It has been a long history since petroleum refinery started in 1855 in U.S. During 1910 to 1940, thermal refinery was the major refinery process to produce light and middle distillate petroleum products. However, the new chemistry was introduced and catalytic refinery process was developed in 1930s. Compare to thermal refinery, catalytic refinery produces higher yield of petroleum products with higher octane number that reduce knocking. During the World War II, the U.S need higher yield of petroleum products and require higher octane number to run more powerful engines. The pressure from the war provides stimulus to urgently develop catalytic technologies. The World War II helped to start the catalytic age of refinery which between 1940 and 1970.
During the catalytic cracking, reforming, alkylation, polymerization was introduced and they changed the way of making high octane number gasoline. Hydrotreatment was also invented to protect platinum catalyst that used in reforming. During the World War II, intense activities of development of catalytic refinery happened. Visbreaking, alkylation, isomerization and fluid catalytic cracking were invented. All four technologies contribute to increase the yield of petroleum products which with higher octane number. These technologies are still important in the refinery process today. The catalytic age of refinery was end in 1970 not because the new chemistry was introduced. It is due to the 1973 and 1979 oil crises and environmental concerns. The World War II helped to start the catalytic age of refinery. Even the catalytic age of refinery ended, the lessons and experience we learned from catalytic age helped us go even further in the age of heavy end conversion refinery.
References
1. F SC 432 class website Lesson 11
https://www.e-education.psu.edu/fsc432/content/catalytic-refinery-1940-1970
2. Katrina C. Arabe, “How Oil Refining Transformed U.S. History & Way of Life” January 17th, 2003.
http://news.thomasnet.com/IMT/2003/01/17/how_oil_refinin/
3.Congressional Research Service, “The U.S. Oil Refining Industry: Background in Changing Markets and Fuel Policies”