Question
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Increasing hydrocracker reactor heater temperature is a typical strategy when upgrading heavy feedstocks but should be balanced against higher energy costs and emissions considerations. Further complicating matters is fouling and corrosion of hydrocracker unit heat exchangers by unconverted oils (UCOs). What trends do you see in resolving increased fouling from UCOs?
Dec-2022
Answers
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Marcello Ferrara, ITW Technologies, mferrara@itwtechnologies.com
It is quite common for UCO heat exchangers to foul, given the highly waxy nature of the feed. Despite the operating solutions that can be found and developed on a case-by-case basis when trying to adjust a physical parameter, it should be noted that fouling deposition is not a physical matter and, by evidence, it will continue forming despite operating/equipment adjustments.
Antifoulants can sometimes be used to mitigate this problem, but they do not eliminate fouling deposition, and operators frequently struggle to run until the next turnaround in a ‘run-to-death’ mode which involves losses. ITW Online Cleaning technology can solubilise UCO fouling using a tailor-made and proprietary chemical. The chemical is specifically designed to dissolve and stabilise UCO fouling. An entire system can be cleaned in 24 hours on a feed-out/feed-in basis. After Online Cleaning, the unit can immediately resume production without the need for equipment opening and waste generation.
Dec-2022
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