AM-00-37 FCC CATALYST PROPERTY EFFECTS ON CYCLONE EROSION

Description:

Refiners operating Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) units are under increasing pressure to improve profitability by increasing run lengths between major turnarounds. At the same time many units are being pushed to higher throughputs and more severe operating conditions than their original design. This results in higher catalyst loadings and higher velocities through the reactor and regenerator cyclones, creating a potential for erosion damage which can ultimately limit the achievable run length. FCC catalysts today are highly customized for individual refiners’ needs, primarily addressing activity and yield selectivity objectives. In addition, physical properties of the catalyst such as attrition resistance, density, and particle size distribution can be varied over finite ranges to address unit operability issues. This paper examines the impact of these properties on expected cyclone erosion rates.