Technology in Action

Shaping up hydrotreating performance

Trilobe (TL) shape

A fine balance of activity and pressure drop has long

created a challenge when considering the maximisation
of performance for hydroprocessing and hydrocracking
units. It is especially a critical balance for high profile
units in hydrocracking service that receive large mar-
gins for product upgrade and also have high incentive
for incremental processing capacity. Recent margins
have placed a great deal of pressure on refiners to max-
imise hydrocracking unit throughput up to hydrau-
lic limitations, which in many cases is a limit set by
reactor pressure drop. Limitations in reactor pressure
drop can be mitigated by many means, but ultimately
catalyst selection is the most critical factor in hydro-
cracker optimisation. Criterion developed the ATX
(Advanced Trilobe eXtra) catalyst shape to allow hydro-
cracking units to reduce pressure drop and improve
activity simultaneously. There are several significant
advantages of the ATX shape (see Figure 1).
Pressure drop in packed beds is commonly mod-
elled by the Ergun equation which is applicable for sin-
gle phase flow, but to model two phase flow through
packed beds there are modified versions of the Ergun
equation. Using the modified Reynolds number the
Ergun equation can be simplified as:
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 150 𝑣𝑣 !
= + 1.75 ∗ 𝜌𝜌 ∗
𝐿𝐿 𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛 1 − 𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 ∗
𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣 !
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 = 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸  𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃  𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷
𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣 = 𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣  𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓
This equation illustrates that pressure drop is
inversely proportional to both catalyst bed void frac-
tion and the effective particle diameter. Void fraction
itself is a function of loading method (dense vs sock)
and particle shape. Differing diameter particles of the
same extruded shape load at the same void fraction
and density since packing efficiency is determined by
shape. However, larger particle diameter extrudates of
the same shape will result in lower pressure drop. This
is due to the effect of liquid hold-up and relative veloc-
ity in the bed voids. In addition to particle size, particle
shape has a significant impact on pressure drop.
The following two commercial examples demonstrate
the effect of the ATX shape applied in hydrocracking
units to unlock additional capacity, creating increases in
profitability.
Case 1: Canadian refiner
Figure 2 shows the normalised pressure drop from
a hydrocracking unit at a Canadian refinery where
Conventional HC catalyst shape −
used in all HC catalysts offered
after 1994
Advanced Trilobe eXtra (ATX) shape
Proprietary technology offered for
majority of HC catalyst
Lower CBD → lower fill cost
(~10% lower $)
Better liquid yield: shorter diffusion path
→ reduced over-cracking
Larger void fraction
→ higher particulate uptake
→ delayed onset of rapid ∆P build
Lower SOR ∆P (15 to 20% lower
commercial performance
demonstrated vs conventional TL)
Figure 1 The Trilobe design allows hydrocracking units to reduce
pressure drop and improve activity
the previous cycle applied Criterion’s earlier gener-
ation Z-3723 TL catalyst and the current cycle is oper-
ating with Z-FX20 ATX. The current catalyst load was
also dense loaded to maximise reactor performance
and yields while still achieving reduced bed pressure
drop. The reduction in pressure drop across the reac-
tor has permitted an increase in unit capacity of 20%,
resulting in increased profits, better than $10 million
annually. In addition to increases in unit profitability,
the catalyst load itself saw a reduced fill cost as a result
of lower compacted bulk density.
Case 2: US Gulf Coast refiner
One of the highest capacity hydrocracking units in the
world leverages the advantage of ATX shaped catalysts
to maximise unit capacity. Over recent operating cycles
the following unit has transitioned to Criterion’s ATX
catalysts to reduce unit pressure drop. While only ~30%
of the overall catalyst load is now ATX shaped cracking

126 PTQ Q1 2017 www.digitalrefining.com/article/1001337

catalyst, the unit has been capable
of increasing throughput by 35%
(see Figure 3).
Figure 4 shows the relative differ-
ence between the various shaped 15% lower ∆P
extrudates used in hydroprocessing
applications in terms of pressure

∆P, kPa
drop per bed height contribution
ratio with the typical trilobe setting
the scale at 100%. The chart shows
that a quadlobe particle with the
same outer dimensions as a tri- Previous cycle TL shape
lobe particle will result in higher Current cycle ATX shape
pressure drop across the same bed
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900
depth. This is well explained when
Days on stream
considering the Ergun equation
because the effective diameter of
a quadlobe particle is smaller than Figure 2 Improved pressure drop in a hydrocracking unit
that of a trilobe particle. Further,
the ATX shape offers a significant
reduction in pressure drop when
compared to standard TL particles.
Normalised reactor ∆P, psi

While the pressure drop advan-

tages of ATX are remarkable in
comparison to conventional par-
ticle shapes, the greatest advan-
tage afforded by the ATX shape
is exceptional activity. Improved
reactor pressure drop profiles with
improved activity enables perfor- Previous cycle Current cycle
mance gains for these hydrocrack- TL shape ATX shape
ing units. ~15% lower ∆P

James Esteban is a Senior Technical

0

0
50

00

0
0

0
15

30

45

60

75

90

12

27

42
Service Engineer with Criterion Catalysts &
11

12

Technologies. Days on stream

Criterion Catalysts & Technologies Figure 3 Pressure drop performance at a Gulf Coast refinery
For more information:
Teresa.Brod@CRI-Criterion.com

120

110

100
∆P/ L, %

90

80

70

LINKS 60

More articles from: Criterion Catalysts 50

& Technologies
be

re
lle
de
ob

AT

he
lo

Pe
in
il
d

Sp
Tr

yl
ua

More articles from the following

C
Q

categories:
Catalysts and Additives
Hydroprocessing Figure 4 Standard particle shapes used in hydroprocessing of equal outer dimensions and
loading method

www.digitalrefining.com/article/1001337 PTQ Q1 2017 127