Analysis of fluidized bed catalytic cracking regenerator models in an industrial scale unit

Fluidized bed regenerator models, under steady state conditions, have been reconsidered because of recent significant changes in the technology of fluidized bed regenerators. Zeolitic catalysts, temperatures of the dense bed at about 700°C and lower CO/CO2 relationships are the new characteristics of the units. Following these innovations the operating conditions of the industrial catalytic cracking regenerator of Destileria La Plata, Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales, Argentina, were significantly modified. As a result, an important improvement in the coke conversion was observed. Five different conventional fluidized bed models using experimental data from the industrial regenerator have been tested. The analysis considers bubbles and grid jet regions, and for each model, the prediction of the regenerator performance is shown. The CSTR model is the most successful in this regard. On a reconsidere les modeles de regenerateurs en lits fluidises en regime stationnaire, en raison des changements importants realises recemment dans la technologie de ces regenerateur. Les nouvelles caracteristiques des regenerateurs sont les suivantes: catalyseurs zeolitiques, temperature du lit dense d'environ 700° C et rapports CO/CO2 moindres. A la suite des innovations mentionnees, on a modifia de maniere importante les conditions operatoires du regenerateur industriel du craquage catalytique de la “Destileria La Plata, acimientos Petroliferos Fiscales, Argentine; il en est resulte une amelioration importante de la conversion du coke. On a examine cinq differents modeles de lits fluidises, en employant les resultats experimentaux obtenus avec le regenerateur industriel. Dans l'analyse on a pris en consideration les regions relatives aux bulles et au jet de grille et l'on a indique pour chaque modele, la prevision de la performance du regenerateur; le modele RHAC est le plus satisfaisant a ce sujet.