What causes the fluctuation in the slurry as it returns to the tower?
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I’m working in the fractionation unit, and recently the slurry returning to the tower has been fluctuating in volume for some unknown reason. Could everyone help analyze this? !
What is the phenomenon of swaying in the oil slurry as it returns to the tower? Has the operating temperature of the distillation tower not changed either? Take a look – is there a large variation in the temperature of the diagonal baffles? If the operating temperature of the fractionation tower does not change, it indicates that the amount of slurry returning to the tower is inaccurate; the flow meter is faulty, so contact the instrumentation team for calibration and correction. Similarly, our slurry flow meter is also inaccurate, and it’s impossible to address the issue without shutting down operations. The main observation is the change in operating temperature.
If the outlet pressure of the slurry pump is stable, it should be a fault with the instrument.
Let me tell you about a situation that you would certainly hate to encounter: a leak in the tube bundle of an oil slurry steam generator
The original poster hopes you can provide more details – for example, is there a significant change in temperature during fluctuations? My claim that the slurry steam generators are leaking isn’t unfounded; in my unit with a capacity of 140, three sets of slurry steam generators were leaking. The first symptom was fluctuations, and at first this had little impact on the temperature. As the leakage increased, the fluctuations became more severe and started to affect the temperature. You didn’t mention your operational data, so it’s difficult to make a judgment. I’m just putting forward an idea that many people might be reluctant to accept
1. Pump failure 2. Instrument indication 3. Pipeline issue
I think since the original poster raised such a question, it’s definitely not caused by a common fault. By common faults, I mean those that can be easily identified; in such cases, there’s no need to post questions here. Right? The most basic faults related to pumps are obvious at a glance – inaccurate gauge readings or fluctuations in flow rate, but the temperature remains unchanged. As for pipeline issues, generally, the flow rate doesn’t fluctuate suddenly, but rather decreases gradually over time. This is just my personal opinion; please forgive me if I’m wrong. I hope that after examining the common faults, the original poster will focus on checking whether there’s a leak in the steam generator
Please describe the phenomenon more clearly, owner. Could you provide the operational parameters as well? That way, other users can understand exactly what’s going on
If it cannot be detected at the pump outlet or from the temperature readings, then it is necessary to consider the possibility of leaks in the oil slurry heat exchanger or steam generator. Is the descent back into the tower also controlled by instruments? Whether there is a problem with competing for market share is also something to keep in mind.
Check whether there are any problems with the slurry pump, ensure that the instruments are set to automatic mode and verify that they are not malfunctioning; also pay attention to any changes in the amount of fluid returning to the tower and the amount of slurry being discharged. Last edited by FloatHead on 2009-3-18 11:19]
There is fluctuation in the upward flow of the slurry; if it flows downward, there is no such fluctuation. This indicates that there is no problem with the slurry pump; the amount of slurry returning to our unit has decreased, as evidenced by an increase in the bottom temperature of the tower, a drop in flow rate, and a significant decrease in the current drawn by the slurry pump. This indicates a problem with the coil for returning the slurry; flushing the slurry tube bundle proved to be particularly effective. It is recommended to analyze each section separately to identify the reasons.
Excluding instrument failures, it could be a leak in the tube bundle of the slurry steam generator; I have encountered this before, and the symptoms were very obvious.
Basically, there is internal leakage and air blockage in the tube bundle of the oil slurry steam generator. We tried to fix it, but it didn’t work well – the tubes were shaking terribly.
First, calibrate the instrument, then determine and analyze the cause