Impact of Gas Fluxon Fines Deposition duringthe Hydrotreating of LightGas Oil in a Trickle-Bed Reactor

Fines deposition is a perennial problem in the hydrotreating industry. It results in reactor fouling and pressure drop build-up, leading to premature reactor shutdown. This study investigated the impact of gas flux, a key hydrotreating parameter, on fines deposition. Cold and hot flow accelerated fines deposition tests were conducted using three-zone reactor units under varying gas-to-oil ratios (GOR) of 300, 600, and 900 v/v, representing low, medium, and high gas flux conditions, respectively. The hot flow tests revealed that maximum fines deposition occurred in 26, 15, and 10 days for low, medium, and high gas flux tests, respectively. Thus, increasing gas flux increased the rate of fines deposition, and this was ascribed to a combination of flocculation, sedimentation, and inertial impaction mechanisms. Based on the findings, cautiously reducing the gas flux could be a potential strategy to minimize fine deposition and enhance reactor efficiency during hydrotreating.