Distillation column equipment represents a significant percentage
of the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and chemical industry
fixed-capital investment. Proper operation of the distillation
column internal and peripheral equipment depends on the design,
fabrication, and installation of the internal equipment. When
a column is shut down during a maintenance turnaround or to correct
a problem, column internals require quick inspection to determine
equipment repair requirements. Additionally, inspection is the
last opportunity to find design, mechanical, and installation
errors in revamped equipment.
Inspection is not an exact science that is amenable to rote checklist procedures. Distillation systems processing the same feedstock often have unique features. Inspection is more an art practiced by experienced field personnel such as Norm Lieberman. It is generally a very hot and dirty business that many engineers do not like to perform. As computerization takes over many aspects of distillation system design and operation, the tools required to be a competent field inspector increasingly reside with a small number of practitioners. There are few hard-and-fast rules because each distillation column system is unique. Nevertheless, practical application examples of inspection philosophy, guidelines, checklists, and case studies for some equipment are included.
33 pages including 39 tables and figures.
Electronic version available in Adobe PDF format file 023.PDF
568k.
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