Experimental attrition study of FCC catalysts through 2D/3D contour plots and response surface models

Abstract

In this study, an attrition device was applied to generate experimental data for two fresh FCC catalyst samples named I and II. The behavior of mass loss of fine particles due to the attrition was studied using the application of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in Central Composite Design (CCD). Response surface linear model and response surface quadratic model were proposed for catalyst I and II respectively. In the next step, attrition parameters i.e. time and air jet flow rate were selected, 2D contour plots and 3D response surfaces were generated consequently. For catalyst I, the parameters did not effect on each other in fine production while the air jet flow rate was more effective. Interactive term (the effect of time and air jet flow rate on each other) had a great role in attrition processing of catalyst II so that the air jet flow rate became more effective by the progress of time. Those results are helpful to estimate the attrition behavior especially fines particle production in the industrial scale which directly affects the FCC economy.