Method for monitoring a FCC catalyst injection system

• US 20050216209A1
• Filed: 05/24/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Matthey Process Technologies Inc. (Johnson Matthey PLC)
• Original Assignee: Intercat Equipment, Inc.
• Inventors: Evans, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/45
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00752 Feeding
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00769 Details of feeding or discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0015 Feeding of the particles in the reactor; Evacuation of the particles out of the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 11/18 according to the "fluidised-bed" technique
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 11/187 Controlling or regulating

Abstract

A method for monitoring a FCC catalyst injection system is provided. In one embodiment of the invention, the method includes automatically updating a catalyst available inventory information in a digital memory device in response to a catalyst usage event. A sufficiency of the updated catalyst available inventory is automatically determined. A re-supply action is then taken in response to a determination of insufficient catalyst available inventory. The method is repeated for each catalyst usage event.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring catalyst requirements of a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst injection system, the method comprising:

automatically updating a catalyst available inventory information in a digital memory device in response to a predetermined event;

automatically determining a sufficiency of the catalyst available inventory; and

taking a re-supply action in response to a determination of insufficient catalyst available inventory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically updating a catalyst available inventory further comprises:

communicating with a remote device via a communication link; and

transmitting information to the remote device in response to the catalyst usage event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the remote device is operated by at least one of a site operator, a site technician, a service technician, or an agent thereof.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the remote device is operated by a catalyst supplier or an agent thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst available inventory comprises catalyst stored at a site at which the catalyst usage event occurred.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein all of the catalyst available inventory is stored at a site at which the catalyst usage event occurred.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the catalyst available inventory is stored at a location other than where the catalyst usage event occurred.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst available inventory comprises catalyst stored both on-site and off-site.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event is a catalyst usage event.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of automatically determining a sufficiency of the catalyst available inventory further comprises adjusting the catalyst available inventory by an amount corresponding to the catalyst usage event.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the catalyst usage event comprises an injection of catalyst into a fluid catalytic cracking unit and a transfer of catalyst to a warehouse.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the catalyst usage event comprises an injection of catalyst into a fluid catalytic cracking unit and a transfer of catalyst from a warehouse.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the catalyst usage event comprises an injection of catalyst into a fluid catalytic cracking unit, a transfer of catalyst to a warehouse, and a transfer of catalyst from a warehouse.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of taking a re-supply action further comprises:

notifying the refiner or an agent thereof.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of taking a re-supply action further comprises:

notifying the catalyst supplier or an agent thereof.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of taking a re-supply action further comprises:

at least one of placing an order for catalyst or shipping catalyst to replenish the catalyst available inventory.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event is a calendaring event.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the calendaring event comprises at least one of the elapsing of a predetermined period of time or the elapsing of a predetermined number of catalyst injections.

19. A method for monitoring catalyst requirements of a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst injection system, the method comprising:

dispensing catalyst from the catalyst injection system;

automatically updating a catalyst available inventory information in a digital memory device in response to the dispensing step;

automatically determining a sufficiency of the catalyst available inventory; and

taking a re-supply action in response to a determination of insufficient catalyst available inventory.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of automatically updating a catalyst available inventory further comprises:

transmitting information to a remote device in response to the catalyst dispensing step, wherein the remote device is operated by at least one of a site operator, a site technician, a site service technician, or an agent thereof.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of automatically updating a catalyst available inventory further comprises:

transmitting information to a remote device in response to the catalyst dispensing step, wherein the remote device is operated by a catalyst supplier or an agent thereof.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

automatically updating the catalyst available inventory information in response to a transfer of catalyst to a warehouse that stores available catalyst.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

automatically updating the catalyst available inventory information in response to a transfer of catalyst from a warehouse that stores available catalyst.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of taking a re-supply action further comprises:

notifying at least one of the refiner, the catalyst supplier, or a respective agent thereof.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of taking a re-supply action further comprises:

at least one of placing an order for catalyst or shipping catalyst to replenish the catalyst available inventory.

26. A method for monitoring catalyst requirements of a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst injection system, the method comprising:

dispensing catalyst from the catalyst injection system;

automatically updating a catalyst available inventory information in a first digital memory device of the catalyst injection system in response to the dispensing step;

transferring the catalyst available inventory information from the first digital memory device to a second digital memory device accessible from a control room of the site at which the catalyst injection system is located;

automatically determining a sufficiency of the catalyst available inventory; and

taking a re-supply action in response to a determination of insufficient catalyst available inventory.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of automatically determining the sufficiency of the catalyst available inventory further comprises:

analyzing the catalyst available inventory information in the first digital memory device.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of automatically determining the sufficiency of the catalyst available inventory further comprises:

analyzing the catalyst available inventory information in the second digital memory device.