Crane Selection for Oil Refineries: Kelude, FCC & Storage
In brief: Kelude Heavy Industry provides crane configuration solutions for oil refineries covering four key zones—atmospheric/vacuum distillation, catalytic cracking, hydrotreating, and storage & loading—with lifting capacities from 5 to 120 short tons (4.5 to 109 metric tons) and spans from 12 to 36 m (39 to 118 ft). Total crane equipment investment ranges from approximately $89,000 to $890,000. The atmospheric/vacuum distillation zone is equipped with explosion-proof overhead cranes (20–50 short tons / 18–45 metric tons), the catalytic cracking zone uses high-temperature-resistant explosion-proof overhead cranes (30–80 short tons / 27–73 metric tons), the hydrotreating zone is fitted with stainless steel anti-corrosion explosion-proof cranes (10–30 short tons / 9–27 metric tons), and the storage zone uses explosion-proof overhead cranes (10–20 short tons / 9–18 metric tons)—all engineered to meet lifting and hoisting requirements in high-temperature, high-pressure, hydrogen-sulfide-corrosive, flammable, and explosive environments.
Crane Selection Solutions for Oil Refineries
Atmospheric/Vacuum Distillation | Catalytic Cracking | Hydrotreating/Hydrogen Production | Storage & Loading
Oil refineries are among the most demanding environments for lifting equipment in the petrochemical industry.
Zone 1: Atmospheric/Vacuum Distillation
• Lifting capacity: 10–50 short tons (9–45 metric tons), explosion-proof LH type overhead crane
• Explosion-proof rating: Ex d IIB T4
Ex d IIB | Maintenance Lifting
Zone 2: Catalytic Cracking
• Lifting capacity: 20–80 short tons (18–73 metric tons), explosion-proof QD type overhead crane
• Explosion-proof rating: Ex d IIB T4
Large Tonnage | Catalytic Unit Maintenance
Zone 3: Hydrotreating/Hydrogen Production
• Lifting capacity: 10–32 short tons (9–29 metric tons), explosion-proof overhead crane
• Hydrogen-rated explosion-proof: Ex d IIC
Hydrogen Explosion-Proof | Sealed Anti-Corrosion
Zone 4: Storage & Loading
• Lifting capacity: 3–16 short tons (2.7–14.5 metric tons), explosion-proof hoist
• Explosion-proof rating: Ex d IIB T4
Oil-Product Explosion-Proof | Tank Farm Maintenance
Selection Parameters Across the Four Zones
| Parameter Item | Atmospheric and Vacuum Distillation | Fluid Catalytic Cracking | Hydrotreating/Hydrogen Production | Storage & Loading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| recommended model | Explosion-proof LH Type | Explosion-proof QD Type | explosion-proof overhead crane/Hoist | Explosion-proof electric hoist |
| Lifting Capacity | 10t~50t | 20t~80t | 10t~32t | 3t~16t |
| Work Duty / Classification | A4~A6 | A6~A7 | A5 | A3~A5 |
| Explosion Protection Class | Ex d IIB T3 | Ex d IIC T3 | Ex d IIC T3+H₂SAnti-corrosion | Ex d IIB T4 |
| special requirements | High Temperature Resistant80℃ | High Temperature Resistant100℃+Wear-Resistant | NACE MR0175Anti-SSC | Explosion-proof+anti-static |
| Kelude Scheme | heat-resistant+HGradeinsulation | Water-Cooled Electrical Control+thermal insulation layer | 316L+HICSteel Plate | explosion-proof certification+hermetic motor |
Kelude Distillation and Fluid Catalytic Cracking
Refineries are among the most crane-intensive facilities in the petrochemical industry.
During operation of the crude distillation unit, overhead cranes are primarily used for maintenance and replacement of overhead condensers (10–25 t), air cooler tube bundles (5–15 t), and process pumps (2–8 t). A 20/5 t or 32/5 t explosion-proof bridge crane is recommended for this service. For the FCC unit, regenerator and settler maintenance calls for a 50/10 t high-temperature-resistant explosion-proof overhead crane (span 24–36 m, A6), with forced-air cooling and a double-layer insulated housing on the electrical control box. The cyclone separator liners inside the regenerator and settler (3–8 t) are replaced every 2–3 years and require a specialized spreader for safe removal and installation.
