a veritable eye-opener toward the immense-scientific intricacies, the scientific profundity, and the energy sustainability needs in the furtherance of petroleum engineering science today.
