How do chemical plants get through winter?
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I’ve been working in a chemical plant for two years. Due to the low temperatures in the north during winter, reaching -27°C, the intake pipes get blocked – they freeze up. We often have to spend one or two hours outside, using torches or hot water to thaw the pipes. I should mention that the pipes in our plant already have insulation installed. Does anyone have any good solutions?
When waiting for the vehicle, the liquid in the pipelines needs to be drained, hehe
Either add heat tracing to solve the problem once and for all, or increase the flow rate of the medium; that might help a bit. The concern is that it might not meet the production requirements. These issues should have been taken into account during the design phase, in case such situations arise. It means the design is not good.
Insulate the accompanying pipe. Or electro-thermal
Find the lowest point for venting, or use steam to maintain heat at night
Preventing freezing has always been a problem for chemical plants and refineries. However, these issues could have been avoided during the design phase. Draining condensate at lower points, venting it at higher points, as well as providing adequate insulation and heating, are all effective solutions. But once the facility is completed and put into operation, operators have to deal with these problems frequently
The easiest solution should be to add insulation! Thicken the insulation layer.
Using steam pipes for heat tracing is the best method. Otherwise, the workload for the operators becomes too heavy. Things that should be taken into consideration during design. I don’t know why it wasn’t designed properly.
Let’s try adding heat tracing to see how it works. Also, strictly monitor the relevant parameters; take preventive measures as soon as any signs of freezing appear
What system are you on? If it’s steam, you can slightly open the return pipe. Otherwise, install a steam trap at the lowest point.