36

Problems in Measuring Process

Variables

Understanding what is happening in process units is often difficult enough, without the
added complication of questionable pressures, temperatures, flows, and levels. I have
been able to solve many long-standing problems by having access to correct data and
accurate samples.
Best not to assume that the instrument itself is mechanically and electrically function-
ing normally. It’s a good practice to ask the Instrument Technician so as to assure that the
instrument itself is working correctly. A few examples of the problems I have encountered
illustrate the complexity of obtaining accurate process operating data and samples. I’ll
divide the problem into five sections:
1. Pressures
2. Temperatures
3. Levels
4. Flows (vapor and liquid)
5. Samples (vapor and liquid)

Pressures
The house I live in, that has seven bathrooms, my wife’s BMW and our 44,000 gal swim-
ming pool, were paid for from making refinery pressure drop surveys. The most common
source of error is plugged pressure taps. A pressure gauge reading that slowly creeps up
reflects a partially plugged connection. If you have to wait 15 s for the pressure gauge nee-
dle to come to rest, that’s okay. If it takes 5 min, then the connection is partly plugged and
the reading is low.
Fig. 36.1 shows the “Rod-out-Tool” or “Angle-Worm” that’s likely available in your plant
to unplug bleeders in hazardous services. Every refinery I’ve worked in has this device
available to clear plugged bleeders. Unplugging a bleeder in hot gas oil service with a bent
welding rod, not uncommonly, results in premature death. For H2S service above 100 ppm,
a Fresh Air Pak is required. Unplugging bleeders in hydrocarbon and high pressure steam
service is potentially very dangerous.
Always place the gauge straight up. Gauges will not read correctly when not in a vertical
position. Do not tighten the gauge by twisting by hand. This alters its calibration. Use a

Understanding Process Equipment for Operators and Engineers. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-816161-6.00036-9 289

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290 UNDERSTANDING PROCESS EQUIPMENT FOR OPERATORS AND ENGINEERS

Coupling to
screw onto
connection to be
drilled out
Drill

Pressure
gauge

Bleed valve
to vent pressure
off of assembly

Crank handle
to turn &
advance drill
FIG. 36.1 Safe bleeder unplugging device (i.e., rod-out tool).

wrench to twist the stem. When measuring pressures in tar or asphalt service, do not place
the gauge in direct contact with the tar. It will plug. I use a small “U” shaped fitting filled
with diesel as a barrier between the tar and the gauge.
As the objective in conducting a pressure survey is to determine pressure losses due to
friction, pressure readings must be corrected for elevation:
DP ¼ ðDHÞ  ðSGÞ  2:31 (36.1)

where:
• DP ¼ psi
• DH ¼ Elevation above grade, feet
• SG ¼ Specific gravity

Effect of De-acceleration
I stumbled across this problem in the Coastal Refinery in Aruba 20 years ago. That is, the
discharge pressure from a heat exchanger could be greater than the inlet pressure. In this
case, even though both the inlet and outlet pressure taps were at the same elevation, the
outlet pressure was somewhat higher. How could this be?
 Chapter 36 • Problems in Measuring Process Variables 291

Let’s say that the inlet water velocity was 16 ft/s in the 300 inlet nozzle. If the outlet nozzle
size was 600 , then the outlet velocity would be a lot slower (i.e., 4 ft/s). To convert the veloc-
ity (neglecting frictional losses) to pressure:
 
0:18 V1 2  V2 2
IP ¼  ðSGÞ (36.2)
28
where:
• V1, V2, velocity inlet and outlet, feet per second.
• SG ¼ Average specific gravity
• IP ¼ Fluid pressure increase due to the de-acceleration
For the water velocity, slowing from 16 to 4 ft/s, this equates to a pressure rise
of 8 psi.
In the above example from Aruba, the service was a heat exchanger in the cooling and par-
tial condensation of a diesel oil hydrotreater reactor effluent. The reduction in velocity,
due to cooling and the partial condensation of the reactor effluent, was much larger than
the 12 ft/s cited above. The actual pressure rise that I observed on the unit was from 680 to
688 psig. Subtracting de-acceleration effects from this 8 psi increase yielded a pressure
drop of 18 psi due to frictional losses. Catalyst fines had partially plugged the
exchanger tubes.

