Programs In Learning Operating Techniques Practical Distillation Unit 7: Abnormal Operations Unit 8: Abnormal Operating Situations 1014WBProgram developed b Consulting Author: Authors: Editors: Program Supervisor: Supervisor and Content Specialist for API: Chairman, Programed Learning Subcommittee, ing Committee: ing Committee: Validation provided through ‘the cooperation of: Howell Training Company 118831 Northwest Freeway, Suite 520 Houston, Texas 77040-5215 Dr. Donald K. Anderson, Michigan State University Dr. Martin Hawley, Lyn Sandow Lyn Sandow, Dr. Donald Lioyd Dr. John Ball LJ. McAllister, American Oil Co. Eugene Gambril, American Oil Co. Everett Thompson, Leonard Refineries American Oil Co. Sinclair Refining Co. This text has been validated by the Committee on Training, Division of Refining, American Petroleum Institute, 1964. Duplication or mosification of this copyrighted material, or any part thereof, is 8 Violation of Federal Law. Violation of ths copyright law may result in severe Civil penalties and criminal conviction investigates all alegations of criminal copyright infringement. ‘The Federal Bureau of InvestigationPRACTICAL DISTILLATION Unit 7 Abnormal OperationsIn order to recognize symptoms of abnormal operation of the fractionating tower and move alertly to make corrections, the operator needs to apply the same orderly pattern of thought that he uses to control normal operations: 1. Collect the data. Consider the problem. 8. Correct the operation. 4. Check the results. This program identifies and analyzes certain serious abnormalities which affect tower operation: flooded trays, high levels, dry trays, trapped water, loss of cooling water, loss of heat, and plugged outlets. It treats the effects of these ies on products and on temperature, pressure, and It defines orderly procedures for discovering what is happening in the tower, which corrections are most likely to re-establish normal operation, and how to judge the effects of any adjustment made. Using the knowledge from this and previous units of Practical Distillation, the operator is more able to meet the challenge of abnormal operation and restore the tower to efficient and economical fractionation.INSTRUCTIONS This is a programed learning course. Programed learning gives information in a series of steps called frames. Each frame gives some information and asks you to make use of it. Here is how it works. First, cover the response column at the right with a mask. Read this frame and use the information it gives to fill in the blank. A micrometer is an instrument designed to measure in thousandths of an inch. A micrometer is a good tool for measuring very differences in size. ‘Move the mask down to uncover the word at the right of the frame. If you have filled the blank with that word or a word ‘that means the same, you are ready to go ahead to the next frame. ‘The drawing of a micrometer provides information that will help you fill in the next blanks. OBJECT TO BE MEASURED ANVIL: nye THIMBLE SPINDLE + tt areney FRAME Seven major parts are shown in the drawing, but only the____and the___ contact the object to be measured. small anvil; spindle‘The next frame calls for a choice. Circle or underline the ap- propriate word. Of the two parts that contact the object, only the (anvil/ spindle) moves. A program is a series of frames that work like the ones you have just done: Read the frame. ‘Use the information to fill in the blanks or make a choice. ‘Move the mask down and check the response column. Go on to the next frame. Remember to cover the response column with a mask before you begin each page. spindleINTRODUCTION 1. As the operator, you must always be in control of the tower, or unit 2. A tower producing a product that does not meet specifications, but is otherwise operating normally, is relatively easy to control. ‘You usually control the quality of products by adjust- ing temperatures 3. It takes a skillful operator to analyze the problem when the tower is operating abnormally 4, Abnormal operations lower the quality of the product. They can also cause serious damage to the ___. equipment, or tower 5. Correcting abnormal operations requires (more/less) more skill on the part of the operator. 6. A flooding tower presents many variables and alterna- tives for the operator to work with. It will take more than a simple adjustment in to correct an abnormal situation. temperature 7. A good operator is skeptical about tests and instru- ments. He never takes it for granted that his tower _—___are working properly or that his instruments is true. data 8, A situation that appears abnormal may not be abnor- mal, because of faulty instruments or inaccurate test data, or results 9. An abnormal situation may be caused by one or several factors. ‘You must look for all possible ___. causes 10. If an abnormal situation may have several causes, you may also have several ways to____it. correct, or adjust 11. Because abnormal situations may be serious and tend to get worse, time becomes important. ‘You may have less _______to discover a cause and time choose remedy than you do in normal operations. 