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Kindly throw some light on catalyst loading in Reformer tubes by Spiral loading technique. Does this technique provide much stable distribution of catalyst and improvement in any process performance like uniform tube temperature, pressure drop across each tube constant, and reduced loading time?
 
Answers
08/04/2010 A: Kaveh Farzadkia, Tehran Oil Refining, kavehfarzadkia@gmail.com
If you use a suitable spiral loading apparatus it make more uniform pressure drop, denser load and reduces loading time. but you must be careful about the pulling out the apparatus from the tube.
03/04/2010 A: keith bowers, B and B Consulting, kebowers47@gmail.com
Catalyst loading techniques vary by process licensor and catalyst licensor. Usually there are several physical constraints that must be considered in selecting a loading protocol.
Tube internal diameter and length are key dimensions. Catalyst size, shape, and physical ruggedness are also key considerations. In my experience, reforming catalyst is sock loaded with a uniform weight of catalyst loaded in each tube. Then pressure drop is balanced by adding more to tubes with lowest delta P while purging from bottom with nitrogen.Sometimes a little catalyst must be removed from a tube to reduce the delta P.
This is not a procedure where trying to save time is wise. The consequences of faulty loading will plague you a very long time.