Equipment pt4

Atmospheric Tanks

• API governs the design and construction standards

Pressure Relief Devices

• Relief valves should be utilized in liquid service only

Vessels

• Mist eliminators, located at the top, collect droplets of mist from gas before it exits

Nitrogen Blankets

• Misalignment of blanket systems can cause a loss

Tank Hazards

• Pulling a vacuum on a tank while emptying can cause a collapse

Pressure Vessels

• Code vessel is the term used to identify

Material Storage

• Fixed roof tanks are ideal for storing material with a high flash point

Transport Vessels

• Tank cars are used to transport liquids in bulk by rail

Containment Walls

• Containment walls serve to contain wastewater and contaminated rainwater
• Containment walls protect humans from potential hazards
• Containment walls protect the soil and environment from contaminants

Storage Tank Service

• Ensure all swing line cables are connected when returning a storage tank to service
• Verify the gauging system is operational when returning a storage tank to service
• Confirm all manways are in place when returning a storage tank to service

Pressure Storage Tanks

• Bullets are used to store contents at moderate to high pressures

Tank Collapse

• Underpressurization may cause a tank to collapse inward

Components of Vessels

• Agitators are used to combine contents inside a vessel

Vessel Design

• Viscosity of the product is not a factor

Vessel Walls

• Corrosion can cause thinning, pitting, or cracking

Putting Vessels in Service

• The pressure should be increased gradually

Off-Specification Product

• Off-specification product can be sold at a loss
• Off-specification product requires reworking
• Off-specification product must be sent to waste

Reactors

• Internal heating and cooling coils are auxiliary equipment to heat and cool material

Reactor Hazards

• Fires associated with flammability or reactivity of reactor materials are not environmental hazards

Reactor Types

• Tubular reactors are widely used in food industry production of high fructose corn syrup

Runaway Reactions

• Stopping all feed streams is a solution

Reactors at Higher Pressures

• Tubular reactors can operate at higher pressures

Catalyst Particles

• Fluidized bed reactors suspend or fluidize solid catalyst particles using high-velocity fluid

Reactor Monitoring

• Process technicians should look for hot spots when monitoring and maintaining reactors
• Process technicians should monitor proper operating temperatures when monitoring and maintaining reactors
• Process technicians should check reactor products when monitoring and maintaining reactors

Reaction Variables

• Pressure is a variable in the rate of reaction
• Temperature is a variable in the rate of reaction
• Residence time is a variable in the rate of reaction

Catalyst

• Addition of a catalyst increases activation energy in a chemical reaction

Pressure

• The rate of reaction increases when pressure is increased

Fixed Bed Reactors

• Hydrotreating reactors are an example

Control Systems

• Programmable and digital control systems ensure correct conditions for continuous reactions

Equipment Hazards

• Fires can be an equipment hazard associated with reactors

Tubular Reactors

• Steam methane reformer reactors are an example

Overpressurization

• Pressure controls prevent overpressurization

Leaks

• Reduce pressure

Quick Reactions

• Tubular reactors are helpful

Personnel Safety

• Slips and falls are a personnel safety hazard

Increased Temperature

• Reaction rates increases

Cartridge Filters

• Look for a restricted process flow to determine if a cartridge filter is full

Dryers

• Fixed bed dryers use desiccants to remove moisture from a process stream

Documentation

• Standard operating procedures are used to document daily equipment and process operations

Fouling

• Excessive fouling leads to an increase in differential pressure

Selecting Filters

• Degree of filtering required should be considered
• Type of material being filtered should be considered
• Size of particles to be removed should be considered

Filter Units

• Fixed bed filters use a stationary filter medium

Operational Hazard

• Breakthrough is an operational hazard

Process Technician Monitoring

• A process technician should look for excessive pressure drops with regard to filters and dryers
• A process technician should look for leaks around the filter closure with regard to filters and dryers
• A process technician should look for pools of liquid on the floor with regard to filters and dryers

Channeling

• Ensuring the correct drying agent is installed can prevent channeling

Particle Removal

• 85 percent of particles can be removed with a nominal rating

Leaf Filters

• Leaf filters use a filter aid on a fine mesh screen

Particle Removal from Feed Stream

• Mechanical filter is used to remove particles from the feed stream

Dryer Types

• Rotary dryers use large, rotating, cylindrical tubes

Dryer Breakthrough

• Breakthrough occurs when the dryer output contains excessive moisture

Lost Production

• Sampling without proper PPE does not cause lost production