How is bitumen cracked in an oil refinery?

Answer 1

Bitumen and any other heavy oils can be cracked either thermally, catalytically or by the addition of hydrogen at high pressures. Typical units are cat crackers, fluidized bed cat crackers, hydrocrackers, thermal crackers

In all cases the temperatures are elevated. The residence time of the heavy material is controlled to preferentially produce shorter molecules of a useful length - there is no use in a refinery just producing methane and carbon as end products.

Cracker bottoms may be recycled for further cracking.

Answer 2

Bitumen cracking in an oil refinery involves subjecting the bitumen to high temperatures and pressures to break down the large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller ones. This process can be done through thermal cracking, catalytic cracking, or hydrocracking, which helps to increase the yield of lighter and more valuable petroleum products.