Hydrotreating and Tank Farm Lifting Solutions
In a typical 1 million t/yr diesel hydrotreater, the core lifting tasks include catalyst loading/unloading for the hydrotreater reactor (empty weight 50–120 t; catalyst is replaced every 1–2 years, with 30–80 t of catalyst charged per cycle using a catalyst suction system), tube bundle extraction for high-pressure heat exchangers (20–40 t), and replacement of high-pressure air cooler bundles (10–20 t). Kelude recommends a 20/5 t or 32/5 t explosion-proof and anti-corrosion bridge crane (Ex d IIC T3, C5-I anti-corrosion) with a span of 24–30 m for the hydrotreating unit. During catalyst loading, the crane must handle the catalyst hopper (3–5 t) and the reactor top cover (4–8 t). Because hydrotreating units operate at high pressure (8–20 MPa) and contain H₂S (1%–5% concentration), the crane must be designed for sulfide stress cracking (SSC) resistance in accordance with NACE MR0175.
The core lifting tasks in a hydrotreating unit (using a 1 million t/yr diesel hydrotreater as an example) include catalyst loading/unloading for the hydrotreater reactor (empty weight 50–120 t), tube bundle extraction for high-pressure heat exchangers (20–40 t), and replacement of air cooler tube bundles (10–20 t). Kelude recommends a 20/5 t or 32/5 t explosion-proof and anti-corrosion bridge crane (Ex d IIC T3, C5-I anti-corrosion) with a span of 24–30 m. In the tank farm, the main lifting requirements for both crude oil and product storage areas are tank maintenance (floating roof 5–15 t) and pipe rack installation. For tank areas, Kelude recommends an LD-type explosion-proof single-girder electric crane (Ex d IIB T4) or an explosion-proof electric hoist underslung crane, with a lifting capacity of 3–10 t.
In the crude oil tank farm (100,000 m³ external floating roof tanks, 80 m diameter) and product tank farm, crane requirements center on tank maintenance (floating roof repair 5–15 t, central drain pipe replacement 1–3 t) and pipe rack installation (single pipe sections 20 m long, 2–5 t each). Kelude recommends an LD-type explosion-proof single-girder bridge crane (Ex d IIB T4) or an explosion-proof electric hoist underslung crane (for pipe rack areas) with a lifting capacity of 3–10 t. During tank maintenance, the crane must work with a tank wall manhole platform using a specialized boom or jib crane. The explosion protection class for tank farm areas is typically designed to IIC T3–T4 (depending on the stored medium — gasoline Ex d IIB T3, diesel Ex d IIB T4, jet fuel Ex d IIC T3). For floating roof maintenance, the crane must be positioned outside the fire dike, using a long-reach spreader to lift over the dike for the hoisting operation.
Hydrotreating and Tank Farm Lifting Solutions
The core lifting tasks in a hydrotreating unit (using a 1 million t/yr diesel hydrotreater as an example) include catalyst loading/unloading for the hydrotreater reactor (empty weight 50–120 t), tube bundle extraction for high-pressure heat exchangers (20–40 t), and replacement of air cooler tube bundles (10–20 t). Kelude recommends a 20/5 t or 32/5 t explosion-proof and anti-corrosion bridge crane (Ex d IIC T3, C5-I anti-corrosion) with a span of 24–30 m. Because the hydrotreating unit operates at 8–20 MPa and contains H₂S (1%–5% concentration), the crane must be designed for sulfide stress cracking resistance in accordance with NACE MR0175.
In the storage and logistics area, the crude oil tank farm (100,000 m³ external floating roof tanks) and the finished product tank farm primarily require crane services for tank maintenance (floating roof sections weighing 5–15 t) and pipe rack installation. Kelude Heavy Industry recommends the LD Type explosion-proof electric single-girder crane (Ex d IIB T4) or an explosion-proof electric hoist underslung crane (for pipe rack areas), with lifting capacities from 3 to 10 t. During tank maintenance, the crane must work in conjunction with a dedicated boom through the tank wall manhole platform. The explosion protection class for the storage area is determined by the stored medium — gasoline: Ex d IIB T3, diesel: Ex d IIB T4, jet fuel: Ex d IIC T3.
Kelude Heavy Industry — Service Advantages for Refinery Cranes
Kelude Heavy Industry has years of experience serving the petroleum refining sector, supplying explosion-proof, corrosion-resistant crane solutions for major processing units such as atmospheric and vacuum distillation, fluid catalytic cracking, hydrocracking, and delayed coking. We hold petrochemical maintenance qualifications and Ex explosion-proof certification, with products covering the full lifting workflow from raw material handling to finished product storage.
