BATCH PLANT PROCESS OPTIMIZATION

A Technical Report
by
Stephanie Gonzalez
Chemical Engineering Department
Junior
NALCO Champion
Spring/Summer 2015

presented to
Dr. Misty Rudd
Texas A&M University - Qatar

April 30, 2016

Abstract
This report presents the projects and assignments I have completed during my co-op terms
at NALCO Champions Freeport plant. My role as a project manager allowed me to work with
operators, maintenance, and contractors to make process improvements by applying engineering
knowledge I learned in class. Making considerable changes in a chemical plant may take months,
so I focused on small projects that would have a positive impact on production. The improved the
Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) distillation process by installing a basket strainer, reduced cycle times on
Oxyalkylation batches by reusing dirty Heavy Aromatic Naptha (HAN), doubled raw material
unloading capabilities, and eliminated manifold lineups for kerosene batches. I was able to
complete these projects by collaborating with my co-workers in order to come up with the safest
and most effective solution.

Table of Contents
I.

Introduction

II.

Work Assignments

A. P-233 Basket Strainer

B. TK-231 Recirculation Line

C. R-2859 Hard Piping

D. Raw Material Unloading Improvement

12

III.

Conclusion

15

IV.

Bibliography

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List of Figures
Figure 1: Piping & Instrumentation Diagram of Y- Strainer

Figure 2: Comparison of Y-Strainer and Basket Strainer

Figure 3: Before and After Pictures of P-233 Line

Figure 4: Piping & Instrumentation Diagram of Basket Strainer

Figure 5: P-231 Pump Curve

Figure 6: Before and After Pictures of TK-231 Recirculation Line

Figure 7: Piping & Instrumentation Diagram of R-1050

10

Figure 8: Picture of R-1050 Manifold

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Figure 9: Piping & Instrumentation Diagram of V-162

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Figure 10: Picture of V-162

12

Figure 11: Before and After P&IDs of Raw Material Unloading Line

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Figure 12: Before and After P&IDs of MEA Unloading Line

13

Figure 13: Before and After P&IDS of Formalin Unloading Line

14

Figure 14: Before and After Pictures of Raw Material Unloading Area

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List of Tables
Table 1: Lab Result Guidelines for Reusing HAN

Table 2: Steel Pipe Data

Table 3: Values of Surface Roughness of Various Materials

Table 4: Resin Batches that Require R-2859

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I. Introduction
NALCO Champions Freeport manufacturing facility makes a wide range of products
utilized in the oil and gas and water treatment industries. Freeport is one of the companys most
reactive sites, with 88% reaction and 12% blend batches. The main objective of co-op terms was
improve current manufacturing process by carrying out projects that could be completed in the
allotted time frame. Furthermore, I sought to learn more about the batch processes and how they
could be improved through small changes.
II. Work Assignments
During both of my co-op terms, I was assigned four major process improvement projects.
Each project presented challenges and setbacks, but I was able to complete them by working with
engineers, operators, and contractors to discover the best solution. It is essential to work with all
departments involved in a process so that all perspectives are considered while keeping safety the
topmost priority.
A. P-233 Basket Strainer
The first project I managed was installing a Basket Strainer on the suction line of pump
233. Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) is one the solvents used to clean reactors and pipelines. In the
Freeport facility, there is an IPA distillation process that distills dirty IPA so that it can be reused
in later cleanups. Whenever a reactor or line is cleaned with virgin IPA, the dirty IPA is sent to
tank TK-233, where it is stored until it can be distilled. Dirty IPA sent to TK-233 contains chemical
residue that is very dense and cannot be dissolved in the solvent. In order to prevent the
contaminants from being fed into the IPA Still, a small Y-Strainer was used to collect the residue.
However, the strainer was undersized, so it would get clogged too quickly and could not filter at
the desired rate. As a result, P-233 could not run efficiently, disrupting the distillation process.