12. Therefore, you must estimate the ______ available time to you to make a wise decision.18. uw 16. 16. i. 18. 19. 21. 23. 25. To make a wise decision in a limited time, you must have all necessary information at hand, or know where and how to get it ina You must also know the “rate of deterioration” of the situation: Or, how much ______ you have before the present situation gets worse. ‘You need a quick review of the possible courses of action available and the consequences of any ____ that you might take. ‘You must be aware of alternate choices of ‘You must recognize abnormalities in the situa- tion and their relationship to each other. ‘You approach the problem step by step: Collect the Consider the Correct the. Check the After you have considered all possibilities of correction you must choose the ___ desirable. A harsh or ill-considered action may speed up the of deterioration. Too much delay may let the situation get You do not risk injury to yourself or your fellow Given several possible solutions, you always consider safety. You do not take chances with the safety of the In keeping with the safety of men and equipment, you choose a course of action or you may even choose no Balancing different possible corrections in your mind, you consider what to do if your first choice fails, and what to do if your___ choice fails, too. If that fails, you have another in mind. hurry time action correction, or action data problem operation results most. rate workers equipment, or tower action next, or second correction27. The challenge of abnormal operations is built into the refining process. You are always dealing with tempera- tures, pressures, and materials that may get out of control 28, Abnormal operations lower the quality of ___ products and may endanger men and ‘equipment 29. An alert operator recognizes abnormal situations quickly and moves deliberately to identify their causes 80. Without haste he chooses a—____. correction 81. He makes the correction and watches the ___. results 82. If he has time to wait, he waits. If fast action is called for, he acts fast, or quickly 38, With safety of men and equipment always in mind, he brings the tower back to operation. normal 34, Abnormal operations test the knowledge and skill of the operator. ‘They also give him a chance to__ more about learn, his job. : FLOODED TRAYS 35. When a section of the tower is flooded, a group of trays is filled ith ecceey liquid 36. A tray floods when it is not able to handle either the amount of liquid or the amount of __. vapor 87. A flooded tray is a tray that has been worked (above/ below) its capacity. above 38. If the amount of vapor or liquid entering a tray is too great, the tray __. floods 39. For liquid or vapor to flow, there must be a driving force which can overcome all resisting forces 40. For vapor, the driving _____is pressure. For foree liquid, the driving _______is its weight. foree41. 42. 45, 46. 48. 49. ‘The vapor is pushed up from tray 1 to tray 2 if the pressure at A is (greater/lesser) than the pressure at B. Pressure (increases/decreases) gradually from bottom to top of the tower. Pressure drop is the _______in pressure between the top and the bottom of the tower. For vapor to rise, there must be less pressure above and greater pressure below. This difference is a drop. ‘The driving force for vapor is the pressure ‘There are __ forces that the vapor must overcome. . The vapor must flow through the risers and the caps on each tray. Friction is a resisting force holding the back as it flows up through the risers and bubble caps. ‘The vapor must also bubble up through ___on. each tray. ‘The liquid above the bubble cap openings on each tray rests its weight on each of the bubble cap openings. ‘This weight of liquid is the hydrostatic head on the tray. ‘The hydrostatic head is another resisting force that the vapor must TRAY 2 TRAY 1 greater decreases difference pressure drop resisting bubble vapor liquid overcome51. 52. BA. 55. 56. 87. 58. 59, Friction and the hydrostatic head on the tray are (driving/resisting) forces that the vapor must over- resisting come. The driving force of the liquid is its gravity or weight. ‘The weight of the liquid depends upon its depth. The weight or depth of the liquid is its hydrostatic head. Since the liquid is heavier than the vapor, the liquid flows (up/down). down To travel down in the tower, the liquid must overcome the pressure drop of the vapor ‘The pressure drop of the vapor is a force that (drives/ resists) the liquid. resists Friction in the downcomers is a force that (drives/ resists) the liquid. resists The liguid must overcome the____ drop. pressure of the vapor and the in the downcomers. friction TRAY 3 HYDROSTATIC HEAD {H2) TRAY 2 m { TRAY 1 In a normally operating tower, vapor rises from tray 1 to tray __. 