Abstract: Material withdrawal apparatus, methods, and systems of regulating material inventory in one or more units are provided. A material withdrawal apparatus includes a heat exchanger and transport medium junction configured to provide transport medium to transport the withdrawn material from the unit to the heat exchanger. Another material withdrawal apparatus includes a heat exchanger and shock coolant junction configured to provide shock coolant to the material withdrawn from the unit. Another material withdrawal apparatus includes a heat exchanger, shock coolant junction, and transport medium junction. Another embodiment of a material withdrawal apparatus includes a vessel and shock coolant junction. Another material withdrawal apparatus includes a vessel and transport medium junction. The vessel includes a wall, liner with heat insulating refractory material, fill port, and a discharge port.

Abstract: Material withdrawal apparatus and methods and systems of regulating material inventory in one or more units are provided. A material withdrawal apparatus includes a heat exchanger and a sensor. The heat exchanger includes a material inlet, material outlet, cooling fluid inlet, and cooling fluid outlet. The material inlet is coupled to the unit and the sensor is coupled to the heat exchanger to provide a metric indicative of the temperature at the material inlet; material outlet; cooling fluid inlet and cooling fluid outlet. Another embodiment of a material withdrawal apparatus includes a vessel having an outer wall, liner, fill port, and a discharge port. The liner at least partially covers the inner surface of the outer wall. The fill port and discharge port are defined in the vessel and the fill port is configured to receive withdrawn material from at least a unit. Other embodiments provide methods of withdrawing or regulating material in a unit.

Abstract: Material delivery systems and methods are disclosed. A material delivery system includes a delivery vessel and at least one dispense mechanism outlet. The delivery vessel is configured to deliver material to at least one unit, with the proviso that when the unit is an FCC unit, the unit includes a plurality of units. The at least one dispense mechanism outlet is configured to couple the delivery vessel to the at least one unit. A method includes providing a material to at least one unit. The method includes dispensing material from a delivery vessel, wherein a metering device provides a metric indicative of the dispensed material with respect to at least a unit, and delivering the metered material to at least one unit via at least one dispense mechanism outlet of the delivery vessel coupled to the at least one unit. Another method includes providing a material to a plurality of units.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for metering catalyst in a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst injection system are provided. In one embodiment, apparatus for metering catalyst in a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst injection system includes a low pressure storage vessel coupled to a pressure vessel that defines a high pressure side of the apparatus, where the determination of the amount of catalyst transferred is made on the low pressure side of the apparatus.

Abstract: A method for adding material to an FCC unit is provided. In one embodiment, a method for adding material to an FCC unit includes providing a first vessel under low pressure containing a first material, moving the material through a first eductor to the FCC unit, and determining an amount of material moved dispensed from the vessel through the eductor.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a FCC catalyst injection system is provided. One embodiment of the invention includes steps for determining an occurrence of a pre-defined event and establishing communication between a control module of the injection system and a remote device in response to the event. In another embodiment of the invention, a method is described which entails the acquisition of data from the injection system by a plurality of sensors. After the data is obtained, it is subsequently stored in the memory device of the control module. Communication is then established between a remote device and the control module to transfer the data.

Abstract: A fines injection apparatus, a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) system having a fines injection apparatus, and a method for using the same are provided. In one embodiment, a FCC system includes a FCC unit, a fines collector, and a fines injector coupled to the fines collector for retuning the fines recovered in the fines collector to the FCC unit. In another embodiment, an apparatus for injecting fines into a FCC system includes a fines separator coupled to an effluent stream and an injection apparatus coupled to a regenerator. A conduit is provided for delivering collected fines from the fines separator to the injection apparatus. In yet another embodiment, a method for injecting fines into FCC system includes collecting fines from a waste stream of a FCC system, automatically transferring the collected fines to a fines injection apparatus, and periodically injecting the transferred fines into the FCC system.

Abstract: Catalyst withdrawal apparatuses and methods for regulating catalyst inventory in one or more units are provided. In one embodiment, a catalyst withdrawal apparatus for removing catalyst from a FCC unit includes a vessel coupled to a flow control circuit. Another embodiment of a catalyst withdrawal apparatus includes a vessel, a delivery line, and control valve. The control valve is configured to control the amount of gas to the delivery line and entrained with the catalyst. Another embodiment of catalyst withdrawal apparatus includes a vessel coupled to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a first conduit; a housing confining a coolant volume around a portion of the first conduit; and a sliding seal sealing the housing to the first conduit in manner that allows longitudinal expansion. A fluid catalyst cracking system coupled to a catalyst withdrawal apparatus and method for withdrawing catalyst from a unit are also disclosed.

