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• What new FCC stripper technologies are available that can deliver higher efficiency and optimised heat and pressure balance?

  Apr-2025

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Answers

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• Rohit Agrawal, Honeywell UOP, rohit.agrawal@honeywell.com

  Today’s fluidised catalytic cracking (FCC) units have adopted reactor riser technologies that increase catalyst circulation rates and improve yields. As a result, the spent catalyst stripper often operates above the original catalyst flux design value, which can compromise hydrocarbon displacement efficiency and overall unit performance.

  UOP developed Advanced Fluidization (AF) spent catalyst packed stripping technology to improve both FCC unit yield performance and catalyst circulation (hydraulic) performance. UOP’s AF Packing incorporates recent advancements in stripper internal technology, consisting primarily of a bed of structured packing, and is the standard offering for new and revamped units. AF Packing eliminates the rigid baffle design and the associated conical rolled plate construction. From a maintenance perspective, this option requires significantly less welding and post-weld heat treatment compared to baffle-type stripper technology. Additionally, structured packing is resistant to erosion, allowing UOP to expect the AF Packing to operate for at least two four to five-year operating campaigns, with commercial experience supporting even longer expected run lengths. AF Packing leads to significant benefits with improved yields and hydraulic performance:
  • Lowers delta coke operation and consequently reduces regenerator temperature.
  • Increases catalyst circulation (cat/oil ratio), leading to increased conversion.
  • Decreases dry gas yields, enhancing product selectivity to gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
  • Improves catalyst flux.
  • Reduces steam consumption, thus lowering cyclone velocity and main column traffic.
  • Enhances mechanical reliability, reducing turnaround time.

  More than 30 operating units have installed AF Packing for higher conversion and reduced steam consumption.

   

  Apr-2025