2 Liquid from tray 2 flows down, through the down- comers, to tray 1 Vapor rises because of the ____________drop. pressure60. P (pressure) 1 is (greater/lesser) than P 2. 61. Pressure is exerted in all directions. Pressure pushes the vapor up from tray 1 to tray 2. This same pressure pushes down on the ______on tray 1. 62. Pressure also pushes up on the_______in the downcomers. 68. The depth of the liquid on the tray and the depth of the liquid in the downcomer are (the same/different). 64. The depth of liquid in the downcomer is also a hydro- static head. ‘This hydrostatic head in the downcomer is (the same as/different from) the hydrostatic head that exerts its weight on the openings of the bubble caps. 65. The height of the hydrostatic head in the downcomer (H 1) is maintained by the difference between the two pressures (P 1 and P 2) shown in frame 57. ‘The liquid depth in the downcomer depends on the _—_________ drop aeross the tray and the amount. of liquid flowing. 66. As liquid spills over tray 2 into the downcomer, it flows out of the downcomer into tray __. 67. Thus, in a normally operating tower, the liquid flows into the downcomer and out of it at a steady rate, and the hydrostatic head on each downcomer (remains constant /changes). 68. As long as the hydrostatic head in the downcomer remains constant, liquid will not build up higher in the 69. To keep a constant flow of liquid through the tower, a constant ______ head is maintained in the downcomer. 70. A constant hydrostatic head depends on maintaining a constant____ drop. 71. The hydrostatic head must be high enough for the liquid to overcome the drop and the friction in the downcomer. greater liquid liquid different different from pressure remains constant downcomer hydrostatic pressure pressure72, Frictional resistance increases as the velocity of the liquid increases. ‘The faster the liquid travels through the downcomer, the (greater/smaller) the resistance. 78. Loose seale or dirt also increases the —_____in the downcomer. 74. If the liquid rate in the tower increases, the height of the hydrostatic head also increases and keeps a constant flow of _______ going from one tray to the next. 16. PL ‘The diagrams show the same tray in the same tower, under the same operating conditions, except that the the flow rate is different. The flow rate in B is (greater/lesser) than the flow rate in A. 76. When the depth of the liquid rises in the downcomers until it is equal to the distance between 2 trays, these trays are greater friction liquid greater flooded HI78. 79. 80. 81. ‘The liquid hydrostatic head is (less than/greater than) the distance between 2 trays. This section of the tower is ‘When vapor rises through the bubble caps, the bubble caps create friction. Friction increases as the velocity of vapor. The bubble caps create friction that resists the vapor flow and increases the pressure drop. When this in- creased pressure drop is balanced by liquid in the down- comer deeper than the distance between two trays, the tray section is - That is, when the pressure drop has to be balanced by a hydrostatic head greater than the distance between two trays, the tray section is Normally the composition of the material on each tray is different from the composition of the material on the tray above and the tray below it. ‘Thus, the temperature of each tray normally from tray to tray. * greater than flooded inereases flooded flooded changes, or varies83. If several trays are flooded, the composition of the mate- rial is the same on all of them and the on these trays is the same. 84, All the flooded trays behave as normal tray. 85. For efficient fractionation, vapor must bubble through liquid on a tray. By reducing the number of effective trays, a flooded section (increases/decreases) the efficiency of the tower. 86. Flooding results in products of. quality. 87. When the composition of the components is the same on all of the flooded trays, the temperature on all of the flooded trays is almost the same. A flooded section exhibits little gradient. 88. In a flooded section the rising vapor has to push up against a higher hydrostatic head. ‘The pressure drop is (larger/smaller) than normal. 89. Pressure continually fluctuates in a tower. 90. Flooding can be recognized by these signs: Products are of _______ quality. There is temperature gradient in a flooded section. ‘The pressure drop is (larger/smaller) than normal. Pressure (fluctuates/remains stable). 