Issues related to distillation towers
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Previously, there were fluctuations in the operation of a distillation tower in the workshop, which affected the quality of the product; the material inside the tower was oil and gas. After analysis, it is believed that the crystallization of ammonium salts inside the tower caused blockage in some tray levels. The solution was to use steam to purge the tower, and as a result, the operation returned to normal. However, after such treatment, if there are indeed salt crystals inside the tower, they have been washed away, so it’s unclear at which part of the tower plates they crystallized, or on which specific tower plates. If everyone is to handle this, then what methods do you think could be used to obtain the most detailed information regarding the abnormality of the tower? I’m not sure if it’s possible to flush the oil and gas in the tower with nitrogen, but it would result in high nitrogen consumption.
Hehe, nitrogen isn’t expensive; our methanol distillation towers are filled with N5 when they’re not in use, and a certain pressure is maintained. Our unit has air separation; there’s plenty of nitrogen, so that’s not a problem. I’m not sure about your situation
So besides using nitrogen, are there any other methods?
If you want to open the tower and view its interior, N2 displacement is necessary.
If there are fluctuations in the operation of a distillation tower, does it affect the quality of the product?
It depends on which one; what the original poster is referring to is the tower from which the product is produced in the end.
By analyzing the temperature and pressure changes in the middle of the tower, it is possible to determine which tray is having problems. .
Take a look at this; see if it can help you
You can rinse it with demineralized water, and that will also solve the problem
It seems that flushing with desalinated water is not as convenient as purging with steam!
I don’t think I explained it clearly. I’m not talking about how to deal with abnormal tower conditions, but rather wondering what methods can be used to obtain the most direct evidence of such abnormalities If that panel is blocked, how can one enter the tower safely to find out about these conditions?
You can carry out water flushing of the trays in stages; for example, first feed water in through the top reflux pump, then draw the water out from the top oil collection tank, while analyzing the salt content in the drawn water. Then, water is pumped into the tower from the return pump under the top oil tank, and water is discharged from the lower oil tank to analyze the salt content. This will make it clearer.
If the tower is blocked, it’s possible to determine on which tray crystallization occurs. As for how to calculate it, that depends on…
I’m sorry; I accidentally sent it out by mistake. How to handle it depends on the operating temperature and pressure difference of your tower. An experienced technician can tell right away where the problem lies. If it were me handling it… I need to check whether the blockage is serious or not. If it is serious, someone will have to enter through the manhole to clean it; if it’s not serious, then pressure washing will suffice``
If crystallization on the plate is severe, can the pressure drop method be used to determine the exact location of the crystallization? I’m not sure how many pressure measurement ports there are on your distillation tower