You need see Article by KBC Tech – Sim Romero & Scott Sayles just published in OGJ Jan 07, 2012 issue on Understanding the Impact of Coke Fines – especially with Canadian Oil Sands bringing in sand particles with high levels of Titanium.
Fines impacts very understated by all studies and come in +4 flavors: Coke fines themselves, FCC Catalyst fines, Slop Oil Sludges and/or Daf unit sludge and the Syncrude blends with Titanium (TiO2 Ores) bitumen sand particles.
Sim’s presented Advanced Coker classes for Coking.Com and his report is Part I & II but think it only outlines some issues & downside cost. Fines all types can cause damage pipes/equipment, cause premature coking in furnace/fractionator/drums, increase/cause foaming & carryover problems, cause formation uncoked resid or hot spots coke drums and crap load other issues.
Lot plants tend bypass alarms & filters that frequently go off especially when their is no observable connection to unit upset (shortterm) …… Regards
