LEADER IN CYCLONE DESIGN

SPECIALIST IN FLUID BED APPLICATIONS

Düsseldorf, Germany
17 - 21 October 2011

Barriers to Superior FCC Cyclone Performance

Primary Causes, Repair Options & Design Solutions
Ziad Jawad, Managing Director EMTROL LLC
 OUTLINE
• Company Summary
• R i
Review off Cyclone
C l Systems
S t Design
D i andd Operation
O ti
• Operational / Mechanical Problems
• Case Studies
o First
Fi Stage
S C
Cyclone
l Inlet
I l
o Secondary Cyclone Crossover
o Main Cone and Dust Hopper
o Diplegs
l andd Dipleg
l Valves
l
• Conclusions

October 2011 Page 2

 COMPANY SUMMARY
Emtrol is the World’s leading supplier of
FCC cyclones for the Petroleum Refining
Industry

• Established in 1973
• Over 2100 projects completed worldwide
• Over 2500 cyclones fabricated since 2002
• Over 50 Third Stage Separator Systems
• High quality international fabrication facilities
• Experienced inspection staff

October 2011 Page 3

 COMPANY SUMMARY
Engineering Capabilities

• Engineering Process and d Mechanical

h l Studies
S d
• Finite Element Analysis
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• ASME Vessels and Vessel Heads
• Constructability Reviews
• Conventional & Custom design approaches

October 2011 Page 4

 CYCLONE SYSTEMS
Two Principal Requirements

• Efficiently separate catalyst during continuous, extended processing periods.

• Withstand extreme erosion, high operating temperatures and periodic
upsets, for an entire processing period.

Without excessive wear or damage

October 2011 Page 5

 CYCLONE DESIGN
Design may be limited by vessel
• Limited
Li it d vessell diameter
di t
• Limited height above the bed

First Stage Inlet

• Inlet bell versus sloped plate
• Insufficient gas expansion angle
• Compression ratio to high

Cross Over Duct

• Radius versus tapered design

October 2011 Page 6

 INLET / OUTLET VELOCITIES
Impact cyclone performance and erosion

TYPICAL REGENERATOR VELOCITIES INLET OUTLET

First Stage, m/sec (ft/sec) 16.8 – 21.3 (55-70) 19.8 – 25.9 (65-85)
Second Stage,
g , m/sec
/ (ft/sec)
( / ) 19.8 – 25.9 ((65-85)) 36.6 – 45.7 ((120-150))

TYPICAL REACTOR VELOCITIES INLET OUTLET

First Stage
Stage, m/sec (ft/sec) 16 8 – 19.8
16.8 19 8 (55
(55-65)
65) 18 3 – 21.3
18.3 21 3 (60
(60-70)
70)
Second Stage, m/sec (ft/sec) 18.3 – 21.3 (60-70) 24.4 – 36.6 (80-120)
Single Stage, m/sec (ft/sec) 16.8 – 22.9 (55-75) 27.4 – 36.6 (90-120)

Allow for consideration for future operation.

October 2011 Page 7

 RELIABILITY / PERFORMANCE
Some wear is to be expected

The Operating Environment

• Gas Volumes
• Dust Loadings
• Catalyst Properties

Materials of Construction
• Anchorage
• Erosion Resistant Lining

Service Life and Operating History

Past Maintenance

October 2011 Page 8

 IMPACT FROM OPERATIONS
Process
• Gas
G R Rate
t
o Throughput / Regenerator Pressure
o After Burn
• Bed
B d LLevell / Fluidization
Fl idi i
• Catalyst Type / Manufacture Plate Grid
• Upsets

Mechanical
• Mechanical Damage
• Bed Mal-Distribution / Channeling
• Catalyst Riser / Distributor
• Stripper
Pi Grid
Pipe G id
October 2011 Page 9
 BROKEN STEAM RING

2nd stage
t
outlet tube

Holed through
from outside due
to broken steam
purge

October 2011 Page 10

 TYPICAL CYCLONE EROSION
Areas
• First
Fi t St
Stage IInlet
l t
• First / Second Stage Crossover
• Main Cone /Dust Hopper
• Diplegs
Di l / Dipleg
Di l Valves
V l

Case Studies
• Root Cause off Damage
• Repair Options
• Design Solutions

October 2011 Page 11

 CYCLONE SHROUD REPAIRS
Often Used to Seal Holes
• Cross
C Over
O Ducts
D t
• Inlet Target Plate
• Dust Hopper Cone
• Cone
C / Dipleg
Di l Junction
J i
• Diplegs

Not a permanent solution and should be

removed at the next opportunity.

