The Chemical Engineer's Book Corner

Fluid Catalytic Cracking Handbook

Author(s): Reza Sadeghbeigi
Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann

Summary:  While some books try to take on too many topics and miss important points, here's a specialized book based on real industrial experience with a variety of FCC units.  The more books that take this approach, the more room we'll all need on our bookshelves.  The author's writing style is very pleasant making it easy to extract his message quickly and accurately.

     The book is divided into the following main sections: 
Process Description
FCC Feed Characterization
FCC Catalysts
Chemistry of FCC Reactions
Unit Monitoring and Control
Products and Economics
Project Management and Hardware Design
Troubleshooting
Debottlenecking and Optimization
Emerging Trends in Fluidized Catalytic Cracking
Appendix

Layout:    Wonderful use of graphs, tables, and photographs make reviewing this book a pleasure.  The sections are divided up in such a manner that finding information seldom forces a reader to the index.   A glossary is included for quick reference to common definitions and industrial language in dealing with FCC units.

From the Book:

Highs:     There may be no better learning tool than reading about the experiences of others.  That is the very foundation of this book. 

Lows:     Some really good case stories from FCC units would have made the book nearly perfect.

Overall:     Well written, very authoritive, and a joy to read.  We'd love to give this book four stars, however, not all chemical engineers will need this information.  A basic understanding of catalytic cracking can come from other sources, but make no mistake, if you're involved in the refining industry, this is certainly a four star book!

Rating:       (out of four stars)

Star Guide: