Loss Prevention
Apply ceramic coatings to extend radiant tube life in process heaters
Process tubes in refining applications are typically steel alloy (ASTM A335 P22, P5 or P9), which contain 2.25%, 5% and 9% Cr, respectively. These grades oxidize at operating temperatures, and scale will grow continuously on the surface, often reaching 2 mm in thickness in higher-temperature/high-heat-flux units. The layers of scale are very insulating and represent a significant barrier to conductive heat transfer to the process.
Effectively clean air fan coolers with water and steam
In many refineries and petrochemical plants, air fan coolers (AFCs) become a major bottleneck to increasing plant capacity. Many plants suffer from lower heat duty than designed, especially during the summer months, which can lead to lower plant capacity.
Leveraging modern flow technologies to improve safety in refineries
The refining industry is facing increased pressures, such as crude oil supply changes, changing product distributions and increasing regulations. These pressure points create a highly competitive market where refiners are looking for options that include digitally transforming operations and adapting new technologies to enhance safety and improve uptime, flexibility and efficiency, while securing their competitive position in a dynamic market. Improving personnel and process safety remains a top focus area for refiners.
Managing dark data and visualizing your digital twin
Today’s tools are often specialized for a certain type of task; however, they often lack the connectivity that would enable the easy comparison and cross-reference of asset information. Engineering tools are well suited for design and build phases, but may be less suited for use in operations and maintenance.
Five key innovation concepts to impact frontline engineers in 2020
Gas processing, liquefaction, oil refining, bulk petrochemicals and chemicals plants represent a large population of frontline engineers and technical managers. Their professional lives will become increasingly impacted by the growing adoption of disruptive digital technologies and digital platforms.
Executive Viewpoint: Fuels and petrochemicals will continue to help humanity thrive
A 15-yr rise in U.S. exports of refined products continued in 2019 with the nation exporting more than ever, underscoring the importance of these products to fueling a growing world. In the latter half of the last decade, U.S. petrochemical production capacity increased—with more than $20 B invested in domestic petrochemical projects in the last 2 yr alone—and exports of petrochemicals and petrochemical feedstocks rose, as well.
Editorial Comment: Adopting digital technologies to enhance operations
What is the future of refining and petrochemical operations? One trend that has been the focus of many articles, whitepapers and conference presentations is the digital transformation of the hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI).
Inspection: A practical approach to internal inspection of pressure equipment
Internal inspections of pressure equipment involve a full inspection of the equipment. Inspection engineers and inspectors depend heavily on internal inspections to retrieve useful data, which includes information on active degradation mechanisms, corrosion rates, remaining equipment life, failure occurrences and failure expectations, among other critical details.
LOPA: A comprehensive analytical tool for deriving SIL targets and applicability review
Many industrial facilities, especially those in the chemical, oil and gas and petroleum industries, involve inherent risks in operations due to the processing of material that is hazardous in nature. It is necessary to precisely identify and analyze hazards, operability issues, associated risks and consequences.
Digital: How digital tools improve access to device information
Welcome to the future! The plant runs fully automated; robots glide silently back and forth, ensuring an optimized process; and your maintenance technician—with a few keystrokes—can tell you exactly how each piece of equipment is running. The promise of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has been delivered.
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- LyondellBasell's polyolefin technologies selected by SHCCIG Yulin for petrochemicals complex in China 6/27
- Damaged unit of Iran's South Pars refinery back operating 6/27
- hte conducts research for JGC to advance decarbonization by identifying suitable catalysts for ammonia cracking 6/26
- TES and CPC Finland to develop 500-MW e-NG project in Finland 6/26
