Effect of Baffles on Performance of Fluid Catalytic Cracking Riser

Abstract

Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) risers are central to petroleum refining, and improving the contact between gas and catalyst particles can enhance conversion and selectivity. Internal baffles represent a potential means of intensifying gas-solid contact and improving the performance of FCC risers. This study investigates the effect of baffles on the hydrodynamics and performance of FCC risers using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations.

Eulerian-Eulerian CFD simulations were conducted to examine the impact of baffle geometry, spacing, and arrangement on gas-solid flow patterns, including solids concentration profiles, velocity distributions, and residence time characteristics. The baffles disrupt the flow patterns in the riser, leading to changes in the solids distribution and gas-solid contact compared to an unbaffled riser. The study evaluates the benefits and trade-offs associated with baffle installation in terms of improved gas-solid contact versus increased pressure drop, providing insights for the design and retrofitting of FCC risers with internal baffles to improve cracking performance.

@article{shah2018effect,
  title         = {Effect of Baffles on Performance of Fluid Catalytic Cracking Riser},
  author        = {Shah, Milinkumar T and Pareek, Vishnu K and Evans, Geoffrey M and Utikar,
                  Ranjeet P},
  year          = 2018,
  journal       = {Particuology},
  publisher     = {Elsevier},
  volume        = 38,
  pages         = {18--30},
  doi           = {10.1016/j.partic.2017.05.012}
}