The M.w. Kellogg Company

Ashland, Inc.

Kellogg Brown + Root LLC

Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC

Metal Alloy Reclaimers, Inc. Ii.

Terry L Goolsby

Howard F Moore

William P Hettinger, Jr

A V Peppard

Maurice M Mitchell

Melissa Hayes

Dennis C Kowalczyk

Charles E Mink

The invention relates to the partial recovery of discarded, spent, or waste fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) equilibrium catalyst by use of a separation device located off site, away from any FCC Process unit or Petroleum Refining area, whereby the separation of recoverable material is achieved by means of both magnetic properties exhibited from contaminated metals deposited on individual catalyst particles and inertial or momentum contributions based on size and density of each individual catalyst particle. The invention provides a process to recover twenty to forty percent of the original discarded, spent, or waste FCC equilibrium catalyst for reuse.

Discarded FCC equilibrium catalyst through reclamation

A catalytic cracking catalyst comprising zeolite, kaolin, alumina and/or silica, antimony and 100-5,000 wt. ppm Ni is disclosed. The Ni-antimony interact in the environment of a fluidized catalytic cracking reactor to increase the magnetic susceptibility of the catalyst, permitting removal of nickel contaminated catalyst by magnetic separation.

Cracking catalyst with high magnetic susceptibility

A process for use of magnetic separation to remove non-magnetic particles from FCC catalyst is disclosed. A stream of circulating catalyst from a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) unit is charged to a magnetic separator. The catalyst is magnetically fractionated into at least three fractions, a high-metals fraction which is discarded, an intermediate-metals content fraction which is directly recycled to the FCC unit, and an inert, relatively magnetic metals-free fraction which is also discarded. Preferably, the high-metals fraction is immediately mixed with the inert, low-metals fraction, and the combined high-metals/inert fraction is pneumatically transmitted together to a spent catalyst storage facility for disposal.

Use of magnetic separation to remove non-magnetic, particles from FCC

This process controls the magnetic separation of high metals catalyst by influencing the magnetic susceptibility by carbon levels on catalyst. In an FCC/RCC.RTM. operation employing magnetic separation of catalyst, particularly where the catalyst has enough metals to exhibit a high magnetic susceptibility, e.g., 110.times.10.sup.-6 emu/g or higher, all of the catalyst may be attracted to the magnet and go to the magnetic reject side. By controlling the amount of carbon, coke, or graphite present on the catalyst after partial regeneration, the magnetic properties of the catalyst can be diminished and separation can occur. Varying the amount of carbon affects the magnetic metals, the higher the magnetic susceptibility, and yet the catalyst particles will have a lower carbon level. The lower the magnetic susceptibility, the less metals, the higher the activity, and the higher the coke/carbon content.

Varying carbon on catalyst to magnetically separate high metals catalyst

An improved magnet configuration of the magnet field generated by the magnetic roller in a magnetic separator to increase the separation capability of magnetic separators includes disc shaped magnets forming a magnetic roller beneath a Kevlar.TM. belt upon which withdrawn catalyst is placed. Catalyst particles having paramagnetic and/or ferromagnetic properties are attracted to the belt because of the influence of the magnetic field. Particles not having ferromagnetic and/or paramagnetic properties are carried further by momentum than those with the ferromagnetic and/or paramagnetic properties. The magnetic roller provides a concentrated magnetic field by placing a series of disc magnets arranged so that like poles face each other with spacers placed between the magnets. In this stacked configuration the magnetic field strength is doubled, which permits a greater range of operation of the speed at which the belt may be operated.

Magnetic catalyst separation using stacked magnets

A startup method for a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) unit operating with a magnetic catalyst separation means is disclosed. Magnetic strength, or separation severity, is maintained or increased until most of the catalyst has passed through the magnetic separation unit. After this point, magnetic flux and/or centrifugal forces, are decreased for lined-out operation. Preferably a MagnaCat.RTM. catalyst separation unit is used for magnetic fractionation of catalyst.

Startup of magnetic separation process in an FCC unit

A process and apparatus for incorporating additives into a circulating inventory of equilibrium catalyst in a fluid catalyst cracking (FCC) unit are disclosed. Hot regenerated catalyst is removed from the FCC regenerator, cooled, optionally subjected to magnetic catalyst separation, and at least a portion of the cooled catalyst is contacted with a solution of an additive material without forming a separated liquid phase. Additive treated catalyst is recycled to the FCC unit, preferably directly into the regenerator.

FCC metals passivation additives applied to catalyst

Magnetic separation of fluid cracking catalyst and magnetic hooks can be improved by adding antimony, in the feed or during catalyst manufacture, to enhance the magnetic susceptibility, thus increasing the separation efficiency of the older less active fluid cracking catalyst from the more desirable fraction for recycle. Antimony can also be used as a tag for determination of age distribution of said catalyst. Concentration levels of 0.005-15 wt. % antimony (Sb) on the catalyst or sorbent are preferred. The invention is particularly preferred on catalyst and sorbents which comprise at least about 0.001 wt. %, more preferably above about 0.01 wt. % iron, because the antimony has been found to enhance the magnetic susceptibility of iron-containing particulates.

Hydrocarbon conversion catalyst additives and processes

A process for metals passivation of metals-contaminated equilibrium catalyst (ECat) used in a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) process is disclosed. Repeated treatment of a slip stream of ECat in a high-strength magnetic field, preferably a magnetic catalyst separator, changes the properties of the ECat, promoting growth of relatively large crystals or deposits of metal deposits on ECat which are less catalytically poisonous. Magnetic conditioning permits an increase in metals levels on ECat from, e.g., 3000 to 4000 ppm, without increasing hydrogen and/or coke make. Metals passivation by magnetic conditioning can also be used to concentrate feed metals on the oldest catalyst in the unit. This allows magnetic separation of the oldest catalyst in the unit after 1-6 months of magnetic conditioning, even though feed metals levels are otherwise insufficient to permit effective magnetic catalyst separation.

Metals passivation by magnetic treatment to permit higher metals levels

Optimized utilization of combinations of fluid catalyst magnetic separator, classifier, and/or attriter can be used to achieve lower catalyst cost, and better catalyst activity and selectivity through control of metal-on-catalyst, particle size and particle size distribution. This process is especially useful when processing high metal-containing feedstocks. This provides a catalyst recovery unit (RCU.TM.) ancillary to an FCC or similar unit.

Growing community of inventors

Katy, TX, United States of America

Terry L Goolsby