Regeneration of Spent Catalyst in Fluid Catalytic Cracking

The factors which influence the design, operation, and control of spent-catalyst regeneration facilities in commercial fluid catalytic cracking are discussed. The regeneration of spent cracking catalyst is accomplished by burning about 1 to 2 weight per cent of carbonaceous material from the catalyst under closely controlled operating conditions. During the combustion a large quantity of heat is produced. Regeneration supplies a portion of the heat required to support the reaction in the catalytic conversion zone, and excess heat is used to produce steam. A description of the facilities used for regeneration, and of the integration of these facilities with the rest of the catalytic plant is presented.