A Stepwise Diagnosis Method for the Catalyst Loss Fault of the Cyclone Separator in FCC Units

The catalyst loss is one of the main faults that affects the long-term run of an FCC unit. Most catalyst loss faults, namely excessive emissions of the catalyst, are closely related to cyclone separators. The catalyst loss faults of the cyclone separator are usually caused by the abnormal changes in some aspects, such as the operational conditions and equipment performance and integrity, which directly affects the gas–solid separating operation and separation performance. This paper firstly summarized the various catalyst loss faults involving the cyclone separator in the FCC unit. Next, the characteristics of the catalyst loss faults and the main factors in the industrial operations were extracted and analyzed. Then, a stepwise diagnosis approach was proposed to determine the causes and location of catalyst loss faults of the cyclone separator. Finally, an industrial case was introduced in detail to prove the effectiveness of the method based on the sampled data from the commercial FCC unit. It is hopeful to provide a practical approach for the diagnosis and elimination of the catalyst loss fault in the FCC unit.