Basics of Slide Valves in FCC Unit

B K C h a u b e y, C I T M - P D R
 Contents
 Type of Slide Valve

 Location of Slide Valve

 Function of Slide Valve

 Major Component of Slide Valve

 Mode of Operation

 Special Feature of Slide Valve

 Manufacturer of Slide Valve

 Assessment

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 2

 Type Of Slide Valves

Slide valves are special type of control valves and are identified by their location and
function in the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCCU). Slide valves are basically a
variable orifice, intended as flow control valve. Valves typically found on the FCCU
are
 RCSV (Regenerated Catalyst Slide Valve)

 SCSV (Spent Catalyst Slide Valve)

 DDSV (Double Disc Slide Valve / Flue gas valve)

 Diverter Valve

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 3

 Location of Slide Valves in FCC Unit
Location of different Slide valves in FCC

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 4

Function of Slide Valves
RCSV :- RCSV regulates the flow of regenerated catalyst to riser and controls
reactor outlet temperature, this also maintains the pressure head in stand pipe and
protect the regenerator from a flow reversal. Continuous delta pressure across
RCSV is monitored and maintained. In most of FCC this valves operates in close
loop with Reactor outlet temperature as TIC with low output selection between TIC
and DPIC (DP across slide valve).

SCSV :- SCSV controls the stripper catalyst level in reactor, regulates the flow of
spent catalyst to the regenerator, and protect the reactor and main fractionator from
a flow reversal. Continuous delta pressure across SCSV is also monitored and
maintained. This valves operates in close loop with Reactor stripper catalyst level
as LIC with low output selection between LIC and DPIC (DP across slide valve).

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 5

Function of Slide Valves

DDSV :- DDSV regulates the flow of regenerated flue gas and thus controls the
regenerator pressure. This valve either runs in close loop with Regenerator
Pressure as PIC or runs in close loop with differential pressure between Reactor
and Regenerator as DPIC. DDSV has two discs and both the disc can operate
simultaneously or independently.

Diverter Valve :- Diverter valve gives unidirectional path to flue gas at a time, this
valve diverts the flue gas flow either to CO Boiler or to flue gas stack.

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 6

Components of Slide Valve

The major components of Slide Valves are

 Valve
 Actuator
 HPU (Hydraulic Pressure Unit)

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 7

Components of RCSV SCSV
Valve (RCSV, SCSV):- RCSV and SCSV are identical in design, main
components of valve are

 Valve body
 Orifice
 Disc
 Stem
 Purging Tapings
 Valve gland

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 8

Components of DDSV
Valve (DDSV):- DDSV is also similar in design of RCSV and SCSV only difference is
that DDSV has two sets of discs and these discs can move simultaneously or
independently.

Double Disc

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 9

Components of Diverter Valve
Valve (Diverter):- Diverter valve has one inlet and two outlet. At a time flue gas will
flow out through any one of outlet port either towards CO Boiler or its bypass to flue
gas stack. This valve has single disc inside and it will slide to cover any one outlet port
at a time.

Inlet port

Outlet ports

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 10

 Components of Actuator
Actuator:- Actuator is a device to provide sliding force to disc of valve. Actuator
actuates with hydraulic power. This has also a hand wheel assembly to operate the
valve through mechanical force in case of failure of hydraulic power. This has a
electronic position sensor at one end to measure and transmit the actual position of
valve. Main components of actuators are
Engagement lever Assembly
 Actuator yoke
 Hydraulic cylinder
 Hand wheel assembly
 Position transducer
 Engagement lever assembly Actuator yoke