The objective of this project was to increase the flow rate through the pump by effectively
filtering the dirty IPA. The flow rate through the Y-Strainer, in gallons per minute, originally
averaged 1.9 gpm with a maximum of 3.3 gpm. As can be seen in Figure 1, the suction line through
the filter to P-233 was 1 pipe which would often get blocked with residue from the dirty IPA,
further decreasing the flow rate.

Figure 1: Piping & Instrumentation Diagram of Y- Strainer

In order to improve the efficiency of P-233, a 3 Basket Strainer and 3 line were installed.
After researching several types of filtering equipment, Model 72 Simplex Basket Strainer by Eaton
Filtration was purchased. The basket strainer removes unwanted debris by directing the fluid
through [1/8] openings in the basket and the waste is collected at the bottom [1]. As seen below
in Figure 2 the Basket Strainer is significantly larger than the Y- Strainer.

Figure 2: Comparison of Y-Strainer (left) to Basket Strainer (right)

The lateral surface area of the strainers increased from 9.42 in2 to 56.5 in2, resulting in six
times the straining capacity. Nonetheless, the most evident improvement was in the new flow rate
to the IPA Still. The average flow rate through the Basket Strainer was measured to be 8.2 gpm
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and the highest flow rate observed was 10.2 gpm. Figure 3 below shows the before and after
pictures of the project improvements.

Figure 3: Before (left) and After (right) Pictures of P-233 Line

New 3 piping was installed from TK-233 to the actuated valve as seen below in the P&ID
in Figure 4. By increasing the suction line to the filter from 1 to 3 as well as having steam tracing
and insulation on the line, residue is less likely to create blockages. Steam tracing increases the
temperature of the material in the pipe in order to obtain a smoother flow.

Figure 4: Piping & Instrumentation Diagram of Basket Strainer

Overall, this project was very successful while also providing numerous learning
opportunities. The installation was done though contractors, which taught me how to effectively
manage a group of people and how to schedule shutdowns around production. Additionally, I
determined how to measure the flow rate through the pump using our Distribution Control System
(DCS) and the increasing volume of the IPA Still. By effectively reusing IPA, the plant will obtain
savings from having to purchase virgin IPA for cleanups. Virgin IPA costs $1.5 per gallon and
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each cleanup requires 1200 gallons, so reusing IPA will yield minimum savings of $1,800 per day,
or $54,000 per year.
B. TK-231 Recirculation Line
The second project I completed was increasing the recirculation line size on tank TK-231
from 1 to 1.5 in order to collect a representative sample of the tank contents. TK-231 contains
dirty Heavy Aromatic Naptha (HAN), a solvent used to clean reactors and pipelines that is then
sent to its storage tank, carrying a significant amount of chemical residue. In addition, HAN can
be used as a raw material in five of the high temperature resin batches, depending on the pH and
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) lab results.
The tank must be recirculated in order to obtain a representative sample that can be tested
for pH and FTIR. Based on the lab results from the sample, Table 1 determines the batches that
can use the dirty HAN.
Table 1: Lab Result Guidelines for Reusing HAN
PRODUCT
PR-2209M
V-2102M
V-20353M
Z-5086M
D-4275M

STEP

FTIR pH
<50% <9
0% 0%
0% 0%
50% 50%
100% 100%
50% 50%
100% 100%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
100% 100%
0% 0%

130
210
170
430
180
460
170
360
250
170
470

FTIR pH
>50% <9
0% 0%
0% 0%
0% 0%
0% 0%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
50% 50%
0% 0%
50% 0%
0% 0%

