INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
Petrochemical
Process equipment fouling in the petrochemical industry is an on-going, severe and costly problem.
Petrochemical processing includes cracking plants for olefin production to linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) catalytic process to alcohols and surfactants and a multitude of other processes. One thing they all have in common is that process equipment fouling in the petrochemical industry is a huge problem.
Fouling of equipment results in costly operational problems that include:
- Reduced reliability and processing flexibility
- Inefficient heat transfer and subsequent increases in energy costs
- Excessive maintenance requirements
- Potential safety and environmental concerns
- Equipment damage
- Reduced throughput
Petrochemical Applications
The 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.
All the plants and units will become contaminated with high and low boiling point hydrocarbons that generate high LEL levels.
Many of the products will be transported by railcars, which will require cleaning for inspection or change in service.
All these sites will have product storage tanks and transportation piping that will periodically need cleaning.
Units such depropanizers in cracking plants can foul with NORM deposits.
Many of these plants will have solvent recovery systems that are high in VOCs and result in high LEL readings.
Lubrication and hydraulic systems will foul from degraded oil treatment chemicals and other product ingress.
Air coolers (Fin-Fans) will foul on the air-side thereby reducing efficiency.
Surfaces such as pump slabs, concrete parking lots, cooling tower basins and fill, etc. will foul with several products.
Our Chemicals for Petrochemical Facilities
In order to reduce the impact of these foulants, chemicals can be applied to decontaminate and neutralize the harmful contaminants. These chemical families provide cost- and time-effective solutions to common operational problems.
