FCCU Slide Valves

Pushing the boundaries of slide valve technology to eradicate failure even under the most extreme operating conditions

Because TapcoEnpro slide valves have been designed to outperform industry standards for safety, performance and reliability, they have become the valve-of-choice of those in the severe environment process industries. The proof is in the numbers. TapcoEnpro had more valves in operation throughout the world than any other slide valve manufacturer.

Our slide valves improve process efficiency, safety and reliability. Many of our slide valve innovations remain exclusive to TapcoEnpro and are protected under U.S. and foreign patents. Most of our valve designs help set industry standards. For example, in 1990 we addressed the industry - wide problem of seat plate warping with our Hot Stub Design which has become the standard in designs.

Cold-Wall-FCCU-Valve

Slide valves are control valves and are identified by their location and function in the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit.  Valves typically found on the FCCU include the regenerated catalyst slide valve, spent catalyst slide valve, cooled catalyst slide valve and the recirculation catalyst slide valve

The primary valves are the regen and spent slide valves.  The regen regulates the flow of regenerated catalyst to the riser, maintains the pressure head in the standpipe and protects the regenerator from a flow reversal.  The spent controls the stripper catalyst level, regulates flow of spent catalyst to the regenerator and protects the reactor and main fractionator from a flow reversal.

Slide Valves Cold+Hot Shell Design

The valve body is manufactured from rolled plate in accordance with project and licensor specifications and utilizes our latest computer design techniques to manufacture a fabricated cylindrical bodied slide valve with a rectangular “set on” bonnet assembly with rounded formed corner.  This approach accommodates thermal expansion at elevated temperatures.

The slide valve internals are manufactured to precise dimensions which ensures reliable operations at elevated temperatures and under extreme conditions.  All internal components are accessible “through the bonnet” for ease of maintenance.  For hot shell designs, the seating plate support is attached to the valve body with 100% full penetration welds.  The cold shell design utilizes an internal suspended cone with a 100% full penetration bimetallic weld placed in the straight section of the cone and not at the cone to body intersection, avoiding discontinuity.

Hot wall valves require the valve inlet, bonnet and exit areas are completely covered with an erosion resistant refractory lining in a hexmesh type anchor system while Cold wall valves require the valve inlet, bonnet and exit areas be completely covered with a single layer cast vibrated insulating refractory lining over a V anchor system.

Stuffing Box – Our valves include either the Standard Purged Style or the Patented Purge-Less High Temperature Stuffing Box design.  Both designs include Nitronic 60 anti-galling bearing sleeve, 304 stainless steel lantern ring, mechanical seal and steam deflector plus connections for purge gas and emergency sealant injection with a stainless steel follower.

Finite_Element_Analysis

Finite Element Analysis (Stress and Thermal Modeling) and Computational Fluid Dynamics are methods that can be used to solve complex problems and is the dominant method used today by TapcoEnpro. All valves are subjected to a stress and thermal analysis in strict accordance with ASME Section VIII, Division 2 codes.