The recirculation line had not been utilized since 2013 due to blockages in the line caused
by residue present in the tank. Whenever operators recirculated the line, the pump would shut off
and they were not able to test the solvent. Therefore, they could only reuse it on one resin batch,
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the only batch that could always take dirty HAN no matter the test results. The other four products
could not be made without testing the tank, forcing production to use virgin HAN and thus creating
unnecessary spending.
The objective of this project was to determine a way to recirculate the tank so that dirty
HAN could be used to make resin batches. In order to define the problem, I examined the specs of
pump P-231 and the original recirculation line. The 1 line was installed in 1999 when P-231 was
a 10 gpm Wilden pump. P-231 was replaced in 2010 by a Goulds pump, increasing the capacity to
120 gpm, but the recirculation line remained the same. The measured flow rate through the line
was only 89 gpm. Evidently, we were not getting the design flow rate, so we focused on the pump
curve and determined that the optimal performance would be 120 gmp with 212 feet of total
dynamic head (TDH), shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5: P-231 Pump Curve

The 1 recirculation line was 63 total feet in length, with an 18 foot dip tube into the tank,
and a 4 foot long 3 suction line to the pump that would remain the same. I determined the current
condition of P-231 and how the pump would operate with larger line sizes, specifically 1.5 and
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2. In order to obtain the current and predicted flow rates through the line, I utilized several fluid
mechanics equations found in Piping System Fundamentals [2]. Table 2 was used to obtain the
inside diameter, d, of 1, 1.5, and 2 carbon steel pipe according to their schedule number [3].
Table 2: Steel Pipe Data [3]

In addition, Table 3 provided the pipe roughness of steel pipe, [4]. The viscosity, , and
specific gravity, S, of the dirty solvent were found in lab documents. With these parameters and
the desired flow rate, Q, of 120 gpm, I was able to calculate the fluid velocity through the pipe
using Equation 1.
Table 3: Values of Surface Roughness of Various Materials [4]

= 2 ,

(1)

The next step in the process was determining whether flow was turbulent or laminar. This
was achieved using Equation 2 to calculate the Reynolds number, Re. The specific gravity of the
dirty HAN was converted to density, , in the corresponding units in order to be used in Equation
2.
= 50.6

(2)

All of the flows were determined to be turbulent (Re > 4000), so in order to find the friction
factor, f, I used the Swamee-Jain approximation, Equation 3.
=

0.25

5.74 2
[log(
+
)]
3.7 0.9

(3)

Equation 4 calculates the head loss due to friction between the flowing fluid and the pipe
wall [2]. Head loss, hL, was calculated using the determined friction factor, pipe length, L, and
gravitational constant, g.
2

= 2

(4)

Since head loss is a loss of fluid energy that manifests itself as a decrease in the static
pressure of the fluid, Equation 5 was used to calculate the pressure drop that results from the head
loss [2].
=

144

(5)

The results from these formulas led me to conclude that the recirculation line needed to be
increased to 1.5. This size pipe allows for enough fluid velocity while maintaining the desired
TDH. For this project, I worked with the in-house maintenance personnel to create and install the
new line. Before and after pictures are shown below in Figure 6. The new 1.5 recirculation line
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has a more direct path back to TK-231 that is five feet shorter than the original line. Having fewer
elbows significantly reduces the resistance coefficient factor, K, and the likelihood of a blockage
due to debris in the line.

Figure 6: Before (left) and After (right) Pictures of TK-231 Recirculation Line
Now that the tank contents can be successfully recirculated and reused, there is more
storage capacity in the tank for dirty HAN. This creates a significant savings opportunity, since
Oxyalkylation reactors may be prepped with a HAN rinse instead of IPA, reducing dehydration
time by three hours. Previously this could not be achieved because TK-231 could not contain any
more dirty solvent. Ultimately, the plant will obtain $18,000 savings per month by prepping
reactors with HAN, since Oxyalkylation reactor time is valued at $1,200 per hour. There will also
be $33,000 savings from not having to purchase virgin HAN to make resin batches. In total,
recirculating Tank 231 will save the Freeport plant over $50,000 per month.
This project allowed me to apply my academic learning in the real world. I used equations
and concepts learned in class and determined the solution to a problem. Additionally, I learned
how to work with maintenance to make changes in the plant.