91. If flooding results in poor quality produets, the operator may bring the products back on test: a. By (reducing/increasing) the vapor flow. b. By (reducing/increasing) the liquid flow. HIGH LEVELS 92. An operating tower maintains a constant amount of liquid in the bottom of the tower. During operations the bottom product is drawn from this bottom 10 temperature decreases poor temperature larger flooded poor little larger fluctuates reducing reducing liquid98. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99, 100. 101. 102. 108. 104. 105. 106. 107. ‘The height which this bottom liquid reaches is the level in the tower. A normally operating tower maintains a constant liquid Towers are equipped with liquid level indicators. ‘These indicators show the ____of the liquid level. ‘The height of the liquid level is controlled by adjusting the flow rate of the ____ produet. To lower the liquid level, you (increase/decrease) the amount of bottom product removed from the tower. A low liquid level is corrected by the amount of bottom product removed from the tower. If the liquid level is allowed to rise too it will enter the tray section of the tower. This rise may be caused by too much liquid entering the tower or too ___ product being removed from the tower. If the liquid level rises into the tray sections, the trays behave as if they were If the high level floods several trays, there is little gradient from tray to tray. ‘The efficiency of fractionation (increases/decreases) By observing the difference in temperature from tray to tray, the operator can determine the approximate location of the liquid ‘The pressure drop in 2 tower operating with a high liquid level, as in a flooded tower, is (larger/smaller) than the pressure drop in a tower with a proper liquid level. High liquid level has (the same effect as/a different effect than) a flooded tower. A flooded tower and a tower maintaining a high liquid level behave in the same way, except that flooding can occur in any part of the tower. High liquid levels originate from the _____of the tower. : u liquid level height bottom increase decreasing high little flooded temperature decreases level larger the same effect as bottom,108. Unless a high liquid level is corrected, the efficiency of itleitawer seseeeee ese decreases DRY TRAYS 109. A flooded tray is filled with liquid. A dry tray is empty of ______. liquid 110. Fractionation occurs when vapor bubbles through ona tray. liquid 111. There is no vapor-_______contaet on a dry tray. liquid 112, Fractionation (does/does not) oceur on a dry tray. does not 118. Dry trays (increase/decrease) the efficiency of a tower. decrease 114. A level of liquid is normally maintained on each tray by the_____ that enters the tray from the reflux, or liquid tray above. 115. Material also enters a tray as ___from the vapor tray below. 116. Intermediate draw-offs affect the liquid levels of trapout trays. (Overdrawing/underdrawing) may remove all of the overdrawing liquid from a tray. 117. If all the liquid is removed from a tray, the tray pro- vides no _____ to cool the tray below. reflux 118. The dry trays may occur in a section of the tower (below/above) the tray which is being overdrawn. below 119. Trays (below/above) the overdraw overheat. below 120. There is (increased /decreased) vaporization on these increased hotter trays. 121. With the increase in temperature, (more/less) vapor more rises in the tower and (more/less) reflux goes down to less cool the tower. 122, Because temperatures are too high in a drying section, the product drawn off immediately above the dry sec- tion is too (light/heavy). heavy 123. Dry trays also occur if too hot a vapor enters the tower as__. feed 12124. This hot vapor may contain enough “superheat” to vaporize the liquid on the trays just above the __ feed tray. 125. Dry trays may result either from an overdraw of one of the products, or from too (much/little) superheat much entering with the feed. 126. Since there is no liquid on dry trays, no__ fractionation occurs on these trays. 127. The temperature on a series of dry trays is (the same/ different). ‘the same 128. A series of dry trays has a (normal/very much reduced) very much reduced temperature gradient. 129. Since a dry tray has no liquid on it, there is (more/less) less resistance for the vapor to overcome. 180. Because the vapor has less liquid to overcome, the tower will have a (larger/smaller) pressure drop. smaller 181. Both flooded trays and dry trays exhibit little tempera- ture gradient and (increased/decreased) tower effi- decreased ciency. 