Modeling and Optimizing Gas Solid Distribution in Fluidized Beds
Fluidization
2023
Fluidization XVII
General Submissions
Modelling Session 5: Towards the Modelling of Large Scale
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 - 1:15pm to 1:30pm
In Technip Energiesâ Resid FCC unit, air and spent catalyst is distributed from an upward flowing stream into catalyst bed for coke combustion on catalyst. Proper distribution is key to achieve a uniform coke burn and an even temperature profile throughout the bed. In PropyleneMaxTM Catalytic Cracking (PMccTM) technology, the riser reactor also terminates in a fluidized bed, requiring proper distribution of the hydrocarbon vapor and solid mixture into the reactor bed, which is key to providing adequate contact for further cracking to valuable products. This paper discusses Technip Energiesâ gas-solid distribution technology and its recent work to develop an improved distributor for use as a riser termination device in both the PMcc reactor and the RFCC regenerator to achieve improved performance.
Use of CFD modeling to screen and evaluate the initial concepts and optimize the final selected concept will be presented. Furthermore, CFD results from both reactor and regenerator side will be discussed with a new distributor design showing benefits of improved gas solid distribution on hydrodynamic and kinetic performance. The performance matrix used to quantify the benefits of the optimized design will be highlighted
For regenerator modeling, coke burning kinetic description is provided through proprietary combustion kinetic equations. The results provide detailed qualitative mapping of the regenerator behavior in terms of flue gas composition, temperature distribution including afterburning, regenerator bed density in both axial and radial planes. The CFD coupled with spent catalyst regeneration kinetics is used to quantitative evaluate regenerator performance and benefits of technology upgrade