Ronald Michael Gould

OPERATION OF A CIRCULATING FLUID-BED COLD FLOW MODEL OF THE 100 B/D MTG DEMONSTRATION PLANT

ABSTRACT A full-scale, cold flow model (CFM) of the reactor section (reactor, catalyst cooler, regenerator) of the 100 B/D fluid-bed Methanol-to-Gasoline (MTG) demonstration plant was constructed at the Paulsboro Research Laboratory. CFM studies confirmed the design basis for the demonstration plant, and evaluated the effect of internal baffles on reactor efficiency. Horizontal tube baffles improved efficiency over vertical baffles and the unbaffled bed. Adsorptive and non-adsorptive gas tracers were used to predict reactor efficiency. Capacitance probes and visual observations were used to evaluate reactor hydrodynamics. The effect of increased fines level was to reduce bed density and bubble size. The CFM yielded mechanical design information about catalyst flow between the vessels, line sizes, aeration, cyclones and distributors.