Break the Chain

FCC units, for breaking long chain hydrocarbons in heavy gas oils, are vital in most modern refineries. Gas measurements in FCCU catalytic regeneration, CO furnace and flue gases are essential for efficient and safe operation. But most common gas analysis technologies, such as paramagnetic and non-dispersive infrared (NDIR), are unreliable due to the extreme process conditions and the need for sample transportation and conditioning. Tunable diode laser gas analyzers that operate in situ, such as METTLER TOLEDO's GPro 500, deliver dependable measurements, long analyzer lifetime, and are simple to install and maintain.

This article, published in Hydrocarbon Processing, covers the following topics:

• An overview of the FCCU process explaining the criticality of CO, CO₂ and O₂ levels
• Issues in the use of paramagnetic and NDIR analyzers
• Description of tunable diode laser technology and its advanced signal processing
• Explanation of the benefits of TDL analyzers.