ABSTRACT
Zeolite catalysis has already found application in many areas of both the oil refining and petrochemical industries and is continuing to grow in importance.1 Over the past 30 years, many new synthetic zeolites, in addition to Linde Y, have been discovered and have found their way into commercial catalytic processes. Their applications have expanded well beyond the boundaries of traditional petroleum refining. Almost all zeolite-catalyzed processes have exploited the high acid site density and the acid site strength as well as the specific control over ingress and egress of products and reactants afforded by unique zeolite pore systems. Catalytic cracking is the most important and widely used refinery process for converting heavy oils into more valuable gasoline and lighter products. One of the largest scale catalytic processes practiced is cracking, the conversion of large petroleum molecules into smaller hydrocarbons, primarily in the gasoline range.
