PTQ Q3 2026 Issue

Reframing reactor volume as a strategic asset The shift begins with a simple premise: reactors are for cat- alyst. When a top-bed system can be redesigned to return even a fraction of a metre of reactor height to catalyst ser- vice, the financial impact could be substantial (see Figure 1 ). Consider a typical hydrotreating reactor. If an optimised top-bed design reclaims metres of reactor height previously occupied by conventional grading, that valuable space can be filled with catalyst. Depending on the unit’s service, feed rate, and catalyst activity, that space can deliver additional cycle length or allow a meaningful increase in throughput at the same cycle target. Now extend that logic across a network. A refiner oper - ating a fleet of hydrotreaters, hydrocrackers, and reformers, each with its own top-bed configuration, has an enormous aggregate opportunity. A methodical, system-wide effort to evaluate and optimise top-bed design across all units may reclaim several metres of reactor height for catalyst service, with each contributing measurable returns. This is not a theoretical exercise. Crystaphase has worked with refiners to implement exactly this kind of systematic approach, applying filtration and hold-down technologies across multiple units in a coordinated plan. Technology behind space efficiency Realising the value of reactor space requires materials that can do more with less. The design of the top-bed material itself becomes critical. Proprietary CatTrap, ActiPhase, and HeavyTrap materials are reticulated ceramics designed for exactly this purpose. When randomly loaded, the sum of effective internal poros- ity and external void space can exceed 85%. A smaller vol- ume of CatTrap technology can capture a greater volume of foulant than conventional grading, and the volume saved can either capture still more foulant or be returned to cat- alyst service. Filtration performance does not have to be traded for reactor space; the technology can deliver both. For units facing soluble contaminant challenges (iron naphthenates, gum precursors, or other precipitable spe- cies that pass through inert filtration), ActiPhase technol - ogy extends this approach by incorporating precipitation capability into the reticulated structure. It can trigger pre- cipitation of dissolved foulants and traps the resulting par- ticles within its own matrix, preventing them from reaching the catalyst bed. Conventional top-bed materials cannot address this mechanism at all. In high-velocity applications where top-bed stability is paramount, HeavyTrap technology provides a dual-func- tion solution that combines robust mechanical hold-down with effective filtration in a single material. Conventional hold-down approaches often require dense, inert layers that occupy significant reactor volume while contributing noth - ing to fouling protection. HeavyTrap’s reticulated ceramic design can deliver approximately 1.75 times the resistance to bed movement of 2.54 cm Si/Al ceramic support balls, while maintaining the internal porosity needed for foulant capture. The result is a hold-down layer that protects the catalyst, rather than simply holding it in place. Where a single layer must deliver both hold-down and

soluble-contaminant capture, HeavyTrap and ActiPhase can be combined into one configuration. Stability, insolu - ble filtration, and active soluble-foulant capture then work together in the same material, eliminating the need for an additional layer. These technologies are not deployed in isolation. In prac- tice, a Crystaphase loading recommendation is a tailored system, a specific combination of these proprietary materi - als, which can be sized and sequenced to address the par- ticular fouling profile and operating conditions of each unit. This systems approach is essential to the space opti- misation philosophy, because every layer must earn its place in the reactor. It is working smarter, not big- ger. That means choosing multifunction materials that carry out filtration, hold-down, and active foulant cap - ture in the same footprint, rather than stacking single- purpose layers that crowd out catalyst. Optimising units that are not Δ P limited A common misconception in the industry is that top-bed optimisation is only relevant for units experiencing pressure drop (ΔP) problems. In reality, some of the most valuable optimisation opportunities can exist in reactors that are not ΔP limited. In units where pressure drop is not the cycle-lim - iting constraint, the top bed may appear to be performing adequately. The reactor runs to its target cycle length, with no obvious fouling. But this apparent success can mask a significant opportunity cost. If the existing top-bed system is consuming more reactor volume than necessary, the refiner is effectively leaving catalyst performance on the table. By evaluating these units through a space optimisation lens, refiners can identify opportunities to replace con - ventional grading with more space-efficient technologies, potentially returning metres of reactor height to catalyst ser- vice. In a unit that is activity-limited rather than ΔP-limited, that additional catalyst volume can directly translate into extended cycle length, reduced weighted-average bed temperature (WABT), or improved product quality. In a unit constrained by throughput, the additional catalyst may ena- ble higher feed rates without compromising cycle targets. The reactor volume is already there; it is simply being occu- pied by materials that can be replaced with more efficient alternatives. System-wide approach The full potential of reactor space optimisation is realised when it is applied as a deliberate, system-wide effort. A systematic methodology evaluates every fixed-bed reactor in the operation, identifies optimisation candidates, priori - tises opportunities based on economic impact, and imple- ments changes through a coordinated plan aligned with turnaround schedules. The methodology begins with a comprehensive review of each unit’s current top-bed configuration, operating history, and fouling profile. Crystaphase’s technical service team conducts detailed sample analysis from reactor unloadings, characterising foulant composition, particle morphology, and deposition patterns to build a precise picture of the chal- lenges each unit faces. Without understanding the specific

PTQ Q3 2026