October 2011 Page 12

 FIRST STAGE CYCLONE
Inlet Sweep
G O
Gas Outlet
tl t Tube
T b
• External / Internal
• Improper Geometry / Flux Limited Main Barrel
• Mechanical
M h i l Design
D i
• Vessel Constraints
• High Loading
• Closed
l d Coupled
l d

October 2011 Page 13

 FIRST STAGE INLET EROSION
External Internal

October 2011 Page 14

 FIRST / SINGLE STAGE INLET
Radius Type (Bell / Horn)
• Minimizes
Mi i i eddy
dd currents/wear
t / Bell Type

• Suitable for full range operation

• Uniform distribution across inlet

Tapered Plate Type

• Non-uniform inlet distribution
• Limitedd ffor ffullll range operation

Taper
Type

October 2011 Page 15

 INLET ASPECT RATIO
First Stage Cyclones
• Highly
Hi hl Loaded
L d d
• Inlet Height to Width: 2.35 – 2.6

Second Stage Cyclones

• Lightly Loaded
• Inlet Height to Width: 2.6 – 3.0

October 2011 Page 16

 EXPANSION ANGLE (X)
First Stage Cyclones
• Minimizes
Mi i i Eddy
Edd Currents
C t
• Maximum Separation Efficiency
• Minimizes Wear
o First
Fi stage iinlet
l & gas outlet
l
o Crossover duct
o Second stage inlet

October 2011 Page 17

 SECOND STAGE CROSSOVER
Second Stage Inlet Sweep and
C
Crossover D
Ductt
• Excessive velocities due to gas
rates and temperatures
• Design Geometries
• Support System
• Fabrication / Repair Quality
• First Stage Cyclone Design

October 2011 Page 18

 REPAIR Options
Shroud Repair
• Tangential
T ti l Repair
R i Plate
Pl t
• Target Plate

‘K’ B
Bar A
Anchors
h iin Li
Lieu off H
Hexmeshh
• ‘K’ Bar - Easier to replace small areas
• Can be Contoured

October 2011 Page 19

 PROPRIETARY TAPERED DESIGN
• Minimizes eddy currents
• R d
Reduces wear
• Enhances efficiency
• Minimizes maintenance

October 2011 Page 20

 MAIN CONE / DUST HOPPER
• High Gas Rates
• G LLeaking
Gas ki Up
U Dipleg
Di l
• Defluidization of Dipleg
• First Stage Cyclone Design
• F b i i / Repair
Fabrication R i Quality
Q li

October 2011 Page 21

 DUST HOPPER / DIPLEG SHROUD

October 2011 Page 22

 VORTEX LENGTH
• Conical shape (from gas outlet tube)
• F
Function
ti off gas rate
t andd outlet
tl t ttube
b
• Increases in length and Gas Volume
• Increased blower rate
o After-burn
Af b
o Increased operating temperature
o Decreased operating pressure

October 2011 Page 23

 MODIFIED DUST HOPPER
Minimize Affects of Dipleg Leakage/Vortex Encroachment
• Slope
Sl off D
Dustt H
Hopper C
Cone
• Area of Dipleg Opening
• Catalyst Velocities
• Eddy
Edd Currents
C
• Lining Thickness (Optional)

October 2011 Page 24

 HOPPER EROSION
Cold Flow Erosion Study
• FCC Catalyst
C t l t 70°F,
70°F 1750 ACFM
10 lbs in 10 min test
5 test total

Erosion Indicator Configuration 1

Conventional Hopper
• Black – Less Severe
• Red – Medium
• Yellow – More Severe

Configuration 2
Modified Hopper

October 2011 Page 25

 DIPLEG & DIPLEG VALVES
Dipleg Valve
• Second
S d Stage
St C
Cyclone
l
• Hopper Suction
• Bed level and dipleg seal
• Rough
R h Field
Fi ld Weld
W ld

Dipleg
• First / Secondd Stage
• Grooved / Swirled Pattern
• Dipleg Solids Level
• Oversized Dipleg / Low Flux

October 2011 Page 26

 DIPLEG TERMINATIONS
Trickle Valve - Dilute and Dense Phase
• Model
M d l “N” – Dilute
Dil t Ph
Phase
• Models “P” and “S” – Either Phase

Concerns
• Installation / Clearance
• Hinge ring / Support Rod Wear
• Cage / Flapper
• Refractory lined flapper

October 2011 Page 27

 TRICKLE VALVES TERMINATIONS
Flapper Plate Angle
• 3° ± 1° recommendedd d angle
l
• De-aeration of solids

“Half
“H lf M
Moon”” Pl
Plate
• Lightly loaded Applications
• Open area of valve discharge
• Vapor flow
fl up the
h dipleg
d l
• Shielded, partially shielded or non-shield valves

October 2011 Page 28

 CONCLUSIONS
• The normal FCC operating conditions in which cyclones are designed to
operate are severe.
severe As a result some erosion is expected
expected.

• FCC process upsets can be common and cyclones need to accommodate

these extreme conditions to reduce the risk of an unscheduled shutdown
shutdown.

• There are some types of cyclone damage that are typical and are the result
of process conditions, design constraints, or outdated design practices.
There are a variety of repair options available for most of these types of
damage.

• Recent advances in cyclone design have resulted in improved separation

efficiency and minimize wear on internal surfaces.

October 2011 Page 29

 QUESTIONS?

Ziad Jawad
Managing Director, Emtrol LLC
+44 ((0)) 1480 475 071
zsj@emtrol.co.uk

October 2011 Page 30