Process and apparatus for reducing pressure in a flue gas stream

Abstract

A process for reducing pressure of a flue gas stream comprising passing a pressurized flue gas stream from a catalyst regenerator to an orifice chamber through an inlet. The pressurized flue gas stream is longitudinally passed through orifices in a plurality of plates in the chamber to reduce the pressure of the flue gas stream and passed from the chamber at a lower pressure than at the inlet. The plurality of orifice plates in the chamber may be spaced apart along a height of the chamber in an apparatus embodiment. Each one of the orifice plates may comprise an array of orifice strips. The strips may be sized to be inserted and removed from the chamber through a manway for installation and replacement. The process and apparatus may enable rapid replacement of eroded plates.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.