Detecting and correcting maldistribution in heat exchangers in a petrochemical plant or refinery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10663238-B2
Application number	US-201815937484-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2018
Priority date	Mar 28, 2017
Publication date	May 26, 2020
Grant date	May 26, 2020

Abstract

A plant or refinery may include equipment such as reactors, heaters, heat exchangers, regenerators, separators, or the like. Types of heat exchangers include shell and tube, plate, plate and shell, plate fin, air cooled, wetted-surface air cooled, or the like. Operating methods may impact deterioration in equipment condition, prolong equipment life, extend production operating time, or provide other benefits. Mechanical or digital sensors may be used for monitoring equipment, and sensor data may be programmatically analyzed to identify developing problems. For example, sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more system components to detect and correct maldistribution, cross-leakage, strain, pre-leakage, thermal stresses, fouling, vibration, problems in liquid lifting, conditions that can affect air-cooled exchangers, conditions that can affect a wetted-surface air-cooled heat exchanger, or the like. An operating condition or mode may be adjusted to prolong equipment life or avoid equipment failure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a reactor;
a heater;
a heat exchanger;
a regenerator;
a separator;
one or more sensors associated with the heat exchanger;
a data collection platform comprising:
one or more processors of the data collection platform;
a communication interface of the data collection platform; and
memory storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data collection platform to:
receive, from the one or more sensors associated with the heat exchanger, sensor data comprising operation information associated with the heat exchanger;
correlate the sensor data from the one or more sensors with metadata comprising time data, the time data corresponding to the operation information associated with the heat exchanger; and
transmit the sensor data; and

a data analysis platform, comprising:
one or more processors of the data analysis platform;
a communication interface of the data analysis platform; and
memory storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data analysis platform to:
receive, from the data collection platform, the sensor data comprising the operation information associated with the heat exchanger;
analyze the sensor data comprising the operation information associated with the heat exchanger to determine whether there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger;
based on determining that there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger, determine a recommended adjustment to an operating condition of the heat exchanger to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger; and
send a command configured to cause the recommended adjustment to the operating condition of the heat exchanger to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory of the data analysis platform stores executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data analysis platform to:
determine whether the maldistribution within the heat exchanger is within a first range or a second range;
based on determining that the maldistribution within the heat exchanger is within the first range, initiate a monitoring program for monitoring the maldistribution within the heat exchanger; and
based on determining that the maldistribution within the heat exchanger is within the second range, adjust a pressure in a unit associated with the heat exchanger to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory of the data analysis platform stores executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data analysis platform to:
based on determining that there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger, determine a recommended amount to decrease a temperature associated with the heat exchanger to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger; and
send a command configured to cause adjustment of the temperature associated with the heat exchanger by the recommended amount to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory of the data analysis platform stores executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data analysis platform to:
based on determining that there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger, determine a recommended amount to decrease a pressure associated with the heat exchanger to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger; and
send a command configured to cause adjustment of the pressure associated with the heat exchanger by the recommended amount to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the memory of the data analysis platform stores executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data analysis platform to:
determine the recommended amount to decrease the pressure associated with the heat exchanger in order to change a boiling point temperature associated with the heat exchanger to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory of the data analysis platform stores executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data analysis platform to:
based on determining that there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger, determine a recommended amount to decrease a feed flow associated with the heat exchanger to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger; and
send a command configured to cause adjustment of the feed flow associated with the heat exchanger by the recommended amount to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory of the data analysis platform stores executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data analysis platform to:
based on determining that there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger, determine a recommended amount to increase a recycle flow associated with the heat exchanger to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger; and
send a command configured to cause adjustment of the recycle flow associated with the heat exchanger by the recommended amount to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory of the data analysis platform stores executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data analysis platform to:
based on determining that there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger, send a command to adjust hydro-treating associated with the heat exchanger in order to decrease an amount of nitrogen or ammonium salts.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory of the data analysis platform stores executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data analysis platform to:
based on determining that there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger, send a command to adjust a valve to cause a decrease use of corrosion inhibitors in feed associated with the heat exchanger.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory of the data analysis platform stores executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data analysis platform to:
based on determining that there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger, send a command to adjust a valve to change an amount of feed associated with the heat exchanger.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory of the data analysis platform stores executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data analysis platform to:
based on determining that there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger, send a command to adjust a valve to change a source of feed associated with the heat exchanger.

12. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
one or more spray bars associated with the heat exchanger,
wherein the memory of the data analysis platform stores executable instructions that, when executed, cause the data analysis platform to:
based on determining that there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger, send a command to initiate a flush of the one or more spray bars associated with the heat exchanger.

13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause a system to:
receive sensor data comprising operation information associated with a heat exchanger;
analyze the sensor data comprising the operation information associated with the heat exchanger to determine whether there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger;
based on determining that there is maldistribution within the heat exchanger, determine a recommended adjustment to an operating condition of the heat exchanger to alleviate the maldistribution within the heat exchanger; and
send a comm

Assignees

• Uop Llc

Inventors

• Victor Sanford Allan
• Daly Phillip F
• Horn Ian G

Classifications

• F28F2265/06

  by using means for draining heat exchange media from heat exchangers · CPC title

• B01J2208/00026

  Controlling or regulating the heat exchange system · CPC title

• F28F2009/226

  Transversal partitions · CPC title

• F28F2265/00

  Safety or protection arrangements; Arrangements for preventing malfunction · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title