Menu
INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

Ethylene Plants

Process equipment fouling in the petrochemical industry is an on-going, severe and costly problem.
Ethylene Unit
Quench Oil / Water Systems Including Settler
De-Ethanizer
De-Propanizer
De-Butanizer
Butadiene Recovery and Purification
Caustic Wash Towers
Waste Heat Steam Generation
Cooling Water Users
Charge and Other Compressors
Refrigeration System
Acetylene Conversion
Lubrication and Hydraulic Oil Systems
Fuel Gas Headers and KO Drum
DMF Unit
Day Tanks
Process Piping
Air Side of Fin Fan Coolers
Typical Issues
Oil system; coke, heavy oil, viscous quench oil Water system; light hydrocarbon (30 wt oil and thinner), coke in settler, aromatics and other light hydrocarbons, very large systems that cover the entire plant
Light hydrocarbons, all light gases, very large diameter and height
Light hydrocarbons, all light gases, very large diameter and height, might have NORM deposits in bottom
Light hydrocarbons, all light gases, very large diameter and height, may have some crosslinked C-4s in bottom and reboiler
Clients use solvents to remove butadiene so will have residual solvent and light hydrocarbon, likely to have sheet crosslinked polymer in bottom and pyrophoric polymer in vapor space
Client uses caustic cascade to clean up gas streams, will have caustic deposits as well as light hydrocarbons and mercaptans
Very large waste heat system with usually good water treatment, over time will foul with iron oxides on heat transfer surfaces
Typical cooling water foulant of iron oxides, water salts, and misc. corrosion deposits
Process is mostly gaseous so compressors and pressure differences are the drivers for the process. Will need clearing for maintenance and can also find oil that has leaked through the seals
On process side the foulant will be mostly oil that has leaked past the compressor seals, due to low temperature this oil will turn semi solid and cause heat transfer problems
This process forms a viscous polymer that causes heat transfer problem, water-based chemicals typically have no effect
Are cleaned periodically for formation of acids and tars from the oil, generally cleaned while circulating at high rates for particulate removal
over time "sludge" forms from the fuels (gas and liquids) especially of client uses waste gas, light hydrocarbons and possibly iron sulfides, challenging systems as they are not designed for circulation
DMF (dimethyl formide) is used for aromatics removal, if water gets in the system formic acid will form which starts corrosion, need to remove the organics and come back with acid for corrosion deposit removal
Will vary from gas storage to amines, one thing in common is that they will all need clearing eventually
Refer to what unit they are in for details but all will eventually need clearing for maintenance and inspection
Will foul with mixture of oil and dirt, if client has been using water hose to cascade for cooling there might also be water salts
Chemical Products
FQE Solvent-PR+ (Quench Oil)
FQE Barium-Clear (Quench Water)
FQE Solvent ME
FQE LEL-Vapor
FQE LEL-Surface
FQE LEL-Vapor
FQE LEL-Surface
FQE NORM-Clear
FQE LEL-Vapor
FQE NORM-Clear
FQE LEL-Vapor
FQE LEL-Surface
FQE NORM-Clear
FQE Solvent-PR+
FQE LEL-Vapor
FQE LEL-Surface
FQE LEL-Vapor
FQE LEL-Surface
FQE Solvent-PR+
FQE Oil Degreaser
FQE Scale Solv SS
FQE Barium-Clear
FQE Scale Solve SS
FQE LEL-Surface
FQE LEL-Surface
FQE Solvent-ME
FQE Oil Degreaser
FQE LEL-Vapor
FQE LEL-Surface
FQE Pyrophoric
FQE LEL-Vapor
FQE LEL-Surface
FQE Solvent-ME
FQE Scale Solv SS
FQE LEL-Vapor
FQE LEL-Surface
FQE Solvent-PR+
FQE Solvent-ME
FQE LEL-Vapor
FQE LEL-Surface
FQE Solvent ME
FQE Fin Fan Degreaser

Petrochemical Applications

yellow-bulletThe quench oil/water units in cracking plants will foul with heavy high molecular weight species that will foul downstream units and fill the quench settler.

yellow-bulletAll the plants and units will become contaminated with high and low boiling point hydrocarbons that generate high LEL levels.

yellow-bulletMany of the products will be transported by railcars, which will require cleaning for inspection or change in service.

yellow-bulletAll these sites will have product storage tanks and transportation piping that will periodically need cleaning.

yellow-bulletUnits such depropanizers in cracking plants can foul with NORM deposits.

yellow-bulletMany of these plants will have solvent recovery systems that are high in VOCs and result in high LEL readings.

yellow-bulletLubrication and hydraulic systems will foul from degraded oil treatment chemicals and other product ingress.

yellow-bulletAir coolers (Fin-Fans) will foul on the air-side thereby reducing efficiency.

yellow-bulletSurfaces such as pump slabs, concrete parking lots, cooling tower basins and fill, etc. will foul with several products.

Related Content

Canadian petroleum refinery saves 72 hours of outage time in turnaround by simultaneously degassing and decontamination multiple units utilizing FQE® chemicals

Canadian petroleum refinery saves 72 hours of outage time in turnaround by simultaneously degassing and decontamination multiple units utilizing FQE® chemicals

50% time reduction for pre-inspection cleaning in sour water tank

50% time reduction for pre-inspection cleaning in sour water tank

FQE Solvent-ME+ cleans desalter in 3.5 days after competitor product failure

FQE Solvent-ME+ cleans desalter in 3.5 days after competitor product failure

Contact our technical sales team today to learn more

Contact Us