Process Control

Introductions Resid Hydrocracking reactor bed density

Process Control 2

▪ Units that typically use Radiometric

▪ Desalters

▪ Alkylation

▪ Tower Bottoms

▪ Delayed Coker

▪ Resid Hydrocrackers

Process Control

Experience

▪Experience with

▪ Axens – H-Oil (Shenua, Bourgas, Sinopec, PKN, etc)

▪ CLG – LC-Fining (Eni/AGIP)

▪ Eni’s – EST (Sannazzaro)

▪ KBR – VCC (Taif)

▪14 out of the 25 operating units

▪ 5 of the last 7 projects

Process Control 4

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Process Control 5

▪Reactors

▪ Separators

▪ Catalyst Handling/Transfer

▪ Towers/Columns

Vessels with Radiometric

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Process Control 6

Process ControlDrawing from CLG’s Website

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▪Using Drilled Bore

▪Reactors

▪Liquid/Vapor Separators

▪High Temperature and High Pressure

▪Catalyst Transfer Vessels

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▪Using Drilled Bore

▪Reactors

▪Liquid/Vapor Separators

▪High Temperature and High Pressure

▪Catalyst Transfer Vessels

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▪Parameters

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▪Parameters

▪Depth of Bore hole (remaining wall thickness)

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▪Parameters

▪Depth of Bore hole (remaining wall thickness)

▪ Process Path (distance from wall to source well

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▪Parameters

▪Depth of Bore hole (remaining wall thickness)

▪ Process Path (distance from wall to source well

▪Max Density reading

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▪Parameters

▪Depth of Bore hole (remaining wall thickness)

▪ Process Path (distance from wall to source well

▪Max Density reading

Process Control 16

Process Control 17

▪ Bed Density

▪ 0-65kg/m3 – Vapor

▪ 65- 500kg/m3 – Foam

▪ 500-950 kg/m3 – hydrocarbon liquid

▪ 800-1200kg/m3 – hydrocarbon liquid and catalyst (ebulliated/suspended)

▪ 1200-1400+kg/m3 – Slumped bed

Typical operating densities

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Process Control 18

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Vapor 0-65kg/m3

Process Control 19

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Foam 65-500kg/m3

Process Control 20

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Oil 500-950kg/m3

Process Control 21

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Oil/Catalyst 950-1600kg/m3

Process Control 22

▪ Level Control

▪ Too Low

▪ Slumping of the bed (bed compression)

▪ Poor distribution of catalyst

▪ Can create “hot spots”

▪ Too High

▪ Catalyst carryover

▪ Pump damage

▪ Long repair time

Process Control 23

▪Advance Controls

▪ Vapor/Solids Holdup Calculations

▪ Increased Unit Performance

▪ Increased Unit Reliability

▪ Needs Better Resolution

Process Control

▪ Distance from Detector to Vessel wall

▪ Insulation Thickness

▪ Process Path

▪ Source well thickness

▪ Distance from source to well wall

Making Density MeasurementParameters - Fixed

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▪ Process Density

▪ Calculate Absorption

Δ𝐼 = 𝑒−µΔρ𝑡

µ = Absorption Coefficient

ρ = Material Density

t = Material Thickness

Making Density MeasurementParameters - Variable

Process Control 26

▪ Density span – 0-1400kg/m3

▪ Source Size – 1000mCi Cs-137

▪ Process Path – 800mm

Making Density Measurement

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Process Control 27

▪ Density span – 0-1400kg/m3

▪ Source Size – 1000mCi Cs-137

▪ Process Path – 700mm

Making Density Measurement

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Process Control 28

▪ Density span – 0-1400kg/m3

▪ Source Size – 1000mCi Cs-137

▪ Process Path – 700mm

Making Density Measurement

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Process Control 29

Filtering

Process Control 30

Filtering

Process Control 31

Filtering

Process Control 32

▪ Density span – 0-1400kg/m3

▪ Source Size – 1000mCi Cs-137

▪ Process Path – 600mm

Making Density Measurement

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Process Control 33

▪ Density span – 0-1400kg/m3

▪ Source Size – 1000mCi Cs-137

▪ Process Path – 600mm

Making Density Measurement

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Process Control 34

▪ Density span – 0-1400kg/m3

▪ Source Size – 500mCi Cs-137

▪ Process Path – 600mm

Making Density Measurement

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Process Control 35

▪ Parameters effecting density measurement

▪ Process path (fixed)

▪ Density range (fixed)

▪ Size of Source

▪ Increased source to increase resolution/decrease time constant

▪ Increase Time constant

▪ Increased Time constant to increase resolution, but delays reading

▪ Detector Sensitivity

▪ Higher sensitivity is the same as increasing the source size.

▪ Increased Resolution/decerease time constant/reduce source size or keep existing sources

Process Control

Thank you for your attention!!!!

David Williams

Global Business Development Manager

Berthold Technologies

+1 865 604 4424

david.williams@berthold.com