During the continuous reforming production process, the catalyst level keeps dropping. What are the reasons for catalyst loss and where does it go?

One possible reason for the decrease in the catalyst level is the natural settling of the catalyst. When the catalyst was first loaded, it might have been done too quickly, resulting in the catalyst particles not being compacted properly; this led to a higher liquid level. As operation proceeds, gravity and pressure cause the catalyst to settle downward, thereby reducing the catalyst level. The second reason could be the entrainment of process materials; perhaps the filter balls on the catalyst substrate are not spaced far enough apart, or the balls chosen are too large, as a result of which they cannot effectively prevent the catalyst from flowing out through the bottom outlet. The third reason is that the filter used in the process export pipeline may not have been selected properly; the mesh size of the filter is too small, resulting in large gaps that allow catalyst particles to escape. All of the above are things I have experienced; you can use them as a reference.

What you’re referring to is probably fixed-bed reforming; I’m asking about UOP continuous regeneration reforming

This is probably due to a damaged catalyst

Are there any other phenomena? For example, whether there are any changes in the differential pressure, and whether there have been any abnormal operations recently. How many miles per day? The net is broken. The place where the catalyst enters the furnace tube or reactor, or where the catalyst flows through. 2. The catalyst is ground into powder during lifting, and it ends up in the gasoline or in the dust collector. 3. Overheating causes the catalyst to become dwarfed, resulting in a reduction in its volume.

Could it be that the decrease in volume and the increase in density are causing the material level to drop? The catalyst is broken.

My judgment is that, first, when the system water content is high or the increase rate rises, catalyst wear becomes severe； II. Pipeline rupture, leading to catalyst loss ； III. Damage to the Johnson net led to catalyst leakage. Please, esteemed experts, add to and correct this.

Wear during the catalyst lifting process, a high water content in the recycled hydrogen leading to a decrease in catalyst strength, a drop in the compacted material level of the catalyst when regeneration is stopped, and so on. Also, pay attention to the condition of the level gauge

1. Flange openings where the catalyst enters each reactor (due to incorrect equipment material, the bolts became decarburized), resulting in catalyst leakage; this leaked catalyst was carried by the gaseous oil stream to the outer Johnson screen. 2. The internal network of the Johnson system was compromised, resulting in the leakage of reagents and furnace tubes. There is a possibility that catalyst remains in the external network where the oil-phase feed enters the next reactor. 3. When the material level drops, check the dust amount ； If this occurs during the initial startup phase, it may be caused by loading; after startup, the catalyst may settle. If there is leakage, monitor the pressure drop in each reactor; this can be controlled by adjusting the load on the equipment. Develop a plan and select an appropriate time to carry out maintenance.

1. Check whether there is an increase in the pressure drop across the regenerator and reforming reactor. If a rise occurs at any particular location, it essentially means that there is a catalyst leak there; in such cases, operations must be halted as soon as possible for maintenance activities such as catalyst unloading, screening, and screen replacement. 2. If the pressure difference is fine, check whether the dust discharge volume has increased. If the dust amount increases significantly, it may be due to increased catalyst wear; in such cases, it is necessary to check the lifting speed of the lifting gas and ensure that the valves on the lifting pipeline are fully open ； Either the high water content in the system causes the carrier to break apart. 3. As for the whereabouts of the leaked material, it generally ends up in the fan-shaped cylinder (in reactors with an outer basket and central tube structure, the leaked material usually stays between the outer basket and the reactor wall). If the leakage occurs at the center tube of the fourth reactor, then fragments of this material may end up inside the heat exchanger as well as at the bottom of the reforming high-pressure tank. 4. Another possibility is that leakage occurs due to poor sealing at locations such as the seal ring of the material leg or the conical cover. These issues need to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis. This is just my personal opinion for reference only.