| American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers

Question 6: The use of infrared pyrometers for monitoring tube temperatures in steam reformers is a well known practice. What is your recommended frequency for use of these devices ( how many times per week)? Can you offer any recommended alternate devices or methods available such as fixed infrared pyrometer skin thermocouples or infrared imaging?

CITGO’s operating philosophy is to monitor our tubes with an optical pyrometer every shift. We monitor the tubes from multiple locations on each level of our terraced wall furnace. This method has been extremely effective in extending the life of the furnace tubes and catalyst.

Question 5: Does anyone have proven experience using promoted zinc oxide products for sulfur removal upstream of the reforming section? What improvement have you measured in the downstream catalyst performance?

Topsoe has installed our new promoted zinc oxide product HTZ-51 upstream the reformer section in a number of Ammonia, Hydrogen and Methanol plants. Topsoe’s promoted zinc oxide is also used as a purification absorbent upstream methanator units.

Question 4: In your experience, what options are available to debottleneck existing hydrogen systems and increase hydrogen production? Is hydrogen recovery from refinery off gas an economical option?

To focus the question, let us consider a refinery setup where the main hydrogen (H2) sources are the catalytic (naphtha) reformer off gas and an on-purpose steam methane reformer (SMR) for the supplemental H2.

Question 3: Please discuss your best strategies to prevent overheating of steam reforming furnaces?

The question is general; however, there are a variety of steam reformer designs with different operating and control strategies used industrially so a general answer is provided. Operators are urged to consult with their technology providers or qualified engineering contractors for specific guidance on this issue.

Question 2: Please discuss your experience regarding the need to add an emergency shutdown (ESD) valve between the cold high pressure separator and the product stripper. The typical design for vapor blow through is to size the stripper relief valve for this case.

Vern Mallett (UOP) UOP considers that an ESD valve between the cold separator and product stripper is not required and not recommended. The design philosophy behind this practice is to prevent liquid from filling the cold high pressure separator and carrying over into the auto depressuring system and filling the relief header.

Question 1: What is your experience with emergency isolation equipment (such as a check valve or actuated valve) on the outlet of reactor charge heaters to prevent loss of containment of the reactor loop in a tube rupture scenario? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having this type of equipment?

Sunoco typically looks at the use of isolation equipment on the reactor charge heaters on a case by case basis. The need for these devices is driven by the design configuration of the unit, the process stream being charged to the heater, the emergency depressuring capabilities installed on the unit, and LOPA/HAZOP analysis.

AFPM Recognizes Facilities with Outstanding Safety Practices

Apr 5, 2022

The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) has announced the winners of the 2021 Annual Safety Awards, part of the refining and petrochemical industries’ ongoing mission to enhance and recognize outstanding workplace safety. The awards, considered the industries’ premier awards, are part of a comprehensive program developed by the AFPM Safety and Health Committee to promote safe operations in the refining and petrochemical industries. They also recognize facilities that have outstanding occupational and process safety performance.

Apr 5, 2022

News

2022 Annual Meeting

Mar 13

Mar 15, 2022

Hyatt Regency New Orleans, New Orleans, LA

Mar

3 DAYS

Question 61: Have you found that you needed to install a methanator upstream of a chlorided catalyst isomerization unit to remove carbon monoxide (CO) from the feed? What is the source of the CO and how much of a difference has the addition of the methanator made to catalyst life? What is the expected payout for the cost of the methanator?

The problem now comes from the oxygen ingress coming in with makeup hydrogen, with the culprit typically being CO and CO2.

Question 60: How do you detect leaks in an isomerization unit's steam charge heater? Have you been able to detect a leak before a significant portion of the catalyst bed was deactivated?

The common problem in these units is deactivation of the catalyst by the ingress of water over the catalyst, because water actually deactivates the catalyst. This is a slide of a typical flow scheme for these units, and kind of shows you the conundrum of designing and operating these units.