The crude gasoline pump is under vacuum
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Why does high liquid level in the overhead gas oil separator of the catalytic cracking unit cause water to be carried in the crude gasoline, leading to pump cavitation?
Is the density of crude gasoline still less than half that of water, and is its temperature quite high as well?
There are no specific parameters; it is only known from FAQs on catalytic cracking technology as well as from practical experience that excessive water content in crude gasoline can cause the crude gasoline pump to experience vacuum conditions. The exact root cause is not clear.
Without knowledge of the process, this question is meant for those studying catalytic cracking processes
It could be due to a low initial boiling point, a clogged inlet filter, insufficient net positive suction head in the unit, too low flow rate leading to heat-induced vaporization, and so on
It’s probably due to temperature; considering the conditions at the time of evacuation, sometimes it’s necessary to use water to push things along