46 Questions
What is the principal energy transfer medium that industry depends on for its process applications?
Steam
Why is heat essential in hydrocarbon processing?
To facilitate physical processes and chemical reactions
What plays a significant role in separating saleable end products in thermal processes?
Steam
Which type of feedstocks can be used in thermal operations according to the text?
Natural gas, conventional crudes, heavy crudes, and oil sands
What is the unique skill set required for effectively managing thermal operations according to the text?
Power Engineer skills
Apart from energy transfer, what other role does steam play in industrial operations according to the text?
Supplying water for chemical reactions
What is the major advantage of using steam as an energy transfer medium?
High heat capacity
In what form is most of the heat contained in steam?
Latent heat
What is a characteristic of heat transfer fluid (HTF) systems?
Employ external flash drums
At what temperature range is steam usually preferred over HTF systems?
Between freezing and 175°C
How is steam generated in a Boiler or a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG)?
By transferring thermal energy from combustion or other sources
What kind of energy transfer medium do compressed hydrocarbons produce when combusted directly?
Compressed gas
In the context of industrial plants, what occurs in the 'Generation' segment?
Conversion of energy from one form to another generating heat
What controls the equipment configurations within the generation section of an industrial plant?
The choice of energy conversion medium
What distinguishes a vapour phase HTF system from a liquid phase HTF system?
Internal vs. external flash drum usage
What factor primarily governs the choice between a steam system and an HTF system in industrial applications?
Thermal requirements of the process
What is the purpose of an economizer in a boiler system?
To recycle thermal energy in combustion gases for feedwater heating
Why is back-pressure or non-condensing turbines sometimes used in distribution systems?
To extract energy from high-pressure steam
What is the role of steam traps in a distribution system?
To trap steam while enabling condensate return
How do combustion air preheaters contribute to boiler systems?
By reducing energy requirements for incoming combustion air
Why is appropriate insulation crucial for a thermal distribution system?
To increase plant safety by reducing surface temperatures
What distinguishes an economizer from a superheater in a boiler system?
Economizers recycle thermal energy while superheaters increase steam temperature
What is the primary function of an ancillary equipment and controls in a generating system?
To ensure feedwater quality and process safety
Why might a boiler system utilize steam separators?
To remove water droplets from wet steam
What is the purpose of steam accumulators in a distribution system?
To discharge excess energy from excess steam
How do distribution lines in a system operate at different pressures?
By utilizing isolation valves and traps
In the process of crystallization, how is a crystalline substance separated from a non-crystalline one?
By cooling the solution and then separating the components via filtering or centrifugation
What is the purpose of solvent extraction in a petroleum refinery?
To separate substances based on differences in solubility
Which process uses steam to control the pressure of a reaction by injection into a fixed volume reaction vessel?
Pressure Regulation
What happens during an absorption process using molecular sieves as filtering medium?
Seperation based on physical size of molecules
What is the primary function of stripping towers in industrial processes?
To pull unwanted contaminants from a process fluid using steam
During distillation, how are compounds separated into fractions?
By differential boiling points
What is the typical function of dilution in industrial processes?
To dilute a process gas which can reduce solids buildup on heat exchangers
What separates substances by using differences in solubility between compounds in complex mixtures?
Solvent Extraction
Which industrial process involves converting one compound into another by chemical reaction?
Chemical Conversion Processes
What is the main purpose of quenching in industrial processes?
Cooling and stopping high temperature reaction processes
What is the main purpose of molecular size reduction in chemical processes?
To convert surplus, unsaleable products into smaller ones in demand
In chemical structure adjustment for gasoline manufacture, what effect does creating a more branched product have on the octane number?
Increases the octane number
How is excess energy, in comparison to the process' needs, extracted when gas is used as the energy transfer medium?
Through a heat exchanger
What happens to condensate that is not returned to the boiler in a steam system?
It must be replaced by makeup water at additional costs
What is the primary function of a deaerator in a steam system?
To strip oxygen and non-condensable gases from condensate
What is the role of boiler feed pumps in a steam system?
Increase feedwater pressure above boiler pressure
How does the return and recycling of post-combustion gases contribute to energy efficiency?
By extracting energy to preheat fuel and air streams
What is the purpose of stripping oxygen and non-condensable gases in a deaerator?
To prevent corrosion in the system
In what scenario must treated makeup water and chemicals be added?
At the condensate receiver
What distinguishes heat transfer fluids return process from that of condensate?
Condensate operates through low-pressure piping
Learn about the superheater, economizer, and combustion air preheaters used in boilers to increase energy efficiency and improve heat transfer. Understand how these components recycle and transfer thermal energy to enhance the overall performance of the system.
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