Methanol synthesis tower drum
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As shown in the figure, this is the drum of the methanol synthesis tower; boiler water flows through the pipelines to control the temperature of the synthesis tower bed. In the image is the device in operation; the steam drum has separated from its supports and is now suspended in mid-air. The reason for this is simple: the pipes expand due to heat, which causes the steam drum to become suspended. What would be the consequences? Could a safety accident occur?
It’s terrible. Well, in that case, let’s add shims inside.
Well, after stopping and cooling down, the pipes will contract!
The pipes must bear the weight of the steam drum, which may cause the pipes to rupture. Use spring supports.
This definitely won’t work; adding an expansion bend to the pipeline can help alleviate the issue.
We saw this happen in 2012; it’s not scary. Just add shims.
Is there no foundation bolt to secure the saddle to the base?
There is no fixed correct answer, but generally, the drum is supported by the rising and falling tubes, so there is no issue regarding whether the saddle foundation should be separated or not. For flat-type waste boilers that operate at higher temperatures, a sliding fixation method is generally used: one end is fixed while the other can move and expand/contract. The steam drum is supported by the rising and falling tubes, moving along with the expansion and contraction of the waste boiler. The methanol synthesis tower is a vertical vessel; the drum needs to be supported by a foundation, and it’s possible that the design and installation of the rising and falling pipes are inadequate, resulting in one end of the drum becoming detached from the foundation
You’re checking the design – there should be a limit to it. If the displacement is small, adding some shims will do; but if it’s large, there’s a risk that it won’t be able to return due to the cold, which would be problematic. It happened once in 2008, and in the end the spring support was modified