Reduced heat loss sulfider

Abstract

An improved sulfider is provided for receiving high temperature catalysts from a hydrocarbon cracking operation and subjecting the catalyst to a sulfur-containing gas. The treating unit includes an outer metal housing and first refractory layer within the metal housing for minimizing heat loss from the treatment unit. A second refractory layer is provided within the first refractory layer and defines an interior chamber within the treatment unit, and a plurality of heating units are spaced circumferentially along the interface of the first and second refractory layers. The heating units substantially minimize the temperature differential across the second refractory layer and thereby minimize the heat loss from the high temperature catalyst within the chamber. The catalyst is continually passed into and out from the chamber, and the sulfur-containing gas is injected into a lower portion of the chamber to pass through the high temperature bed formed by the catalyst. The second refractory layer substantially minimizes contact between the sulfur-containing gas and the plurality of heating units, and the outer metal wall of the sulfider may be maintained at a relatively cool temperature. An inert gas may be passed to each of the plurality of heating units to further minimize the corrosion of the heating units.