Abnormality handling of the circulating hydrogen separation tank

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During the maintenance period, it was necessary to open and clean the original cyclohydrogen separation tank; however, due to its short service life and tight schedule, this task was cancelled. As a result, during the catalyst drying phase at startup, it was necessary to drain water from the bottom of the circulating hydrogen separation tank. When the drain valve was opened, no flow of gas occurred – only liquid flowed. Even with the valve fully open, no gas came out, which indicated that the drain was blocked. After the catalyst drying was completed and the system pressure reached a slight positive level, attempts were made on-site to clear the area at the bottom of the cyclohydrogen separation tank using wire, but this proved ineffective. Then, pushing nitrogen in through a rubber tube connected to the degassing point also had no effect. Thus, the end valve DN80 was removed, and then the pipeline was cleaned using a soft nozzle from a heat exchanger cleaning machine; after five minutes, the pipeline was unblocked and a large amount of sludge from the bottom was removed as well. As the circulating hydrogen separation tank operates for an extended period, debris continues to accumulate at its bottom. Over time, this can lead to blockages in the drainage system. Especially when the bottom of the tank becomes dry, dead zones are formed, which can result in the formation of dry layers. Conclusion: During maintenance, don’t overlook any area.