Question
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What level of SOx emissions from the FCC should we expect from current catalyst additives?
Mar-2022
Answers
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Tom Ventham, G. W. Aru, LLC and Unicat Catalyst Technologies, tom.ventham@gwaru.com
It is a common misconception that FCC additives cannot provide the low level of SOx emissions that a wet gas scrubber (WGS) can achieve. Although for certain FCC operations, such as those in deep partial burn or requiring an ultra-low SOx emission (<5 ppm SOx) WGS may turn out to be a more appropriate choice, SOx reduction additives provide the most cost effective (for Capex and Opex) and flexible option for meeting emissions limits in a large proportion of cases. Moreover, SOx additives can also be used in series with WGS technology to offload fresh caustic costs and the costs of processing spent caustic, as well as allowing a smaller and cheaper WGS to be selected for new-build units.
With confidence that SOx additives are the appropriate tool for achieving SOx emissions targets, the next decision is to choose the best SOx additive option for your operation. The SOx reduction additive market is mature with over 30 years industrial use. However, it is also an area that has not always received the investment, development, and attention deserved by those who supply these materials over the history of this technology. When G. W. Aru, LLC launched to the industry in August 2018 as disruptor in the stale FCC additives market, a spurt in SOx additive marketing and development was the response from the industry. G. W. Aru, LLC, with their partners at Unicat, have proven their SOx additive technology, Ultra SOxBuster, to be superior to incumbent suppliers in numerous commercial FCC trials conducted since the company’s founding.
To explain these benefits further; when considering which SOx additive is most optimum for your FCC unit a key decision is the selection of technology base. SOx additive technologies on the market follow one of two platforms, spinel-based materials or hydrotalcite materials.Traditionally FCC catalyst or additive suppliers in this area focused their SOx additive offerings on one or other of these opposing platforms, normally based on historical patents filed or limitations of their manufacturing plants. As a supplier of both hydrotalcite (Ultra SOxBuster-M60) and spinel (Ultra SOxBuster-M30) SOx additives G. W. Aru, LLC & Unicat does not have a legacy of needing to bias towards only one of the technology platforms available. However, it is the experience in recent trials that Ultra SOxBuster-M60 (“USB-M60”) has outperformed other commercially available SOx reduction additives by a margin of 30%. It is the well-understood technology of USB™-M60 that results in this step-out performance that should be seen in every commercial case and will be of particular further advantage to those units that are restricted by dust emissions, dilution effects at high SOx additive usage, and units with rapid and dynamic fluctuations in feed quality that result in challenges in maintaining SOx emissions compliance.
This significant and proven performance advantage gives opportunities for refiners to make significant savings in SOx control costs. Further benefit is gained from diverse sourcing of Ultra SOxBuster additives giving security of supply and price stability in an era of intense price disturbances and mandated price increases from other catalyst suppliers. Moreover, Ultra SOxBuster additives have been intensively studied and determined to be not hazardous to human health, as shown from the Safety Data Sheet. SOx additives contain a vanadium component which in some forms presents a significant health hazard (i.e. CMR — carcinogenic, mutagenic, reproductive toxicity) meaning in some regions, such as the UK (COMAH regulations) and mainland Europe (EU mandatory substitution rules), this can be of intense importance to refiners. It is for a refiner’s environmental, health & safety, and management departments to determine how such rules are interpreted for each individual site.
Mar-2022
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