Abstract
This article focuses on fluidized catalytic cracking, which is a slide valve that controls the catalyst flow in hydrocarbon refining process. The valves are typically installed in refractory lined piping approximately 5 feet in diameter. Operating temperatures inside the valve range from 900°F to 1,400°F and, occasionally, go as high as 1800°F. Replacements require a shutdown that can run into days just for cooling time and then reheating. A major Houston-based manufacturer of slide valves, Tapco International, came up with a design that would eliminate bolts to make the valve last longer. The company asked BES Engineering of Houston to analyze the stresses due to steady-state and transient heat transfer, and to evaluate their effects. Tapco has about two dozen of the boltless valves in the field. The reliability of the new design can save hundreds of thousands of dollars by eliminating unscheduled shutdowns and unexpected maintenance.
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