Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit
1. Fresh Feed
Problem: Maximize yield when injecting feed oil.
Best practice: Leading providers of FCCU riser technology supply proprietary feed injection systems with nozzles designed specifically for superior feed stock injection and extended wear life. These systems deliver the optimal drop size and spray distribution to increase cracking efficiency and yield.
2. Bio-Oil Injection
Problem: Inconsistent performance and reduced yield caused by nozzle wear.
Best practice: Use injectors that allow adjustment of feed rates, prevent feed polymerization and feature specially-designed wear-resistant nozzles.
3. Torch Oil
Problem: Safety issues such as CO2 build-up, mechanical issues in the regenerator during start-up and feed outage conditions caused by incomplete torch oil combustion.
Best practice: Use OptiMax™ injectors with patented technology for thorough mixing of the oil and steam. The injector produces uniformly sized small drops and consistent spray coverage to ensure complete combustion.
4. Main Fractionator Water Wash
Problem: Corrosion and salt in the overhead line and downstream equipment.
Best practice: Continuous wash water injection to prevent or remove corrosive build-up. Injectors with WhirlJet® hollow cone and FullJet® full cone spray nozzles are widely used. The nozzles produce small- to medium-sized drops and uniform coverage. Also, use Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to determine the optimal dispersion, coverage and injector placement for corrosion prevention.
5. Emergency Quench
Problem: Quick and efficient cooling during upset conditions.
Best practice: Use injectors specially-designed for use with steam for quick cooling without wetting and damage to refractory-lined ducts. FloMax® S spray injectors atomize water with steam and produce small drops that evaporate quickly and completely.
6. Slurry Recycle
Problem: Process disruption caused by equipment wear.
Best practice: Use high-flow steam atomized injectors, constructed of special alloys that resist wear caused by slurry abrasiveness. OptiMax injectors are designed for durability for efficient, continuous recycling.
7. Regenerator Shell Cooling
Problem: Hot spots that damage metal refractory shells.
Best practice: Use strategically-placed steam nozzles that provide rapid cooling. FloMax® S nozzles use steam to atomize the water and produce consistently-sized small drops that provide quick cooling without wetting.