Reducing NOx emissions with Group IIIB compounds

This patent describes improvement in a process for the catalytic cracking of a heavy hydrocarbon feed containing nitrogen compounds by contact with a circulating inventory of catalytic cracking catalyst to produce catalytically cracked products and spent catalyst containing coke comprising nitrogen compounds. The spent catalyst is regenerated by contact with oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas in a catalyst regeneration zone operating at catalyst regeneration conditions to produce hot regenerated catalyst which is recycled to catalytically crack the heavy feed and the catalyst regeneration zone produces a flue gas comprising CO, CO2 and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The improvement comprises: reducing the NOx content of the flue gas by adding to the circulating catalyst inventory an additive comprising discrete particles comprising oxides of Group IIIB elements, exclusive of Group III elements which are ion exchanged or impregnated into the cracking catalyst, the additive being added in an amount sufficient to reduce the production of NOx relative to operation without the additive