31st March 2023

Update

Jordan Yap Hong Yong ( 葉宏榮 )

Department of Aeronautical Engineering - 10978141
Advisor: Sidney Liu ( 劉昇祥 )
Task to do
1. Understand the story about oil refinery
2. Find how to figure out the Effect of inspection chart
Oil Refinery
• An industrial process plant where
 Petroleum (crude oil)  Useful products

• How it works?
 The crude oil is heated
 The different hydrocarbons that make up the oil are
separated by their boiling points
 Highest products position = Lowest boiling points
 Highest products position = Smallest molecule
How heat exchanger (HX) works in refinery?
• Helping to transfer heat from one fluid to another
• Specific function:
 Cooling  Condense the gases into liquid (propane and
butane)
 Heating  Breakdown the larger molecules into smaller
 Vaporizing  The liquids heated until its boiling point
 Condensing  Fluids back into liquid form
Heat Exchanger
• A system used to transfer heat between a source and a working fluid. Without mixing them
• Cooling and heating processes.
• In a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, two fluids at different temperatures flow through the heat
exchanger.

Intersection
Heat Exchanger
• What type of fluid is exchanged in the heat exchanger?
 Water
 Steam Mostly,
 Oil  Shell: Liquid to be cooled (diesel)
 Chemicals  Tube: Cooling liquid (water)
 Gases

Intersection
Heat Exchanger
• Which makes HX can fail?
 Fouling  Reduced the heat transfer efficiency (deposits of minerals, corrosion etc.)
 Corrosion  Due to exposure to corrosive materials, high temp, poor water treatment (leaks or
cracks)
 Erosion  High velocity and causes damage (turbulence, high flow rates)
 Thermal stress  Significance temperature difference (deformation, cracking)
 Mechanical failure  Due to fatigue, vibration
How the heat exchanger tube failed
• Thinning • Vibration Damage • Local defects
• Holes • Mechanical Failure • Corrosion
• Pitting • Cracking • Lining
How to determine when the HX needs to be taken out of service
• Follow manufacture recommendation
• Conduct regular inspections (visual inspection, NDT, etc).
• Monitor performance (heat transfer efficiency decreases)
• Checking maintenance history (past inspections, repairs, etc).
How to maintain the HX
A. Cleaning & Inspection
1. Blockage
 High pressured water gun (mud, silt, slime, algae)
 Rubber Squeegees
 Tight fitting wire brush
 Bullet / Fend Scraper
2. Leakage
 Vacuum Test
 Plastic Wrap
 Water & Soap
 Fluorescent Dye
How to keep the HX works, when there are some
pipes are failed?
 Bypass
 Rubber plug
 Welded plug
 Expandable plug