132. Flooded trays have a large pressure drop. Dry trays have (large/small) pressure drop. small 183, If dry trays occur just below a draw-off point you may correct the situation by (increasing/decreasing) the decreasing amount of product being drawn off. 134. Dry trays caused by superheated vapor may occur just above the feed tray and in the stripping section. To correct dry trays (reduce/increase) feed tempera- reduce ture, or (reduce/increase) reflux to the dry section of increase the tower. TRAPPED WATER 185, When a tray is filled with water, the tray is no longer effective. If the tray is filled with water, there is (more/less) less volume for vapor-oil contact. 186. Since oil is lighter than water, the oil (floats/sinks). floats 18187. Water remains trapped on a tray when the tray tem- perature is (higher/lower) than the boiling tempera- ture of water, at the operating pressure. 138. If the tray temperature is lower than the boiling tem- perature of water, the water (remains liquid/becomes vapor). 139. Water may enter the tower as excess moisture in the 140. As this moisture moves up in the tower, it may find a point where the temperature is lower than the boiling temperature of water. If the water is in vapor form, it ___________ at this point and remains on the tray. 141. On a tray filled with water, fractionation stops. ‘The tray below (cools/heats) and also collects water. 142. When several trays become filled with water and frac- tionation has ceased, that section of trays loses its temperature gradient, All the trays are at the same 143. This temperature is approximately the boiling tempera- ture of at that pressure. 144. If there is no place in the tower where the temperature is lower than the boiling temperature of water, water traps (occur/do not occur). 145. Example: Water boils at 274° at 30 PSIG. If water enters a tray where the temperature is 300°F, the water (does/does not) vaporize and rise to the next tray. 146. Since trapped water interferes with efficient operation, it must be _____ from the tower. 147. Trapped water causes poor fractionation and products of _____auality. 148. ‘Trapped water may be removed by carefully and gradu- ally (increasing /decreasing) the top temperature. 149. If the temperature is increased suddenly and all at once, all the water at the same time. 4 lower remains liquid feed condenses cools temperature water do not occur does removed poor increasing vaporizes150. Since water expands 1600 times when it turns to steam, great surges of pressure occur if it is vaporized all at once. Great surges in pressure can _________ trays upset, or damage and tear off bubble caps. 151. Pressure surges are avoided by increasing the tempera- ture___and. carefully, slowly 152. Trapped water on the trays may be removed from the bottom of the tower by (reducing/increasing) the bot- reducing tom temperature. 158, If the bottom temperature is decreased, the trapped water leaves the tower with the _______ product. bottom 154. If the top temperature is increased, the trapped water leaves the tower with the ____ product. top UPSET TRAYS 155. If some of the trays do not function properly, the tower does not have its normal fractionating efficiency. Its efficiency will be (increased/decreased) decreased 156. Under certain improper operating conditions, trays can be loosened or upset, and bubble caps can be torn loose. If some trays are upset, these trays (do/do not) provide do not vapor-liquid contact. 157. Trays may be upset by sudden high vapor velocities. A sudden high vapor velocity can cause trays to litt from their level positions in the tower and stay tipped out of place. 158. Trays may also be upset by trapped water. If trapped water is vaporized by a sudden increase in temperature, it expands 1600 times in a sudden surge of pressure. Such ____ surges can lift trays and tear off pressure bubble caps. 159. Water remaining from turnaround or entering the tower during start-up can also upset trays. ‘Trapped water may flash to vapor and ___ trays upset if the tower is improperly started. 15160, 161. 162. 168. 164. 165. 166. 167. 168, 169. Loss 170. M1 172, 173. Upset trays (can/cannot) be put back into place by adjusting temperature, pressure, or flow rates. ‘The only way to fix upset trays is to go into the tower and them by hand. Putting upset trays back in place is costly because the tower cannot ________while it is down, Upset trays do not fractionate. If a series of trays is upset, the section of the tower where they are will have little gradient. If the trays are out of position, vapor does not flow through the ____ caps and contact the liquid. There is (more/less) resistance for the vapor to over- come as it rises in the tower. It is (easier/harder) for the vapor to flow around upset trays than through the bubble caps. Because the resistance to flow is less, a tower with upset trays has a (larger/smaller) pressure drop. Upset trays, like dry trays, have a____ pressure drop. Upset trays, like dry trays and______ trays, have little ________ gradient. OF COOLING WATER ‘Mechanical breakdowns of pumps or losses of power may result in loss of cooling water. Cooling water is used in the condenser to condense hot Cooling water removes _____ from the system. The liquid which leaves the condenser is divided into two streams. One stream is drawn off as overhead and the other is returned as If cooling water is lost and nothing is done to remedy the situation, damage to equipment occurs. Loss of cooling water causes over-_________in the condenser. 