Smart addition system

• US 7,815,867 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Matthey Process Technologies Inc. (Johnson Matthey PLC)
• Original Assignee: Intercat Equipment, Inc.
• Inventors: Elliott, Eric, Evans, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin; Walter D
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOUNG, NATASHA E
• Application Number:
  US11/835,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20080050286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 422/105, 422/119, 422/187, 422/232, 422107-108, 422/110, 422/112, 422/114, 422/145, 208/146, 208/152, 208/153, 340/272.1
• US Class Current: 422/105
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/0007 Pressure measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00088 Flow rate measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00539 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00548 Flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00619 Controlling the weight
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00752 Feeding
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/001 Controlling catalytic processes B01J8/1809 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0025 by an ascending fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/003 in a downward flow
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 11/187 Controlling or regulating

Abstract

An addition apparatus, a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) system having an addition apparatus, and a method for adding material to an FCC unit are provided. In one embodiment, an addition system having the capability of interfacing with a material container is provided that allows the addition system to obtain information relating material held in the container. In one embodiment, at least some of the information is contained on a tag affixed to the container. Other information may be retrieved and/or sent to the addition system controller from a remote data source, such as a catalyst supplier.

Claims

1. An addition system for an FCC unit, comprising:

a delivery vessel having at least one outlet port and at least a first inlet port;

a plurality of load cells interfaced with the delivery vessel and configured to detect a change in weight of the delivery vessel;

a first portable container coupled to the first inlet port;

a tag associated with the first container;

a first sensor positioned to obtain a metric from the tag; and

a controller configured determine information relating to an additive disposed in the first container in response to the metric obtained from the tag.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first container is shipping tote.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor further comprising:

a wireless data reader coupled to the controller and positioned to provide information relating to the first container to the controller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag is read/writeable.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the information contained on the tag further comprises:

information relating to at least one of a type of material held in the first container, an amount of material disposed in the first container, shipping weight of material disposed in the first container, a tare weight of the first container, a source or origin of material within the first container, traceability information of material in the first container, a current weight of material in the first container, information relating to a unique container identification, customer to which the first container was shipped, purchase order information and material previously held in the first container.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is affixed to a conduit coupling the first container to the delivery vessel.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second portable container coupled to a second inlet port of the delivery vessel; and

a tag associated with the second container, wherein the controller configured determine information relating to an additive disposed in the second container in response to the metric obtained from the tag.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a second sensor is affixed to a conduit coupling the second container to the delivery vessel, and wherein the first sensor is affixed to a conduit coupling the first container to the delivery vessel.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the delivery vessel further comprises:

one or more low pressure storage containers and having the inlet ports; and

a pressure vessel coupled to the one or more low pressure storage containers and having the outlet port.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the delivery vessel further comprises:

a plurality of internal compartments configured to prevent mixing of additives disposed therein, each compartment associated with a unique one of the inlet ports.