Gasoline octane controlled by catalyst selection

Gasoline octane can be influenced greatly by zeolite type, rare earth promotion, additives to control metal poisoning effects and by the matrix and binder. Laboratory studies were conducted that show how these catalyst characteristics affect FCC gasoline octane performance. Although octane performance of FCC gasoline is a priority at most refineries, octane barrels, fuel gas and coke make, and sometimes LPG make and its quality for alkylation feed, all are important to FCC catalyst selection. Not only are octane barrels important, but also the quality of the octane performance of FCC gasoline affects its use for special octane pools, and affects how much of it is required for upgrading to specification-grade unleaded gasoline.