16 cannot repair, or replace operate temperature bubble less easier smaller smaller flooded temperature vapors heat product reflux heating174. Overheating can cause of cooling coils or other damage. 175. If cooling water is lost, there is no _______re- entering the tower. 176. With no reflux going back into the tower, the tempera- ture on the top tray 177. The overhead product gets (lighter /heavier). 178. Without cooling water, the overhead product does not 179. If heat is no longer removed by the cooling system, the heat input must be drastically and quickly (reduced/ increased). 180. To compensate for loss of cooling water, the heat input must be (reduced increased) quickly. 181. In a tower with a reboiler, heat input can be quickly and drastically reduced by reducing heat to the 182. In a tower that does not have a reboiler, heat input can be reduced by lowering the temperature of the LOSS OF HEAT 483, Heat entering the tower may be sharply reduced or cut off. When heat entering the tower is reduced, leaving the tower must also be reduced. 184, When heat entering the tower is totally cut off, the tower must be brought promptly and steadily to 2 standby condition. It must be held there until the —_____supply is again available. 185. Heat may be reduced or cut off by failure of the steam pressure supplying _______ to the feed. 186. In a tower with a reboiler, failure in the steam supply may reduce or cut off heat to the 187. Failure in the hot oil stream to heat exchangers or reboilers may reduce or cut off ___ to the tower. Now turn the page turn the book over Ww ‘and go on. fouling, or scaling reflux rises heavier condense reduced reduced reboiler feed heat heat heat reboiler heat188. When the fuel oil or fuel gas supply to the furnace is reduced or cut off, part or all of the furnace burners may be shut down, Any reduction in heat from the furnace may cause a reduction of heat in the —___. feed 189, When the heat entering the tower is reduced gradu- ally, the heat leaving the tower must be reduced gradually 190, Heat may be kept in the tower by decreasing the amount of returned to the tower. reflux 191. The outflow of heat may be further reduced by (increas- ing/decreasing) any intermediate reflux streams. decreasing 192. When heat is no longer provided by the feed or the reboiler, the reflux flow rate should be promptly, but decreased. gradually 198. A constant balance between heat into the tower and heat out of the tower must be maintained, as far as possible, when the _____ supply decreases. heat 194. Tower temperatures should be kept as normal as pos- sible, so as to provide for a quick return to __ normal operations. 195. Whatever heat there is should be conserved carefully, to keep the operation as ______ as possible. normal 196. When the failure is corrected and the heat supply is started up again, the tower must be brought promptly and steadily to normal temperature, pressure and rates. flow 197. A constant balance between heat into the tower and heat out of the tower must be maintained as the heat supply is returned to___ conditions. normal 198. Abrupt swings up and down in tower temperatures may damage the equipment. PLUGGED OUTLETS 199. Sometimes a tower may operate under conditions where coke or scale is formed. It is possible for this solid material to work loose and move along with the —____. liquid 18201. 202. 208. 204. 205. 206. 207. 208. 209. 210. 2u1. Dirt and sediment may also enter the tower with the Any of these solid materials may collect and block the outlet streams from the __. Outlet screens, valves, and pipes may become with this material. If an outlet is plugged up, a product cannot be drawn off from the tower. The blockage must be ___. An outlet blockage may be removed by blow-down. Blow-down is done by increasing the pressure drop in the direction of the flow. This increase will make the liquid fow (faster/slower). ‘The liquid with increased velocity may loosen the plug- ging material and______ the passage. Blow-down may only pack the material more tightly into the passage. In this case blow-down (will/will not) work. If blow-down doesn’t work, blow-back may be tried. Here you increase the pressure in a direction opposite to the flow of. A safe blow-back into an operating tower is accom- plished by using oil or inert materials. Oil or inert material is pressured in to reverse the and dislodge the foreign material. ‘The flow of material reverses direction. The fow may the passage of the plugging material. If neither blow-down nor blow-back will open the out- let, the plugged section must be manually. Properly used, oil or inert material assures the of the tower and the operator, and may clear the outlet. 