102- Design for replacing traditional filtration and separation technologies in the compressor inlet pipeline of the SORESCO project with a vane separator
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This post was last edited by luoli519 on 2020-1-4 at 12:42. Many oil refining project design firms both domestically and internationally still rely on traditional filter separators for the gas separation equipment installed at the compressor inlet, which causes inconvenience for the project owners. This phenomenon is not only present among the design firms for domestic refining and petrochemical projects; even some internationally renowned engineering companies suffer from an aging workforce and outdated technologies. When it comes to selecting air separation equipment for the compressor inlet pipelines in foreign projects, they rely on traditional filter separators, which do not meet the approval of project owners. Please discuss the technical upgrades and replacements for the air intake filtration and separation devices in the inlet pipelines of these compressors in the context of your own projects, so as to help the owners and designers of existing and ongoing projects avoid unnecessary detours.
Can methanol be used? What is the separation efficiency that can be achieved?
More than 20 large-scale methanol projects are in use across the country. Generally, it is designed to remove liquid droplets and foam larger than 5–8 microns at the 4N level ； Accurate separation efficiency data can be obtained only by inputting specific operating condition parameters into the NOVEL precise dynamics gas-liquid separation calculation and design system platform. For performance details, please visit the NOVEL official website to view the attached performance report. Thank you!
In response to the topic of this post, I will discuss the selection of compressor inlet separation equipment used in the atmospheric distillation unit of the SORESCO refinery project in Costa Rica, based on my own experience.
The owner of this project is SORESCO, a joint venture established by CNPCI and the Colombian company RECOPE. The company modernized and expanded the existing Moin refinery, increasing its processing capacity from 25,000 BPSD to 60,000 BPSD. The modernization expansion includes oil and gas extraction as well as crude oil refining.
This post was last edited by luoli519 on 2023-9-27 at 13:16. In the project I was involved in, modern technological upgrades were carried out on the inlet airflow separation equipment for the reciprocating compressors in the atmospheric distillation unit (ADU) of that refinery, using vane separators.
A renowned international engineering company was responsible for the engineering design of the atmospheric pressure unit (ADU) and the reduced pressure unit (VDU) for this project. However, when selecting the design for the inlet airflow separation device of the reciprocating compressor in question, documents were prepared using traditional filter separators that have been in use since the 1960s and 1970s. Since filter separators are prone to clogging, the design documents specify a parallel configuration of two sets of filter separators, as well as defined requirements for spare filter elements and QOC.
As is well known, when using filter separators in refinery projects, the following problems arise: 1. The filter elements tend to get clogged, resulting in a short operational lifespan； 2. Since the filter elements require frequent replacement and maintenance, it is necessary to install expensive QOC systems, and backup units are also needed for the equipment, resulting in high initial investment costs ； 3. The filter elements require frequent replacement and maintenance, resulting in high operational costs and a large amount of work ； 4. Air streams containing liquid cannot be effectively purified in a quantifiable manner using conventional filters, which poses significant operational risks and maintenance costs for the subsequent compressors and pipeline systems.
The last edit to this post was made by luoli519 on 2017-6-7 at 17:08. The technical documents prepared by the engineering company regarding the filter for the inlet pipeline of this reciprocating compressor are as follows:
I will outline here the operating conditions of the aforementioned filtration separator: 1. O.T.: 72 ℃； 2、O.P.: 1.6BarA ； 3. Medium: Hydrocarbon exhaust gas ； 4. Gas flow rate: 803.4 kg/h ； 5. Vapor density: 2.9 kg/m^3 ； 6. Viscosity in gas phase: 0.00857 cp ； 7. Liquid phase density: 971 kg/m^3; 8. Liquid phase viscosity: 0.389 cp.
This post was last edited by luoli519 on 2017-6-7 at 18:26. The technical requirements for this engineering company are as follows: 1. Two vertical filtration separators shall be used, with a equipment load of 100%； 2. The pressure drop under normal operating conditions for the new filter element shall not exceed 20 mbar, and the pressure drop under contaminated operating conditions shall not exceed 50 mbar ； 3. Separation precision: 98%*10 microns ； 4. Continuous operation cycle of the filter element: 6-12 months ； 5. Filter material: CS, OD 408 mm, DT=200℃, DP=3 bar ； 6. The interior components are made of SS, with spare parts available ； 7. Design standard: ASME.