Porocel can determine whether the spent material is a good candidate for regeneration. After performing a laboratory regeneration on a sample of spent material, we run several chemical and physical analyses, which may include:

Crush strength
Particle size distribution
Compacted bulk density
Pore volume
Carbon and sulphur content
Metals


We can typically provide customers with a complete analytical evaluation of their catalyst, including our recommendation on how to proceed, in less than two weeks. This way customers can decide on what to do with resale material quickly.

Finding a Home for the Regenerated Material
If we determine the spent material is suitable for regeneration, the customer has several options, including:

• Reusing the regenerated material in the same unit. (i.e., turnaround regeneration)
• Cascading it to another unit in the plant.
• Storing it in the company’s internal resale pool.
• Selling it to a third party through a consignment agreement.
• Selling of the spent material to Porocel.

Reusing the material internally makes the most economic sense. Hence, many companies with plants across the world pool their regenerated catalysts and adsorbents. Pooling gives their individual locations a wide selection of materials for reuse internally.

Customers can also sell the regenerated material to third parties through a consignment agreement with Porocel. Our worldwide sales network helps ensure a fast turnover of resale material. This means customers will receive their money quickly from consignment sales to third parties. Also, depending on the quality, Porocel may pay money up-front for a customer’s spent material.

Selecting Catalysts and Adsorbents for the Next Charge
Refiners, gas processors, and petrochemical plants can reduce their operating costs further by using regenerated catalysts and adsorbents. The cost of regenerated material is usually less than half that of fresh, but its performance can be nearly equivalent. In many cases, a unit does not require the highest level of performance from the catalyst or adsorbent. Common applications for resale material include:

• Top off after reactor skimming.
• Guard beds.
• Short cycles. (due to rapid deactivation or cut short to coincide with a major plant turnaround)
• Spare charges for critical process units.

Catalyst Services has an extensive inventory of high-quality resale catalysts and adsorbents at locations worldwide. Thus, customers usually have several options to choose from. Additionally, we have a staff of engineers and chemists experienced in catalysts and adsorbents who are able to help customers choose the right product for a given application.

While resale catalyst can save customers money, Porocel realizes that the downside risk of poor performance in the unit could quickly off-set any savings on catalyst and adsorbent costs. Therefore, we only deal with premium quality resale materials. In general, we only accept current generation catalysts and adsorbents that have been through only one operating cycle and have low contaminant levels.