Pre-turnaround scans are very useful tools for facilities to utilise for planning turnaround projects. They can indicate some damage within a vessel, allowing for parts to be ordered and onsite ahead of time. They can also indicate an operational issue, which can be corrected without an entry into the vessel. If required they can indicate that the vessel is healthy and no work is needed on it at this time.
Pre-turnaround scans enable better critical path planning
Mar 1, 2021 7:49:02 AM
Topics: distillation column, Distillation Column Performance, Column Performance, packed column performance, packed column, distillation column maintenance, gamma scanning distillation columns, trayed columns, turnaround schedules, turnarounds, distillation column scan, distillation column scanning, turnaround planning, packed bed towers, trayed tower, manage turnaround costs, turnaround critical path project, pre-turnaround scans, baseline scan, column troubleshooting, pre-turnaround planning, critical path planning
Baseline scanning is critical to diagnose future column problems
Jan 18, 2021 8:49:22 AM
Baseline scans of a vessel are undertaken when it is known to be clean, operating normally, and in good mechanical condition. They are often used for comparison purposes on future troubleshooting scans. Any anomaly, or abnormal absorption observed on a baseline scan, that cannot be explained by a visible external interference or by something indicated in the column drawings, may be able to be eliminated as a potential problem area in future troubleshooting scans.
Topics: distillation column, Distillation Column Performance, Column Performance, distillation column maintenance, gamma scanning distillation columns, distillation column scan, distillation column scanning, baseline scan, column troubleshooting
Diagnosing the cause of off-spec production in a distillation column: A case study
Jul 21, 2016 7:53:47 AM
Tru-Scan™ and Tru-Grid™ scans are powerful tools that give you valuable insights into packed and trayed towers, tanks, pipes and more. Using this field-proven predictive maintenance technique on distillation columns allows plant personnel to monitor tray or packing hydraulics. A sophisticated monitoring programme can track the effects of fouling or other incapacitating conditions to extend run times and identify maintenance requirements in advance of scheduled turnarounds.
Topics: Process Diagnostics, Distillation Column Performance, distillation tower scanning, distillation column maintenance, tower scan, gamma ray inspection distillation, gamma scan distillationcolumns, gamma scanning distillation columns, process diagnostics technologies, distillation column service, tower scanning, tracerco diagnostics, separation tower scanning, tower gamma scan, distillation tower scan, distillation column scan, distillation column scanning
How to diagnose liquid maldistribution in packed beds: A case study - Part 2
Jun 8, 2016 11:35:29 AM
This post is the second part of the "Diagnosing liquid maldistribution inside packed beds" series.
In the previous blog, we explained how Tracerco’s Tru-Grid™ Scan technologies can be used to diagnose suspected maldistribution in packed beds. In Part 2, we will discuss how we obtain more details on distribution within the packed bed.
A challenge to process engineers is diagnosing liquid maldistribution problems inside packed beds that can cause severe mass transfer efficiency loss. In industrial distillation columns, common examples of the cause of liquid maldistribution are design, manufacture or installation defects of distributors as well as damage, plugging and process disturbance of packed beds.
In this latest blog we will explain how following a Tru-Grid™ Scan, Tracerco’s ThruVision™ technology was able to obtain a more detailed liquid distribution profile of the packed bed.
Topics: optimising plant processing, plant processing, scanning technology, Process Diagnostics, distillation column, Distillation Column Performance, packed column performance, distillation tower scanning, annular liquid distribution, Liquid maldistribution, packed column, Suspected maldistribution, distillation column maintenance, ThruVision scan, Tracerco technologies, Suspected maldistribution in packed beds, ThruVision
How to diagnose liquid maldistribution in packed beds: A case study - Part 1
May 12, 2016 8:52:49 AM
This post is the first of the "Diagnosing liquid maldistribution inside packed beds" series.
A challenge to process engineers is diagnosing liquid maldistribution problems inside packed beds that can cause severe mass transfer efficiency loss. In industrial distillation columns, common examples of the cause of liquid maldistribution are design, manufacture or installation defects of distributors as well as damage, plugging and process disturbance of packed beds.
In this latest blog, we will explain using a case study approach how Tracerco's scanning technologies can be used to diagnose suspected maldistribution in packed beds.
The first step to determine liquid maldistribution in a packed column is to perform a Tracerco Tru-Grid™ Scan to provide an initial look at the liquid distribution in the packing. A Tru-Grid™ scan consists of four equal-distant chords, one through each quadrant of the tower. Under ideal conditions and uniform liquid loadings, each scan plot will overlay closely with all others.
Topics: optimising plant processing, process systems, plant processing, scanning technology, Process Diagnostics, Gamma Scanning, Distillation Column Performance, packed column performance, distillation tower scanning, annular liquid distribution, Liquid maldistribution, packed column, Tru-Grid Scan, distillation column maintenance, Tracerco technologies, optimising plant production, Suspected maldistribution in packed beds
How to reduce operating costs and shutdown time of a distillation tower: case study
Sep 15, 2015 12:41:38 PM
Improving process operating margins can be achieved by maximising production of higher value products and/or minimising production costs. It is important for plant engineers to know how much capacity is available in the trays in a distillation tower. Gamma scanning is an established method used by many in the process industries as a qualitative tool to help troubleshoot distillation towers. Gamma scanning can be used to diagnose virtually any operating malfunction that can be identified by an observable change in density. This includes most mechanical, process or rate related problems such as tray damage, foaming, weeping and entrainment. By deploying new measurement detector technology and incorporating innovative analysis of gamma scanning data, plant engineers can now acc ss the all-important quantitative data about the capacity of distillation towers.
Topics: Process Diagnostics, Gamma Scanning, Tray Capacity, Distillation Column Performance, Carryover, Weeping, Entrainment, Tru-Scan, Column Flooding, Tray Damage, FrothView