Catalyst Removal & Installation

Catalyst changeouts are among the most safety-critical and schedule-sensitive activities in a refinery or petrochemical turnaround. Spent catalyst removal and fresh catalyst loading must be executed safely — protecting workers from toxic and pyrophoric hazards — while meeting the tight loading specifications that determine reactor performance and catalyst guarantee compliance. MAC Industrial Services provides complete catalyst handling services with the safety programs, specialized equipment, and experienced personnel that catalyst vendors and facility operators require.

Catalyst handling presents unique hazards that require specific protocols. Spent catalysts in hydrotreating and hydrocracking service typically contain metals sulfides that are pyrophoric — they ignite spontaneously when exposed to air unless properly passivated. Nitrogen inert atmospheres, proprietary passivation chemistry (such as CATnap® technology), and vacuum unloading systems are the tools used to manage pyrophoric risk while maintaining worker safety and schedule efficiency. MAC crews are trained in all standard pyrophoric handling protocols and work directly with catalyst vendors to ensure passivation is applied correctly.

On the loading side, dense loading technology maximizes the volume of catalyst charged into each reactor — increasing reactor capacity and optimizing the contact time between process streams and catalyst. Accurate loading with proper density and orientation is critical to uniform flow distribution and catalyst performance. MAC uses calibrated loading equipment and provides loading reports that document fill heights, weights, and density measurements per catalyst vendor and client requirements.