Break in the HUB
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Alarm System Management 101: Why It’s Business Critical
Digitalization
This interactive alarm related session is provided for attendees that are not familiar with alarm management and why alarms are a challenge. We expect attendees to ask basic (and advanced) questions in an open and inviting session. We welcome attendees that don’t have alarm management as their primary responsibility to better understand how their roles can impact the console operators experience with alarms (e.g. refinery personnel may want more alarms than needed thinking more is better). Participants will:
- Learn a basic understanding to why alarm management is so important to safe and effective operation (regardless of discipline)
- Be able to ask any question related to alarms
Facilitator:
Arnold Austin, Emerson Automation Solutions
Panel:
Michael Barham, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Troy Jones, Motiva Enterprises LLC
Patrick Robinson, Phillips 66
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Townhall: Review Responses to Crude/Coking Survey
Crude, Coking
Survey responses will be reviewed surrounding crude and coker unit production, covering a wide range of topics to include operations, technology, reliability/maintenance, digitalization.
Facilitators:
Hector Gamboa-Arizpe, CITGO
Steve Williams, Marathon Petroleum Company
Speakers
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Hydroprocessing 101: Unit Monitoring
Hydroprocessing
This session will feature a discussion of current hydroprocessing issues by experienced industry panelists. Topics include:
- Co-processing of renewable and crude-based stocks in conventional units
- Feed contaminants effects and solutions
- Catalyst cycle length extension
- Reactor pressure drop causes and mitigations
- Discussion of reactor entry concerns related to pyrophoric catalyst
Facilitator:
Jeff Johns, Becht
Megan Skrodolis, Unicat
Panelists:
Goutam Biswas, Chevron Lummus Global LLC
Oscar Brown, Valero Energy Corporation
Kyle Dunaway, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Andrea Battiston, Ketjen Corporation
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Co-Processing Renewable Feedstocks in FCC
Sustainability, FCC
Co-processing of sustainable feedstocks in FCC units is gaining popularity in industry but first-hand experience is still relatively limited. This roundtable session will highlight real-world experiences and first-hand learnings from a diverse panel of experts that includes operators, technology licensors, consultants and catalyst suppliers. Discussion topics will include topics such as supply/logistics, economic incentives/credits, operating issues/troubleshooting and other commercial experiences. Bring your questions and be ready for interactive discussion!
Facilitator: Nik Larsen, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Speakers:
Stefan Brandt, W. R. Grace & Co.
Derek Froehle, Honeywell UOP
Mel Larson, Becht
Gary Lee, Parkland Refining (B.C.) Ltd.
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Turnaround Roundtable (Continued)
Turnaround
Facilitator:
Brad Hase, HF Sinclair
Speakers:
Robin Harris, Phillips 66
Mike DeHart, Valero Energy Corporation
Steven Giffin, PBF Energy
Topics:
Planning Norms
Safe Efficient Handover
Craft Skills and Availability
Speakers
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Question 83: As the time between FCC unit turnaround events are continuously being extended, what areas have you identified as having a high likelihood of failure due to erosion and what preventive measures can be taken to avoid such failures?
Peter Blaser (CPFD Software, LLC)
Erosion due to catalyst impact is often a strong function of particle velocity. However overall operating conditions, such as superficial velocity, are often insufficient to predict local erosion characteristics in FCC equipment where the likelihood and severity of erosion is influenced by local catalyst acceleration and impact. The mass, velocity, angle of impact, surface material and other factors all influence this local erosion behavior.
One approach to minimize erosion damage and avoid related failures is to use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to simulate the gas/catalyst flow in FCC units and components to assess the likelihood that a particular combination of design and operating condition will result in excessive erosion. This type of modeling and analysis is often used to compare the relative performance of alternative designs.
For example, one published instance of this approach utilized CFD modeling to predict the observed erosion pattern in reactor cyclones at the Marathon Petroleum Catlettsburg Refinery. The validated model was then used to compare the erosion characteristics of alternative proposed design changes and to ensure the planned changes did not have a detrimental effect on other aspects of system performance. The attached images show the erosion damage as visually observed during a turnaround and a comparison of the CFD-computed erosion for the original design compared with two alternative designs.
For more information see: 'Blaser, P., Thibault, S., and Sexton, J. “Use of Computational Modeling for FCC Reactor Cyclone Erosion Reduction at the Marathon Petroleum Catlettsburg Refinery”, Proceedings of World Fluidization Conference XIV: From Fundamentals to Products, 347-354, (2013)'.
Use of CFD modeling to predict or prevent erosion on FCC equipment has been successfully applied to reactor and regenerator vessels and internals, as well as downstream equipment such as flue gas slide valves and flue gas orifice chambers with excellent success. Understanding the likelihood of erosion and the underlying root cause enables engineers to avoid erosion-prone designs prior to construction and installation.
Tina Syvret (NALCO Champion)
Removal of nitrogen in refinery effluent water relies on biological processes. Nitrates can be handled by modifying a secondary treatment system with an anoxic reactor upstream of an aerobic reactor. The activated sludge containing nitrates formed in the aerobic reactor as a result of the nitrification process (ammonia to nitrate) are returned to the anoxic zone where they are converted to nitrogen gas.
Year
2014
Process