【Petroleum Chemical Antifreeze Initiative in Action】Guangzhou Petrochemical: Instruments Prepared in Advance to Cope with Low Temperatures

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Guangzhou Petrochemical Instruments Take Precautions to Cope with Cold Weather 2016-12-01 Source: Petrochemical News On November 22nd, winter in Guangzhou was still as warm as summer. Next to Unit 3 of the light catalytic cracking unit at Guangzhou Petrochemical, Zhu Jingwei, the shift leader of the light catalytic cracking team in Workshop 1 of the Instrumentation and Control Center, skillfully closed the three-valve assembly for the inlet flow rate FT-1131A of Unit 3, while Gong Haozhou used a small bucket to drain the fluid from the pressure guiding pipes. Next to vessel Rong-105 in the gas processing unit 2, Ding Gang, the shift leader of the reforming team, is overseeing the work carried out by external contractors, who are applying insulation to the pressure tap pipe of the level transmitter LT-113 for Rong-105. The weather forecast predicts a \"sharp\" drop in temperature in the near future, with temperatures falling from 28 degrees to 11 degrees. “I wore a short-sleeved shirt yesterday; tomorrow I’ll have to wear a down jacket! ”“The weather is so capricious; this week we’ve experienced spring, summer, autumn, and winter. People need to keep warm, and the same goes for equipment. ”When temperatures drop, the process medium tends to contain liquid, which affects the accuracy of flow measurement and can cause surging in the compressor. Therefore, the team takes measures to empty the liquid from the pressure tap tubes before temperatures drop, ensuring that the instrument readings remain accurate. Before the temperature drop, the Instrument Control Center carries out seasonal maintenance to prevent condensation and freezing of the instrumentation and equipment in units that handle heavy oil, such as Distillation Unit 1, Light Catalyst Unit, and Heavy Catalyst Unit. For those equipped with a flushing oil system, flushing oil is applied during the day every day ； For systems equipped with steam tracing, check whether the traps are in good working condition and replace any defective traps promptly ； For those with insulation layers in place, check whether the insulation is damaged and reinforce the insulation measures promptly. In mid-November, in accordance with the subsidiary’s \"Detailed Rules for Waterproofing and Moisture Protection of Electrical and Instrumentation Equipment at Guangzhou Petrochemical\", the Control Center carried out self-inspections and corrective actions to ensure proper lightning protection, waterproofing, and moisture protection for the instrumentation equipment, taking into account the seasonal maintenance requirements for such equipment as well as the problems that arise during production and maintenance activities. They arranged special inspections to address the potential hazards related to the instruments, conducted a detailed analysis of the power supply for these instruments, and carried out inspections and rectifications to eliminate the risks associated with single-point interlocks of the instruments ； In cases of high wind speeds, to prevent injuries caused by the falling of cable trays, special inspections were carried out on these trays. For areas with potential hazards, measures such as tightening, anti-corrosion treatment, or replacement were taken ； In accordance with the established \"Principles for Setting Feedback Switches on Instruments and Valves,\" a total of 23 valves that require feedback have been identified for inspection, and the necessary funds have been allocated for this purpose ； To prevent damage to the anti-static flooring in the instrument cabinet rooms and avoid injuries to staff due to inadequate support, an inspection was carried out on such flooring. Issues were found in the anti-static flooring of 11 equipment cabinets, and the necessary costs have been covered for repairs to be carried out. “In November, the weather was unpredictable; by taking preventive measures in advance, the instrumentation was able to operate smoothly, laying a solid foundation for the safe production of the facility. ” Lin Xinghua, deputy director of the Instrumentation and Control Center, said. (Zhong Xiaoyou, He Bing)