Hydraulic Cylinder
Position Transducer

Hand Wheel Assembly

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 11

 Components of HPU
HPU (Hydraulic Power Unit):- HPU is a hydraulic control unit of slide valve, this unit provide the
hydraulic power to actuator and control entire functionality of slide valve. Major components of HPU
are
 Oil Reservoir – The oil reservoir is a vessel to store oil to provide hydraulic power. The reservoir
has level gauge, Temperature gauge, Breather valve and oil top-up port.
 Pump and Filter – Unit has oil pumps in redundant to develop the hydraulic pressure. It has oil filter
assembly in redundant to filter the oil. Most of slide valves operate between 50 bar to 110 bar of
hydraulic pressure.
 Hydraulic manifold – Manifold has different kind of isolation valves, operation mode change over
valve, servo valves, solenoid valves, check valves, oil supply and return ports. Actuator is
connected from manifold through high pressure hoses.
 Electronic Control unit – This unit has electronic controller. Controller could be micro controller or
PLC. This unit receives the single from control room and sends controlled signal for converting it
into hydraulic power to actuate the slide valve. This unit displays various parameters locally as well
as transmits information to control room. This unit also controls pump operation, ESD operation,
Accumulator operation and gives various alarms.
 Accumulators – Accumulators are provided to store energy to operate the valve in case of
hydraulic pump failure. There are two type of accumulators i.e. reserve accumulator and
emergency shutdown accumulator.
Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 12
Components of HPU
HPU:- Major components are shown in below figure.

Electronic control Unit Transmitter

Oil Reservoir
Pressure gauge manifold

Hydraulic Manifold
Accumulators Oil Filter

Pump

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 13

Mode of operation
Mode of Operation:- Slide valves (RCSV, SCSV and DDSV) can operate in different
mode. There are selector switches to select the different mode of operation. Mode of
operations are
 Hydraulic Auto Mode – In this mode valve operates in auto mode on receiving from control room.
The electronic control unit receives the signal from control room and operates the valve in forward
or backward direction through a servo valve using hydraulic power. In this mode, valve operates in
close loop with TIC/LIC/PIC/DPIC.
 Hydraulic Manual Mode – In this mode of operation valve operates from local HPU panel. There is a
hand switch to operate the valve in forward or backward direction using hydraulic power.
 Hand Wheel Mode – In this mode, first hydraulic power is isolated and drained, there is a engaging
lever to engage hand wheel with valve stem to operate in both the direction. In this mode
mechanical power is used.

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 14

Special Feature of RCSV & SCSV
1. Lock in position:- RCSV & SCSV get lock in position in case of
• Loss of position feed back
• Loss of command
• Failure of both pump
• Loss of power
• Low pump discharge pressure
• Tracking error

2. ESD Function:- RCSV & SCSV get close in case of emergency, few of emergency
condition are
• Low delta pressure across valve
• Any ESD command from control room

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 15

 Manufacturer of Slide Valves
World Wide major manufacturer of Slide valves are

 IMI Remosa
 MEA Inc.
 Circor Tapco Enpro
 Black Inc.
 Bafco Inc.

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 16

Assessment
1. RCSV stand for
a) Regulated Catalyst Slide Valve
b) Reflux Catalyst Slide Valve
c) Regenerated Catalyst slide valve
d) Non of above

2. SCSV stand for

a) Suction Catalyst Slide Valve
b) Spent Catalyst Slide Valve
c) Suspended Catalyst slide valve
d) All of above

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 17

Assessment

3. DDSV Controls the

a) Regenerator pressure
b) Regenerator Level
c) Regenerator Temperature
d) Regenerator Flow

4. Slide valves can be operated

a) Pneumatically
b) Mechanically
c) Hydraulically
d) Both b) & c)

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 18

Assessment

5. Diverter valve has

a) Two inlet & one outlet
b) One inlet & one outlet
c) Two inlet & two outlet
d) One inlet & two outlet

6. SCSV runs in close loop with

5. Reactor stripper level
6. Reactor Temperature
7. Reactor Regenerator DP
8. Regenerator Pressure

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 19

Assessment

7. Slide valve position feedback sensor normally installed on

a) HPU
b) Actuator
c) Valve body
d) Hydraulic pump

8. RCSV runs in close loop with

a) Reactor stripper level
b) Reactor outlet Temperature
c) Reactor Regenerator DP
d) Regenerator Pressure

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 20

Assessment

9. Accumulators are installed

a) To operate valve in case of pump failure
b) To close valve on Emergency
c) Both a) & b)
d) Non of above

10. RCSV & SCSV lock in position in case of

a) Position feedback loss
b) Failure of command
c) Failure of both the pump
d) All of above

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 21

Paradip Refinery – The Energy Gateway to Eastern India 22