How to determine internal leakage

Same question: the steam reboiler in our facility also leaks frequently~~~

In my opinion, it is necessary to make judgments through the analysis of on-site phenomena and timely testing. For example, it is possible to determine whether the cooling medium has entered the product that needs to be cooled. One way is by observing whether the color of the product is affected, as cooling media are usually quite dirty, and their presence in the product will certainly affect its color. Another method is to analyze the trace amounts of the cooling medium in the product; for instance, when using water to cool an organic phase, any internal leakage of water will inevitably result in moisture ending up in the product, and this can be detected through observation and analysis. I have encountered such a situation once, and that’s how I made the judgment

Sampling and analysis can be conducted on the pipeline where the medium flows at lower pressure, and based on the analysis results, it can be determined whether there is an internal leak.

The basic principle is, of course, that it leaks from the side with higher pressure to the side with lower pressure； Based on this: 1. It is possible to compare the content with previous values based on the analyzed data ； 2. Based on the variation in the amount used under the same load ； 3. Changes in temperature – this is quite intuitive; of course, you can conduct a heat balance calculation ； In short, with experience and careful observation, an accurate judgment can be made.

If steam heat exchange is used, it can be determined through two approaches that the pressure and temperature of one shell layer will differ significantly from those before. 2. Test the condensate.

Generally, by going to the site, understanding the operating conditions, and conducting a comprehensive analysis of various data, it is still possible to identify where the problem lies; once this is confirmed, a solution can be determined.

Unify the views on Building 11#. It’s actually not that complicated; it just requires a bit more care.

The best way to make a judgment is through laboratory analysis, as it provides more accurate results. In the case of ordinary reboilers, water leaks into the oil; by analyzing the water content in the product oil, it is possible to determine whether there is an internal leak. In typical water coolers, it is oil that leaks into the water, and by checking the oil content in the circulating water, it is possible to identify such issues.

I have two simple methods: 1: Check the liquid level using the sight glass at the bottom. 2: Take samples from the vent at the top using chromatography to analyze the peaks; the peak corresponding to the leakage is significantly higher.

If the material inside the tower is immiscible with water, this can be determined by checking whether there is a layering at the liquid level in the reflux tank; if the leakage is severe, some clues may be apparent from the temperature.

Combining laboratory analysis with production experience, and even conducting heat balance calculations can be useful; however, flow rate data is difficult to obtain, and the lack of property data makes calculations challenging. It would be helpful to have specialized software

Combining laboratory analysis with production experience, and even conducting heat balance calculations can be useful; however, flow rate data is difficult to obtain, and the lack of property data makes calculations challenging. It would be helpful to have specialized software

Based on experience, if there is a leak in the reboiler of a distillation tower and the pressure on the steam side is high, sampling from the reflux tank will show an excessive water content in the sample; moreover, when steam supply is shut down urgently, oil or other substances will appear in the condensed steam； If the pressure on the steam side is low, phenomena such as a reduced opening degree of the tower pressure control valve or oil in the condensate may occur. In short, when a leak occurs in the steam reboiler, it can be detected through system sampling analysis or operational experience. The vehicle must be stopped during handling; safety comes first.

I agree with the view of the brother on floor 13

Did many people not read LZ’s question carefully? ? ? It’s liquefied gas; there’s an internal leak at the vaporizer outlet. How to take samples of gas for analysis? ? ? Which company burns gas and still has so many analysis devices available? ? ? Steam has entered the gas stream; the simplest way to detect this is by observing the presence of water in the gas-liquid separation tank. When liquid is drained from this tank, water is present in that liquid, which indicates that steam has leaked into the gas stream. When gas leaks into steam, it’s usually not a big problem; some gases, such as propane, cannot be detected even when they leak. Some gases contain odorizing agents; if the vapor drain outlet has an odor of gas, it is possible that gas has leaked into the vapor. As for what was mentioned upstairs about sampling and analysis, I think 90% of companies are unable to do this. Gas contains a small amount of water vapor; it’s only possible to determine whether there are any changes in the flame, and it’s not easy to take samples for moisture analysis. When water contains gaseous components, the solubility of these gases in water is almost always at trace levels; this makes analysis feasible to some extent, but it’s unclear what the reliability of such analyses is. So, as long as it’s not a severe leak, it generally can’t be detected. To solve this problem, the only option is to purchase a gasifier of better quality.

In front of our company’s distillation tower, there is a heat exchanger used for heating. If there is an internal leak, the most obvious consequence is that the heat exchange efficiency of this heat exchanger decreases, steam consumption increases, the heat exchanger needs to be cleaned more frequently, and the output of products falls. (I’m talking about glycerin distillation)

Judgment method: 1. Check whether there are fluctuations in the steam flow rate and outlet temperature of the reboiler; if there are fluctuations, it indicates an internal leak； 2. Sampling assessment: Sample the condensed water; if gas is present, it indicates an internal leak ； 3. Listen to the sounds; if irregular noises are heard inside the reboiler, it indicates an internal leak.

If two different media are present, it is possible to analyze their content; for identical media, changes in temperature and pressure must be used to make a determination

Internal leakage in the liquefied gas booster is indicated by the difference in pressure between steam and liquefied gas. There are two direct ways to detect such leaks: first, the presence of a liquefied gas odor in the condensate discharge; second, a sudden increase in the temperature at the outlet of the booster, stratification in the liquid level gauge of the booster, or the appearance of water in the water separation tank of the storage tank. If internal leakage is suspected, the procedure is to stop the steam supply, connect the booster to the tank, and check whether gas emerges from the drain outlet.