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What are the ways to reduce cutter stock % in visbreaker unit without affecting fuel oil quality? What are the factors one should consider while selecting particular stream as a cutter stock? And, what is typical % ?
 
Answers
16/05/2016 A: Sridhar Balakrishnan, Bharat Oman Refineries Limited , laksrid@yahoo.com
Cutter stock used for blending with fuel oil to meet the viscosity, should provide high stability. Stability in this case is taken to mean the tendency of a fuel oil to produce sediments when stored. Light cycle Oil is a good very cutter stock, since it has its own limitations in blending with Diesel streams, availability of the stream is very high. Shell Soaker Visbreaking Technology offers a very good reduction in cutter stock used for fuel oil blending.
14/05/2016 A: Ralph Ragsdale, Ragsdale Refining Courses, ralph.ragsdale@att.net
It is a matter of economics, not flow rate. Generally, the lowest price gas oil stream is used, with the quantity required to meet viscosity spec. And the stream is usually FCC LCO.