19 feed tower plugged removed faster clean or clear will not material flow clear cleaned safetyUnit 8 Abnormal Operating Situations This final unit of Practical Distillation presents a series of abnormal situations in the operation of the fractionating tower. In each situation, data like instrument readings and test results add up to a significant abnormality in the opera- tion, ‘The program gives practice in applying the same orderly pattern of thought which the operator uses in normal opera- tions: 1. Collect the data. 2. Consider the problem. 3. Correct the operation. 4. Check the results. Calling upon the knowledge of the fractionating tower and the refining process which has been developed in preced- ing units, the operator is able to identify the cause of abnor- mality, choose a correction from the alternatives available, and verify his judgment by observing its effects. By this means he becomes more able to meet abnormal situations successfully as they develop on the job.SITUATION 1 —> cas ol —> FEED u TEMPERATURE GRADIENT 72 Current operating conditions: ‘Temperature difference between T1 and T2 was 300°F. It has decreased to 50°F. Gas oil end point was 650°F. It has increased to 720°F. Product is heavier than specifications call for. Pressure difference (pressure drop) across tower was 12 PSIG. It has increased to 15 PSIG. ‘Tower top pressure is irregular (fuctuates between 70-75 PSIG). Liquid feed rate was raised from 500 barrels per hour to 650 barrels per hour, on a previous shift. 1. Temperature gradient in the affected section has de- creased. ‘This condition occurs in (flooded trays/dry trays/high levels/upset trays/trays with trapped water/all of these). all of these 2. Product quality has been impaired. This condition occurs in (flooded trays/dry trays/high levels /upset trays/trays with trapped water/all of these) all of these 21There has been an increase in pressure drop across the tower. Increased pressure drop occurs in (flooded trays/dry trays/high levels /upset trays/trays with trapped water/ all of these). ‘Tower top pressure has become irregular. This occurs only in_____ trays. ‘Thus, a section of this tower is To correct flooding you must (increase/decrease) the Tiguid flow down in the tower, (increase/decrease) the vapor flow up in the tower, or both of these. ‘The feed rate to the tower has increased. Correction can be accomplished by (increasing/decreas- ing) the feed rate to the tower. ‘This decreases the (vapor/liquid) flow in the tower. 22 flooded trays, and high levels flooded flooded decrease decrease decreasing liquidSITUATION 2 Current operating conditions: Temperature difference between the feed zone and the tower bottom was 200°F. It has decreased to 50°F. Specifications call for a bottom product with an I.B.P. of 400°F. It has decreased to 180°F. Pressure drop between feed zone and bottom was 10 PSIG. It has increased to 14 PSIG. Pressure drop between feed zone and tower top has remained unchanged. Tower bottom level is high and out of sight. 1. Decreased temperature gradient and impaired product quality are found in all abnormal situations. Increased pressure drop is found in flooded trays and 2. The situation is possibly flooded trays or a high liquid level. The decreased temperature gradient appears in the (bottom/top) of the tower. 8. The affected area is at the______of the tower. 23 high levels bottom bottom4, Bottom level is high and out of sight. The liquid level has risen into the the tower. section of 5. The tower appears to be __. 6. The level of liquid in the bottom of the tower must be (decreased increased). 7. This can be done by (increasing/decreasing) the amount of feed. Or by (increasing/decreasing) the bottom draw. 24 tray flooded decreased decreasing inereasingSITUATION 3 —> As ol 7 TEMPERATURE GRADIENT FEED 12 Current operating condition: Gas oil draw has increased from 100 barrels per hour to 125 barrels per hour. ‘Temperature difference between the gas oil draw and the feed zone has decreased from 300°F to 10°F. Gas oil has a higher end point than specifications call for. Pressure drop across the tower has decreased from 12 PSIG to 10 PSIG. ‘The decreased temperature gradient has occurred in a section below the gas oil draw tray. 1, Decreased temperature gradient and impaired product quality can oceur in______ abnormal situation. any 2. Observe the pressure drop. A small pressure drop occurs in_____trays and ary trays. upset 3. A dry tray can be corrected by making some adjustment to the operation. An upset tray (can/eannot) be corrected by adjusting cannot the operation. 