A European refinery stopped losing elbows on the hot catalyst line from its regenerator.
Hot catalyst at 690 °C, thermal cycling and elbows that failed within days.
Steel had run out of options
At a European refinery, elbows on the FCCU catalyst transfer line coming off the regenerator failed after a few days of operation, whatever steel grade was tried. CeraLine elbows lined with InVinCer reaction bonded silicon carbide ran for up to twelve months, more than ten times the life of the steel elbows, and about 13 lined elbows in 90 and 45 degree versions are now in the line.
During FCC operation, hot catalyst at 690 °C is withdrawn from the regenerator at intervals and sent to a dedicated hopper. The transfer line sees abrasive catalyst at speed and a thermal cycle every time a batch moves.
The elbows on that line failed after some days in service. Each failure meant catalyst leaking from the line, a safety concern, and another round of maintenance and replacement. The refinery had tried several steels for the elbows without finding one that lasted.
On a line that cycles thermally at 690 °C with every batch, every seam in a liner is a place for catalyst to cut in, so the refinery looked for a bore without joints.
The refinery first talked to Blasch about a different product, StaBlox flue gas tunnels for its hydrogen reformer. In that conversation the engineers learned about Blasch parts for FCC and sulfur units, and the ceramic lined elbows caught their interest. A smooth bore without joints promised little pressure and flow loss in the line.
Blasch engineers and the refinery's team went through a lengthy design review before manufacturing. At installation the flange faces needed machining. Blasch has since moved that step into its own production so the next elbows arrive ready to bolt in.
| What | Steel elbows | CeraLine elbows |
|---|---|---|
| Service life on the catalyst line | some days | up to 12 months |
| Improvement | more than tenfold |
Fewer catalyst leaks, less exposure for operators near the line and far fewer elbow changes. The refinery plans to equip the whole line with CeraLine and next to look at slurry spools, which suffer abrasion and corrosion.
Short and long radius elbows with a one piece cast liner and flanged ends.
Ceramic parts for FCC units, sulfur recovery and reformers.
CeraLine elbows in a bagasse boiler ash line, measured after 30 months.
The catalyst withdrawn from the regenerator is at 690 °C, and the line cycles with every transfer.
It combines abrasion resistance with thermal shock resistance, the two loads on a hot catalyst line.
No. The lined elbows replaced the steel elbows in the existing line, connected with a custom gasket.
No. It is a cast ceramic liner set into a steel body, one piece per elbow.
Send the line size, the temperature and how long an elbow lasts now. A Blasch engineer checks material and flange design for your line.
