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Steam System Design 1
Steam System Design 1
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PROCESS
OPTIMIZATION
Improving resources efficiency
with TOP-REF methodology
New octane upgrading technology
increases value of light paraffinic feeds
Steam system optimization and
risk mitigation begins with design
DIGITAL
How AI can benefit refineries
and petrochemical plants
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Lessons learned from a
refinery revamp nightmare
CATALYSTS
Maximizing xylene loop profitability
Originally appeared in:
January 2019, pgs 39-43
Used with permission.
d1
L
d2
L1
FIG. 3. Steam traps should be installed lower than the take-off from the collecting leg
to help increase trap reliability.
FIG. 7. An effective CDL design begins with
an adequately-sized collecting leg and
low take-off for discharge through “d2.”
losses and can even be present in lines Since the original header design only
designated to carry superheat. If conden- included CDL on the inlet side of the ex-
sate is not removed, water hammer can pansion loop, no CDL was in place to re-
be expected, particularly at any vertical move condensate (on the new inlet side)
riser (FIGS. 1 and 12). when the flow reversed, and hammer
damage was experienced. Whenever bi-
Flow direction. If steam supply is flow- directional flow might occur, CDL drain-
ing in only one direction, then the CDL age on both sides of the expansion loop is
often can be installed on the inlet side of recommended (FIG. 14).
the expansion loop, where condensate
naturally pools (FIG. 13). However, some Solutions. In at least one instance, it
FIG. 11. Danger: Piping designers sometimes
believe steam lines have steam flow only
process considerations may not be evi- was not possible for the plant to shut
within, especially on superheat. dent to the designer. For example, steam down to install more than 10 CDLs in a
may change its path, sometimes revers- main 24-in. supply header. Some mitiga-
ing its direction due to generation/de- tion was needed, and the combination
mand considerations elsewhere (such as of a condensate collection bottle (CCB)
waste heat). In one refinery FCCU sup- and engineered separator drain was
ply, a change in steam flow direction was an intermediate consideration until a
caused by rerouting from a new boiler. best practice improvement could be in-
stalled. As a potential stop-gap measure,
the CCB’s purpose is to collect as much
disentrained condensate as possible be-
fore using slug-tolerant separation to
improve utility steam quality (FIG. 15).
Before implementation, a CCB in-
FIG. 12. Warning: Even superheat lines can stallation concept and other piping
accumulate condensate that must be removed measures must be completely analyzed
through a collecting leg/CDL. by a registered professional engineer for
load, stress and support calculations to
ensure appropriate final piping design.
42 JANUARY 2019 | HydrocarbonProcessing.com
Process Optimization
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