Abstract
Approximately 400,000 lb per hr of 550-psig, 750 F total temperature steam production is a unique feature of Sinclair Refining Company’s new fluid catalytic-cracking unit at its Houston, Texas, Refinery. Over 300,000 lb per hr of 700-psig saturated steam are produced on the oil industry’s first direct-fired unit to recover both the sensible heat and the heat of combustion from the high-temperature regenerator-exit flue gas. The heat of combustion of the regenerator-exit flue gas is derived from its CO content. Saturated steam produced on the boiler is superheated to 750 F total temperature in industry’s first fluidized-bed respray steam superheater. The superheater-respray feature produces approximately 100,000 lb per hr of additional steam and allows simultaneous control of both the regenerator-bed temperature and the steam superheat.