Delayed coker antifoam
reduced silicon carryover,
solved refinery
operating problems
A US West Coast refinery using
600,000-cSt antifoam in their delayed
coker was experiencing higher than
desired silicon carryover in the streams
exiting the main fractionator. The base
case coker liquid product samples
collected at identical periods in the drum
cycle showed silicon levels of 20.0, 4.5,
and 2.5 ppm in coker naphtha, light coker
gas oil (LCGO), and heavy coker gas oil
(HCGO), respectively. The silicon carryover
was negatively impacting catalyst life in
the downstream hydrotreaters.
Representatives from Baker Hughes, a GE
company (BHGE), collaborated with the
refinery staff to review the system and
then present recommendations. After a
joint analysis by both parties, it was
agreed that a newly developed product,
FOAMSTOP™ low catalyst impact (LCI)
antifoam, would be evaluated. Additional
sets of naphtha, LCGO, and HCGO
samples were collected to monitor silicon
levels, using the same sampling protocol
developed to generate the baseline data.
The remaining 600,000-cSt antifoam
product was removed and the antifoam
tank was filled with the FOAMSTOP LCI
antifoam. However, some of the original
antifoam remained in the storage tank, so
the antifoam fed during the initial trial was
a mixture of approximately 83% Challenges
FOAMSTOP LCI antifoam and 17%
of the 600,000-cSt antifoam. The  Silicon carryover in coker
composite antifoam feed proved that liquid streams
the antifoam is compatible with other  Shortened catalyst life
antifoams offered by BHGE and does not
require cleaning of any equipment or lines
before application. Results
 Reduced coker liquid product
Following the injection of the new
silicon levels by up to 52%
antifoam, the measured levels of silicon
in the coker liquid products dropped
 Improved refinery operations
considerably.  Extended catalyst life
 Reduced silicon carryover
Silicon levels fell to 13.8 ppm in coker
naphtha, 2.2 ppm in LCGO, and 1.2 ppm
in HCGO. Figure 1 compares the
silicon data for the base case with
the new antifoam product and the
percent reductions in silicon levels that
were observed.
Using this new antifoam product, the
refinery was able to reduce coker liquid
product silicon levels by as much as
52%. This level of silicon reduction is
expected to have a significantly positive
effect on the life of downstream
hydrotreater catalysts.
This case history is presented for
illustrative purposes only, since results
may vary between applications.
 25.0
Silicon levels per stream
20.0

31%
ppm Silicon

15.0 reduction

10.0

5.0 52%
50%
reduction
reduction
0.0
LCGO HCGO Naphtha
Stream

Base case Trial data

Figure 1

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Copyright 2019 Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC (“BHGE”). All rights reserved.
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distributed, transmitted, reproduced, altered, or used for any purpose without the express written consent of BHGE.
Baker Hughes reserves the right to make changes in specifications and features shown herein, or discontinue the product described at any time without notice or obligation. Contact
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are trademarks of the General Electric Company.
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