C. R-2859 Hard Piping

The main capital project I was assigned during the second term was hard piping R-2859
(kerosene) into two high temperature resin reactors, R-1050 and vessel V-162. The current way to
charge kerosene to these reactors is by lining up a hose in the manifold from Tank 308 (the storage
tank for R-2859) to either one of the reactors, depending on the batch being made. One of the
safety concerns of this practice would be lining up the hose to the incorrect reactor or vessel,
possibly creating a runaway reaction or a bad batch. Additionally, since the manifold is congested
with hoses, trip hazards are a significant safety issue. By piping kerosene to the reactors, all of
these safety concerns would be eliminated since the product would be transferred directly to the
vessels.
Evident in Table 4, three batches take kerosene with varying additions. PR-4891 is one of
the plants most in-demand finished products, so any improvements to the process would yield
tremendous results. D-4246M and Q03G7 are made less frequently but they still require several
adds per batch.
Table 4: Resin Batches that Require R-2859
Product

Adds/batch

Batches/month

Reactor

PR-4891

3-4

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R-1050 & V-162

D-4246M

R-1050 & V-162

Q03G7

1-2

R-1050

Adding piping to existing reactors can be quite challenging since most of the flanges on
the reactors are already being utilized to charge other materials. After studying the piping and
instrumentation diagrams of both reactors, it was decided that the new piping would be tied into
existing manifolds in each of the vessels.

Reactor R-1050 is the original vessel designed to make high temperature resins, thus all of
the flanges on the tank were unavailable since other projects were previously carried out to
optimize the process. A closer look at the P&IDs revealed an open flange on a manifold, making
it the only flange that could be utilized for a new material to be piped into this reactor.
The available flange is evident in Figure 7, circled in red. This 2 inch flange is part of a
manifold consisting of heavy aromatic naphtha (HAN), nonylphenol, and nitrogen that is used to
blow the line. Adding kerosene to this charge line will not cause contamination because the pipe
would be tied in after the aromatic solvent, which is used to clean the reactor after every batch.
Furthermore, the quality supervisor confirmed that kerosene and nonylphenol are compatible
substances, so there is no possibility of creating an unforeseen reaction in the manifold.

Figure 7: Piping & Instrumentation Diagram of R-1050

Figure 8 shows a picture of the existing manifold in reactor R-1050. An automated valve
will be installed on the 2 inch flange, flowed by a manual block valve that would be used in case
maintenance work is needed on the automated valve, and a check valve would follow to prevent
chemical backflow. This valve set up (automated, manual, check) ensures the safest design in
charging raw materials.

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Figure 8: Picture of R-1050 Manifold

Vessel V-162 was recently built to expand resin production capabilities. Therefore, there
was an available flange directly on the tank. The original idea was to create a new manifold on this
flange but this idea was reconsidered due to limited space in that area and additional cost. Figure
9 demonstrates where the new piping will be tied into, shown by the red arrow. This manifold
contains HAN, acceptor R-50016, and nitrogen. The kerosene line would be tied in between the
HAN and acceptor lines.

Figure 9: Piping & Instrumentation Diagram of V-162

A picture of the V-162 manifold is shown in Figure 10. In order to tie into the manifold, a
new stainless steel section of line will be created to include an extra flange for kerosene, depicted
by the red arrow. Similar to R-1050, the kerosene pipeline will include an automated valve, a
manual block valve, and a check valve. In addition to these valves, three separate check valves
will be installed in each of the existing charge lines to prevent backflow.