2510. i. To discover whether the section is dry or trays are upset, you should make a correction for__ trays. If the correction returns the operation to normal, you know that the trays are dry, not ‘The trays are dry between the feed zone and the draw-off tray. Liquid entering this section must be (increased/ decreased). You can send more reflux down to this section by. (reducing/inereasing) the amount of gas oil being drawn from the tower. Or you can increase the flow of reflux to the gas oil draw tray by drawing less of the next product (above/below) gas oil. The choice rests between the desire for gas oil or the next lighter product. If gas oil is more desirable, you should decrease the amount of (gas oil/the next lighter product). Assuming that an adjustment has corrected the situation, the trays were (dry/upset). 26 ary upset gas oil increased reducing above the next lighter product arySITUATION 4 L—§» : Current operating conditions: ‘Tower is operating at 30 PSIG. ‘Top temperature is 180°F. Bottom temperature is 850°F. ‘Temperature difference (T1-T2) has gradually decreased 65°F to 10°F. ‘The temperature of both T1 and T2 is about 240°F. ‘The end point of the overhead product has risen. 1. The operating conditions listed above, temperature gra- dient and product quality, appear in______ abnormal all situations. 2. The temperature between T1-T2 is about 240°F. ‘This is roughly the _____ temperature of water boiling at 30 PSIG. 8. This peculiar temperature indicates that water may be in this section of the tower. ‘trapped 274. 8 10. uu. Possibly, this water has entered the tower as moisture in the ____or in the For this section of tower to become efficient, this water must be ‘The temperature at the top of the tower is (above/below) the boiling point of the water. To remove the water overhead, the top temperature must be (decreased/increased). ‘It must be increased to a point _______the boiling temperature of the water. To remove the water at the bottom of the tower, (inerease/decrease) the bottom temperature. The bottom temperature must be decreased from 350°F to __240°F. Product removed from the tower during this time must be discarded. This product would not meet. 28 feed, reflux removed below increased above decrease below specificationsSITUATION 5 OVERHEAD. [—— rrooucr {__ — FEED Current operating conditions: Decreased temperature gradient between Tl and T2. Overhead product has a high end point. ‘Small decrease in pressure drop across the tower. 1. Current operating conditions indicate that a section of tower is operating with ____ trays or trays. 2. Decreased temperature gradient and impaired product quality appear in ______ abnormal situations. 3. To discover whether trays are dry or upset, proceed with adjustment for ___ trays. 4, Increasing reflux to the section does not alter the situ- ation. Trays are ____. 5. You (can/cannot) correct this situation conveniently. 6. If tower efficiency is seriously impaired, the tower will have to be taken 29 ary, upset all ary upset cannot off-stream, or down7. Then the by hand. will have to be repaired or replaced trays 8. Unless the upset trays are making the products unusable, you probably (will/will not) continue to operate the tower will with the upset trays. THE END The eight units of Practical Distillation have presented the essentials of the fractionating process and the tower. Now that you have worked through this program to its end, you know the essentials of refining, the how and the why of it, and you can use this knowledge on the job. Getting this far, you can go on to further learning: deeper into the process itself, or into other aspects of refinery operations. You have completed PILOT I. Why not go on to other PILOTS, and keep going until you have worked through the PILOT series? The more you know, the more valuable you are to the company, and the more satisfaction you find, in your job. 30PRACTICAL DISTILLATION UNITS 7 AND 8 Unit 7— Abnormal Operations Introduction . Flooded Trays . High Levels .. Dry Trays . Trapped Water Unset Trays = Loss of Cooling Water . Loss of Heat Plugged Outlet Unit 8— Abnormal Operating Situations Situation 1 Situation 2 . Situation 3 . Situation 4 . Situation 5 .Developed ana Dstt 8 Resource Development Corporation TECHNOLOGIES FOR LEARNING 19831 Northwest Freeway, Suite 520 Houston, Texas 77040-5215 (713) 460-4460 (600) 527-1851