Fluid catalytic cracking unit fractionator

A fluid catalytic cracking unit fractionator, comprising:

• a fractionator column;
• a bottom liquid section disposed at a bottom of the fractionator column;
• a slurry pumparound section comprising:
• an upper slurry pumparound bed and a lower slurry pumparound bed each disposed in the fractionator column, wherein the bottom liquid section is disposed below the lower slurry pumparound bed;
• an upper slurry pumparound liquid distributor disposed above the upper slurry pumparound bed and configured to distribute liquid from the bottom liquid section onto the upper slurry pumparound bed;
• and
• a lower slurry pumparound liquid distributor disposed below the upper slurry pumparound bed and above the lower slurry pumparound bed and configured to distribute liquid from the bottom liquid section onto the lower slurry pumparound bed;
• a heavy cycle oil (HCO) pumparound section disposed above the slurry pumparound section;
• and
• a pumpdown liquid distributor disposed between the slurry pumparound section and the HCO pumparound section.

A method for preventing coking in a fluid catalytic cracking unit fractionator, comprising:

• collecting a liquid in a heavy cycle oil (HCO) pumparound section disposed in a fractionator column of the fluid catalytic cracking unit fractionator;
• pumping a first portion of the liquid from the HCO pumparound section to a pumpdown spray header, wherein the pumpdown spray header is disposed in the fractionator column and is disposed above a slurry pumparound section;
• and
• spraying the first portion of the liquid through a plurality of spray nozzles of the pumpdown spray header onto vapor rising up through the fractionator column, thereby vaporizing at least some of the first portion of the liquid above the slurry pumparound section, wherein the slurry pumparound section is disposed above a bottom liquid section and comprises at least one slurry pumparound liquid distributor disposed above at least one slurry pumparound bed.