Abstract: An addition apparatus, a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) system having an addition apparatus, and a method for adding material to an FCC unit are provided. In one embodiment, an addition system for an FCC unit includes a container, a first eductor and a sensor. The eductor is coupled to an outlet of the container. The sensor is configured to detect a metric of material dispensed from the container through the eductor. A valve is provided for controlling the flow through the eductor. A controller provides a control signal for regulating an operational state of the valve. In another embodiment, an FCC system having an addition system is provided. In yet another embodiment, a method for adding material to an FCC unit is provided.

Abstract: A mobile fluid cracking catalyst injection system and a method of controlling a fluid catalyst cracking process is provided. In one embodiment, a mobile fluid catalyst cracking system includes a transportable platform, a catalyst reservoir coupled to the platform and a flow control device coupled to an outlet of the reservoir and adapted to control the flow of catalyst from the reservoir to a fluid catalyst cracking unit (FCCU).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for metering catalyst in a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst injection system are provided. In one embodiment, apparatus for metering catalyst in a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst injection system includes a low pressure storage vessel coupled to a pressure vessel that defines a high pressure side of the apparatus, where the determination of the amount of catalyst transferred is made on the low pressure side of the apparatus.

Abstract: A catalyst withdrawal method for regulating catalyst inventory in a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst (FCC) unit is provided. In one embodiment, a catalyst withdrawal apparatus for removing catalyst from a FCC unit includes a pressure vessel having a metering device coupled to a fill port. A heat dissipater is located adjacent the metering device and is adapted to cool catalyst entering the pressure vessel. A sensor is coupled to the pressure vessel arranged to provide a metric indicative of catalyst entering the pressure vessel through the metering device. In another embodiment, a method for regulating catalyst inventory in a FCC unit includes the steps of determining a change of catalyst present in a FCC unit, withdrawing catalyst from the FCC unit into an isolatable storage vessel coupled to the FCC unit, measuring the amount of catalyst disposed in the storage vessel, and removing the measured catalyst from the storage vessel.

Abstract: The invention is a multi-catalyst injection system. In one embodiment, the system comprises a plurality of catalyst storage regions associated with a vessel and a metering device associated with the vessel. The metering device is configured to provide a metric indicative of an amount of catalyst dispensed from a selected one of the catalyst storage regions.

Abstract: A catalyst withdrawal apparatus and method for regulating catalyst inventory in a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst (FCC) unit is provided. In one embodiment, a catalyst withdrawal apparatus for removing catalyst from a FCC unit includes a pressure vessel having a metering device coupled to a fill port. A heat dissipater is located adjacent the metering device and is adapted to cool catalyst entering the pressure vessel. A sensor is coupled to the pressure vessel arranged to provide a metric indicative of catalyst entering the pressure vessel through the metering device. In another embodiment, a method for regulating catalyst inventory in a FCC unit includes the steps of determining a change of catalyst present in a FCC unit, withdrawing catalyst from the FCC unit into an isolatable storage vessel coupled to the FCC unit, measuring the amount of catalyst disposed in the storage vessel, and removing the measured catalyst from the storage vessel.

Abstract: The invention is a catalyst injection system and method for injecting catalyst. In one embodiment, a fluid catalytic injection system includes vessel configured to store one or more catalysts, a pressure transmitter, a pressure control valve, a discharge valve, and a controller. The pressure control valve is coupled to the vessel and regulates the gas pressure therein. The discharge valve is coupled to the vessel and controls a discharge of catalyst from the vessel. The pressure transmitter provides a metric of pressure to the controller as an input. The controller contains instructions, that when executed, prevents the simultaneous opening of the pressure control valve and the discharge valve. In another embodiment, a method for injecting catalyst into a fluid catalytic cracking unit is provided. The method includes regulating pressure within a catalyst storage vessel, changing an amount of catalyst in the storage vessel, and preventing a simultaneous occurrence of the regulating and changing steps.

Abstract: A system and method for assigning taxability codes to purchases, and processing tax invoices, by company groups. A user, identified to one of a group of companies, inputs a requisition. Tax code and tax location are identified in a front end process applicable to the object of the requisition and converted into a converted tax code and tax jurisdiction and fed to a back end processor. Responsive to converted tax code and the tax jurisdiction for the corresponding company group, the back end prepares a purchase order which is transmitted to a supplier. Responsive to an invoice from the supplier and company group and tax code indicia from the purchase order, the back end processes and selectively pays, short pays, or rejects the invoice.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for metering catalyst to a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst unit are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for metering catalyst to a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst unit includes a low pressure storage vessel coupled to a pressure vessel by a metering device. A controller is provided to control catalyst transfers between the storage and pressure vessels. The control is configured to facilitate event and catalyst inventory information with local and remote devices.

Abstract: The invention is a multi-catalyst injection system. In one embodiment, the system comprises a vessel suitable for storing fluid cracking catalyst and having a separator defining at least two compartments within the vessel. A plenum is defined in the vessel and is fluidly coupled to each of the compartments. A plurality of dispense mechanisms are respectively coupled to a respective compartment to control the flow of catalyst from the injection system.