History of Fluidized Solids Development at Exxon

The history of the development of fluidized solids technology and its industrial application is interesting since it represents a major new basic operation developed in the present generation. It is especially instructive as an R&D example in that development was compressed into a time span of less than four years from initial concept to successful start-up of full-scale catalytic cracking plants in 1942 (Anon, 1962, Larson, 1971). These commercial plants made a crucial contribution to the war effort including aviation gasoline and raw materials for synthetic rubber (Sweeney, 1978). Although development of fluidized solids operations was expedited because of the war, it provides an example of what might be done to alleviate today’s energy crisis by using our resources of innovation and technology.