Catalyst EOR

[Nova N]

Dear Engineers.
I need some suggestions on a Gas Oil Hydrotreater I am currently working at as process engineer. The reactors have a Ni-Mo type catalyst (fixed bed) that have prematurely come to the EOR (end of run). We have a 3-4 months to go before out shutdown and I need to ensure we product within specs, without reducing feed.
We have tried the following steps already:
- Maximised feed temp
- Minimised feed Sulfur levels

Does anyone have any other suggestions?? I also heard of possibility of introducing liquid-moly catalyst in tour feed but not sure if anyone know about this.

Thanks in advance for all the help.

N

 

[georgeverghese]

Bite the bullet and go for the shutdown to replace the catalyst - how many days will this take? But you've got to fix the problem of premature de activation of the Ni-Mo catalyst - what is the cause here, and can you fix this within the same shutdown window ?

 

[0707]

If your catalyst is already poisoned! no way, you have to shut down.Three months for the next shut down is too much time, in my point of view.

luis

 

[georgeverghese]

Presume you have tried out maxing out on recycle H2 flow if you have a standby compressor.

 

[Nova N]

Thanks for the response and the suggestions. We have lowered feedrate and have decided to shutdown sooner.

 

[georgeverghese]

So do you know what caused the upstream guard reactors to underperform, resulting in the premature deactivation of this main reactor catalyst? And what will you do about this?