Maintenance & Reliability
AIChE and IChemE sign MoU to strengthen international STEM talent pool
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)—two professional societies dedicated to advancing the application of chemical engineering expertise internationally—have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further collaboration for the benefit of chemical and process engineering and society as a whole.
Russia's September western port oil loadings to rise 1.5% m/m despite seasonal refinery maintenance
Russia will increase oil exports via its western ports to 1.98 MMbpd in September, up by just 30,000 bpd from August, despite the expected start of seasonal maintenance on Russian refineries.
Shell to leverage proprietary structural performance management software for various facilities
Under this agreement, Shell will leverage Akselos’ Structural Performance Management (SPM) software to monitor the structural health of critical assets across the Shell portfolio in near real-time. Akselos’ SPM software will help enable Shell to optimize the lifecycle of critical assets safely and sustainably.
ADNOC deploys pioneering AI-enabled process optimization technology
Following successful initial operations, ADNOC announced the deployment of an industry leading artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled process optimization technology--Neuron 5--across all ADNOC facilities across thousands of critical pieces of equipment essential for production, including compressors, valves and generators.
Validate skin temperature in refractory-lined pipes using manual calculation vs. FEA analysis
Accurately estimating skin temperature and understanding the impact of refractory lining on thermal performance are crucial aspects of piping system design, operation and maintenance. By recognizing the multifaceted role of refractory lining in enhancing operational efficiency, mitigating risks and extending the lifespan of industrial piping systems, industries can optimize their processes and ensure the reliability and safety of their infrastructure.
Case study: Developing mildew-resistant coatings on ethanol tanks
Scientists from the authors’ company determined how best to combat persistent black mildew on aboveground storage tanks by first using a novel strategy to identify it. This discovery led to the identification of coating formulations with superior capacity to prevent mildew growth. The scientists proved the performance of the coatings by conducting field tests involving painting sample patches onto an ethanol storage tank.
Refinery/petrochemical makeup water treatment: A general guide for technical personnel—Part 1
New personnel are often confronted with challenges that require knowledgeable and quick action, which they may have difficulty providing without thorough training. A very important—and sometimes overlooked—unit operation within these facilities is makeup water treatment for steam generators and other processes. Many cases have been documented in which makeup system upsets have led to boiler tube failures that partially or completely shut down unit processes. Parts 1 and 2 (September 2024) of this article serve as a guide for those employees who may be on a steep learning curve when it comes to makeup system understanding.
Zero liquid discharge: A stepping stone to water sustainability—Part 1
Among the available technologies of wastewater treatment to recover reusable water, zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) has become the most frequently used term in oil and gas refineries and petrochemical plants. It has been effectively used in the treatment of brine to maximize the recovery of freshwater or recycled water and to recover salt and other chemicals that are used in other industries.
The effects of cooling water parameters on condenser brass tubes
This work is focused on the effect of cooling water parameters on admiralty brass tubes. The effect of high free chlorine on the corrosion rate of brass tubes has been investigated by scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) and eddy current test (ECT) methods and the laboratory results of the cooling water were determined and discussed. Also, the tendency of the feed water scaling indices that is LSI, PSI & RSI was calculated. The results show that a dezincification corrosion mechanism was observed due to the high-level free chlorine on the admiralty brass tube.
Digital Feature: Truly effective reliability requires predictive maintenance
To navigate this new world, organizations must find ways to bring in new technologies to support the limited personnel they have, but without increasing the complexity of those people’s jobs or overwhelming them with raw data they are not trained to use. The solution is to implement a predictive maintenance technology plan founded on a boundless automation vision of seamlessly moving contextualized data wherever it is needed.
- DG Fuels awards MyRechemical contract for Nebraska (U.S.) SAF plant 12/4
- Topsoe to provide technology for 40,000-tpy e-Methanol project in Galicia, Spain 12/4
- SwitcH2, CorPower Ocean partner on wave-powered green ammonia 12/4
- Solvay to utilize biomethane to replace a portion of natural gas used at its plant in Mexico 12/4
- MAN Energy Solutions and Bonatti to collaborate on EDF PEI bioenergy plant 12/4
- Airlines not switching quickly enough to green jet fuel, study says 12/4
