What caused the leak in the isothermal hydrogenation reactor for hydrogen production?
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The isothermal hydrogenation reactor is a tubular reactor equipped with a small steam drum; a leak was detected during its recent commissioning, and it has been taken out of service. There is also an adiabatic hydrogenation reactor behind it. Has this happened with your equipment? What caused it? How should it be handled?
Isothermal hydrogenation reactors are generally used when the system contains more than 10% of such material. These reactors function as heat exchangers, with a shell-and-tube design. Previously, leaks were detected during the process of ensuring the equipment’s airtightness; it was found that the pressures in the shell-and-tube sections were equal. Production was halted for inspection, and it was discovered that over 300 tubes were leaking. These tubes had to be replaced after being sent back to the factory. In normal production, if leaks are detected, it is possible to use a bypass line to reduce the amount of feedstock, opting instead for feedstock with a lower olefin content
What did you ultimately analyze as the cause?