Page 244 - Fluid Catalytic Cracking Handbook

212 Fluid Catalytic Cracking Handbook

A summary of the minutes of this meeting should be sent to the
participants and other relevant personnel.
Once the operation of the unit has "lined out," it is time to conduct
a series of test runs to compare performance and economic benefits
of the unit with what was projected as part of the original project
justification. The results can also be used to determine if the unit's
performance meets or exceeds the engineering contractor's perfor-
mance guarantee.

Useful Tips for a Successful Project Execution

A successful project is defined as one that meets its stated objectives
(safety, improved reliability, increased liquid yield, reduced main-
tenance costs, etc.) on or under-budget and is completed on or ahead
of schedule. Some of the helpful criteria that ensure a successful
project are as follows:
• Plan carefully. This will minimize changes
» Set the major reviews (PFDs, P&IDS, etc.) early, as opposed to
waiting until the basic design is completed. This will minimize
the project's cost by lessening rework
• Assign dedicated refinery personnel to be stationed in the engineer-
ing contractor's office to coordinate project activities and act as
a liaison between the refinery and the contractor
• Make sure the key people from the operations, maintenance, and
engineering departments are kept fully informed and that their
comments are reflected early enough in the design phase to
minimize costly field rework
• Centralize all decision making to avoid project delays

Many aspects of FCC development have been the result of "trial
and error." The development of present design standards is as much
art as it is science. Consequently, it is appropriate to review some of
the key developments that have influenced the current design philosophy
behind the FCC reactor and regenerator:
« Catalyst quality. The early FCC catalysts were neither very active
nor very selective; yield structure contained too much coke at the