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Figure 10: Picture of V-162 Manifold

All three batches that take kerosene will be reprogrammed to include the new charging
procedure. The kerosene flow rate to the reactors will be measured by a flow meter located on the
line from TK-308, ensuring an accurate measurement. The total cost for this project is $47,500.
Lining up the hose in the manifold takes about 2 minutes, multiplied by the number of adds per
batch and batches made per month, 152 minutes of resin time will be saved. Resins are sold at
$1.08/kg and the plant produces about 1,000 kg/hour; therefore $2,735 will be saved per month,
achieving the return on investment in 17.4 months. Overall, this project will prevent operator errors
and trip hazards while improving high temperature resin cycle times.
D. Raw Material Unloading Improvement
Raw material tanker trucks are unloaded by pressurizing the trucks with regulated nitrogen
so that the material can flow through the pipelines and into the storage tanks. The original
unloading capabilities only allowed for one truck to be unloaded at a time since there was just one
regulated nitrogen line. This would create bottlenecks in the unloading process, especially when
several tanker trucks were dropped off all at once. The purpose of this project was to extend the
nitrogen line to another location in the truck unloading area so that two trucks could be unloaded
simultaneously.

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Shown in Figure 11, the line was extended from the blind flange to the desired destination.
A pressure regulator was installed and set to regulate 25 pounds of pressure, the pressure required
to unload tanker trucks. In addition, pressure gauges were installed so that operators know when
the trucks are empty based on pressure changes. Lastly, a bleed line was created for the pressure
to be released once the truck was unloaded.

Figure 11: Before (left) and After (right) P&IDs of Raw Material Unloading Line
Whenever a truck is unloaded, the lines need to be blown clear to remove chemical residue
left behind. This procedure was very time consuming and tedious since operators had to climb on
top of the trucks several times. The second phase of this project involved hard piping nitrogen into
existing monoethyamine (MEA) and formalin lines to be able to easily blow the lines clear of
chemical. The piping and instrumentation diagrams of the MEA and Formalin lines are
respectively shown in Figure 12 and Figure 13.

Figure 12: Before (left) and After (right) P&IDs of MEA Unloading Line
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Figure 13: Before (left) and After (right) P&IDs of Formalin Unloading Line
Evident in both Figure 12 and Figure 13, unregulated nitrogen was hard-piped into both
unloading lines. Check valves were installed to prevent chemical backflow and pressure gauges
were added so that operators know when the lines are clear. The new blowing procedure is simply
closing the dry-link on the hose, opening the nitrogen valve, and opening the existing valve on the
MEA or formalin lines. Operators no longer have to climb on top of the trucks.
Maintaining the 5S practices in the plant, two new hose racks were installed to store the
MEA and formalin hoses as well as the new regulated nitrogen hose, shown in Figure 14.
Additionally, a new grounding reel was installed so that the trucks can be unloaded safely.

Figure 14: Before (left) and After (right) Pictures of Raw Material Unloading Area

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This project contributed to significant plant savings. By unloading two trucks

simultaneously, unloading time was reduced by 1.5 hours. Given that the average number of trucks
unloaded was five per day, 7.5 hours are saved. Totaled, the plant would save $3,000 per month.
The total cost for this project was $4,000 yielding a return on investment in 1.3 months, so the
savings were evident soon after the project was completed.
III. Conclusion
Working as a project manager at NALCO Champion has given me invaluable leadership
and technical skills that will help make me a well-rounded engineer. Chemical plants can be very
intimidating, but I was able to adapt to a foreign environment by communicating with my coworkers and asking questions whenever I was unsure about something. Above all, I learned the
importance of working as a team to achieve a common purpose by contributing ideas while
simultaneously considering my colleagues feedback

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IV. Bibliography
[1] Eaton Filtration, LCC (2005). Model 72 Simplex Basket Strainer: Instruction,
Operation, & Service Manual. Elizabeth, NJ.
[2] Hardee R. T., and J. L. Sines, Piping System Fundamentals: The Complete Guide to
Gaining a Clear Picture of Your Piping System, 2nd ed., (Lacey, WA: Engineered Software,
2008)
[3] Chilton C. H., and R. H. Perry, Chemical Engineers Handbook, 5th ed., (New York:
McGraw-Hill, 1973).
[4] Flow of Fluids: Through Valves, Fittings and Pipe. Tech. no. 410. Stamford, CT: Crane,
2013.

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