When a 5-Week Valve Problem Becomes a 10+ Year Reliability Solution – FCCU Catalyst Lockhopper
In severe refinery service, valve performance is not just about opening and closing. It is about keeping the process running, reducing maintenance exposure, and protecting uptime in one of the toughest operating environments in the plant.
A U.S. refinery operating a Fluid Catalytic Cracker Unit was experiencing rapid valve failure in a fresh catalyst lockhopper bottom valve application. The service involved abrasive alumina-silica catalyst and air in a dense-phase conveying system moving approximately 30 tons per day. The valve cycled about every 5 minutes, exceeding 35,000 cycles per year.
The existing metal-seated ball valve lasted approximately 5 weeks.
Everlasting Valve supplied a pneumatic, reverse-flow PRO Series rotating disc valve engineered specifically for abrasive, high-cycle catalyst service. Unlike conventional valve designs that wear out under abrasion, Everlasting’s self-lapping rotating disc technology is designed to wear in, helping maintain reliable shutoff over time.
The result:
A frequent replacement point was converted into a long-life isolation solution, delivering over 10 years of documented service with no maintenance required during the installed service period.
Value delivered included:
• Extended valve performance from weeks to years
• Reduced maintenance labor and outage exposure
• Improved reliability in fresh catalyst conveying
• Lower total lifecycle cost in abrasive lockhopper service
• Proven performance in one of the most demanding refinery applications
For refineries, chemical plants, power generation facilities, cement producers, mining operations, and bulk material handling applications, severe-service valve reliability matters. When abrasive media, high cycling, and process uptime are critical, Everlasting Valve provides engineered solutions built to outlast conventional ball, gate, plug, and globe valves.