Discussion on the APC project for delayed coking units
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This 1.4 million tons per year plant has recently implemented the APC project provided by Sinopec Yingke; it is equipped with three controllers for heating, distillation, and absorption stabilization. The construction and commissioning of this project are essentially complete, and it is set to go into operation after May Day. Those who have previously implemented APC systems are welcome to offer guidance and suggestions on precautions to ensure that the APC system can function effectively and operate stably.
Just one suggestion: your own engineers need to understand this... Otherwise... the investment will surely be wasted...
The engineers received specialized training for 2 weeks in advance; thereafter, we worked together with Yingke on modeling, while the instrument maintenance team was responsible for configuration. At present, testing and verification are being carried out together with the team members, which should be sufficient. Finally, acceptance in accordance with the technical agreement should be adequate.
You’re from Luoyang, right? Process operation: You’re from Luoyang, right? Process operation
Where is your coking plant located? Which one is used for the hydraulic coking removal system? Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.
APC has never been used in coking units; it was used in atmospheric and vacuum distillation units for 4 years, but for various reasons it wasn’t utilized effectively – it made a big entrance but faded away quietly. I think there are problems in many aspects: model adjustment, online analysis, the competence of operators, and it is necessary for those in charge of automation to maintain a positive interaction with process engineers. Otherwise, operators are likely to resist, as changing the operation mode means having to learn more things, and coordination is required in various areas such as the maintenance of on-site instruments.
Agree with the person above; it started with a lot of fanfare, but ended quietly. Currently, we are working on APC and performing online debugging, but the results are not very satisfactory. :(
I hope colleagues who use APC well can offer guidance, suggestions, and share their valuable experience. :lol
The delayed coking process at the APC Huizhou refinery is utilized very effectively; again, it’s PetroChina Yingke’s technology, in my personal opinion； Firstly, APC personnel must understand the process of this equipment, which facilitates data collection at various production stages and the development of mathematical models. Secondly, operators must receive training from APC personnel. After the APC model is established, it is advisable to consult experienced operators regarding the appropriate range for each parameter. APC should be implemented during the day, when operating conditions are stable, and appropriate preparations should be made before its activation. If any parameters prove to be unreasonable, they should be adjusted promptly, with APC personnel providing on-site guidance to resolve issues as they arise. That’s all I can say; I hope this is useful to you. After the implementation of APC at Huizhou Refining and Coking, the workload of operators has been significantly reduced, and the impact of activities such as tower switching on the distillation system has been diminished. . . . . . It’s quite useful
Well, first learn *a little, and gradually master what needs to be learned
We have been in trial operation here for two months, and things are gradually becoming more stable. However, disturbances caused by the coking cut-off valve and high steam pressure are sometimes difficult to eliminate, and improper APC regulation can easily cause the parameters to exceed the set upper and lower limits.