Temperature
Most of the temperature measurements I make are with my $85 Walmart infrared temper-
ature gun. Of course, these are skin temperatures taken in places where there are no ther-
mowells and no thermocouples. But, assuming the correct junction and thermocouple
wires are installed properly, one would think that the temperature generated from the
thermocouple electrical junction would be invariably correct. And, in a sense, they are.
But the two problems I have observed still caused the measured temperatures to be
40–60°F below the real process temperature.
The first problem was at a refinery fired vacuum heater outlet in Louisiana. I was cer-
tain that the heater effluent temperature recorded was too low, as the downstream tem-
perature at the vacuum tower inlet was 20°F hotter. The heater effluent cools before it
enters the vacuum tower due to:
• Vaporization
• Ambient heat loss
• Thermal cracking
I extracted the thermocouple from the thermowell (see Fig. 36.2), planning to insert a glass
thermometer into the thermowell to check the temperature locally. However, I imme-
diately saw the problem. The thermowell and of course, the thermocouple, were far
too short. Four inches in the 30-in. heater outlet line. As this area of the line was poorly
292 UNDERSTANDING PROCESS EQUIPMENT FOR OPERATORS AND ENGINEERS

Thermowell

4″

Pecker
head
30″
Thermocouple

FIG. 36.2 Thermowell too short.

insulated, the indicated temperature was less than the average flowing temperature. Dur-
ing the next turnaround, a 12-in. long thermowell was installed to replace the too short
existing thermowell.
I observed a somewhat similar problem at a Visbreaker Soaking Drum in the Coastal
Refinery (now owned by Citgo) in Aruba. I was pretty sure that a thermocouple temper-
ature of 810°F was too cold. This temperature was measured halfway up the side of the
soaker. The soaker vapor outlet was about 830–840°F. Due to heat of cracking, the lower
portion of the soaker must be somewhat hotter. Also, the visbreaker fired heater outlet was
860–870°F. Certainly, the midpoint of the soaking drum must be between 840°F and 870°F,
not 810°F.
I recall wrapping a roll of fiber glass insulation around the exterior portion (i.e., the
pecker head) of the thermowell assembly (Fig. 36.2). Within 10 min, the indicated temper-
ature had increased by 20–30°F. I had seen this problem before in the overhead vapor line
on a Delayed Coker in Texas City. The interior portion of the thermowell was coated with a
thick layer of coke. Heat radiation from the exterior of the assembly slightly cooled the
thermocouple junction inside the thermowell.

Level
In the old days we measured liquid levels directly with an internal float. I’ve seen just two
of these archaic installations in the past 20 years. In a modern refinery, we do not attempt
to measure liquid levels directly. We attempt to infer a level based on a differential pressure
measurement. Usually, this differential pressure measurement is correct. The problem is
 Chapter 36 • Problems in Measuring Process Variables 293

that the differential pressure is proportional to both level and fluid density. In the real
world, which the process operator and unit engineer must work in, the specific gravity
or density of the liquid in a vessel is largely unknown and unknowable for four reasons:
1. Density varies with temperature. For each 100°F increase in temperature, the specific
gravity of naphtha is reduced by 5%. For water by 2%.
2. Density varies a lot with composition. For example, heavy naphtha may be 10% denser
than light naphtha. This fact was the fundamental cause of the death and disaster at the
BP Raffinate Splitter explosion in my former home, Texas City, in 2006.
3. Three feet of water will create the same head pressure as 4½ ft of naphtha. Therefore, a
three foot level of water in a level glass may represent a 4½ foot level in a vessel.
4. Almost all process vessels in hydrocarbon service have a layer of foam floating on the
liquid in a tower. I have observed foam densities (using radiation) in refinery process
vessels, varying from 10 to 45 pounds per cubic foot. The level indicator (which is really
just a differential pressure transmitter) is calibrated by the Instrument Technician,
based on a foam-free hydrocarbon density.
One thing is for certain. Once the real level in a vessel, whether foam or hot naphtha, rises
above the top level tap, no further increase in the indicated vessel liquid level can be
expected. The BP operators in Texas City did not know this fact, according to their testi-
mony, when they sued BP for wrongful employment termination after that horrendous
explosion and fire at the BP Raffinate Splitter.

Flows
I am just returning, as I write these words, from a visit to the Repsol Refinery in Puertol-
lano, Spain. I worked with a group of very competent engineers. Their group leader, Jose
Soto, said, “Norm, our off-gas flow meter from our seal drum does not work. It gives us
highly erratic flows, that vary for no apparent reason, by a factor of two or three. This
makes it very difficult to troubleshoot our poor vacuum which is undermining our refinery
profitability. Muy malo!”
I have had this complaint about vacuum tower off-gas flow meters “not working” for
50 years. But this time, I decided to investigate.
Referring to Fig. 36.3, I observed the installation was proper. The orifice plate was
installed correctly (i.e., the orifice plate size on the handle was facing upstream). The gly-
col pots were properly filled and the orifice taps were clear. Ordinarily, it’s best to install an
orifice meter in a horizontal run of line, but in “gas” flow, it’s not particularly important.
The first thing that I observed was that valve “A” was closed. Valve “C” was also closed,
which is correct. Valve “B” was open, which is also correct. But, why was valve “A” closed?
So, I opened it. The instrument technicians purged out the taps and refilled the glycol
pots—just to make sure everything was in proper working order. The indicated flow
remained totally erratic and very high.