AM-04-23 Solutions for Reducing NOx & Particulate Emissions from FCC Regenerators

Description:

KBR and ExxonMobil’s CycloFines™ third stage separator (TSS) technology is helping refiners meet and operate well below limits set by current particulate emission regulations. The CycloFines TSS is also very effective in protecting flue gas expanders by minimizing expander blade erosion from catalyst fines. This results in longer expander on stream time. The NOx produced in a regenerator operating in complete CO combustion mode is significantly reduced by using KBR’s proprietary Spent Catalyst Distributor that evenly spreads the spent catalyst across the top of the regenerator bed. In this way, the regenerator operates in countercurrent mode, with the catalyst moving downward against the upflowing combustion air/gases. KBR’s symmetrical air grid design ensures that the combustion air is uniformly distributed in the regenerator which improves the contacting between the NOx formed deep in the bed and the carbon on the spent catalyst near the top of the regenerator. Compared to other types of regenerator, the KBR Low NOx regeneration system produces 60-80% less NOx in the flue gas. In addition to many grassroots implementations in KBR-designed Orthoflow™ FCC units, this technology has been successfully retrofitted into about a dozen existing FCC units of many different types and it has consistently reduced NOx emissions.