In FCC, the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock is preheated and then introduced into a reactor where it comes into contact with the catalyst. The catalyst facilitates the breaking of large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller ones. The lighter hydrocarbons, now in the vapor phase, are separated in a distillation column to produce various fractions such as gasoline, diesel, and other light products. The spent catalyst, which gets coated with carbon (coke), is regenerated by burning off the coke in a regenerator unit, making the catalyst reusable.
