Chemical Industry Blog

Master Liquid Storage Operations with Digital Twin Technology

Jim Cahill — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:46:10 GMT

Competing in the modern, competitive liquid storage market means keeping customers happy, a task that is difficult to accomplish using a traditional model of terminal operation. Efficiency is the name of the game, and most terminals today simply don’t have access to the high numbers of experienced personnel necessary to stay competitive.

However, as Ryan Thompson explains in his recent article in Tanks & Terminals, today’s personnel shortage is no reason to give up on striving for the efficient operation that keeps a facility’s schedule full 24×7. Forward-thinking terminals are looking to digital twin-based terminal scheduling and optimization software to help them run the most efficient operations possible, even with a skeleton crew.

Predicting success to overcome complexity

Today’s terminals are more complex than ever. The spider web of pipes, different sized tanks, valves, and more running across even a small terminal, is extremely difficult to manage manually—via a spreadsheet or other cumbersome records. But industrial software solutions can not only manage the complex operations, they can run them very close to constraints for optimal efficiency. And, when those software solutions are based on digital twin technology, they can do it all in advance, to predict the most efficient solutions based on all the facility’s needs. Ryan explains,

“Operators using terminal scheduling software create a schedule, including all product movement activities, for the desired length of time. The software then runs the simulation to see whether the plan is feasible. If a problem is predicted in the physical world, such as an overfilled tank, the software will return an error, letting the user know what would happen and why. Armed with that knowledge, the schedule can be easily adjusted and run through the simulation again, without the risk of real-world safety or efficiency impacts.”

Leveraging knowledge

The basic benefits of the prediction power of terminal scheduling and optimization software are obvious. If the software can predict the best schedules for operations, personnel are freed for more important tasks, and are also able to run the most efficient schedule possible. They drive more product through the facility, increasing profitability and reputation.

Manual scheduling of terminal operations is complex and error prone.

However, there are additional, less obvious benefits to employing terminal scheduling and optimization software. Digital twin terminal software also does away with old, complex spreadsheets, reducing the risk that when an experienced employee leaves—the only one who knew how to use the spreadsheet—the terminal loses the ability to efficiently schedule. New personnel are much easier to onboard with intuitive technology that walks them through the steps they need and inherently helps to prevent operator errors.

You can learn more about how terminal scheduling software improves operations by reading Ryan’s article in full at Tanks & Terminals. There you will learn more about the intricacies of how the best software, like Emerson’s TerminalScheduler , builds a foundation for improved customer experiences.

The post Master Liquid Storage Operations with Digital Twin Technology appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

Navigate Uncharted Territory with Industrial Software

Jim Cahill — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 14:40:08 GMT

The hydrocarbon industry is rapidly evolving, adapting to support new product demand, increased focus on sustainability, and an increasing need for flexibility. As a result, hydrocarbon process manufacturers have needed to dramatically change the toolbox they employ to support their operations.

As Dustin Beebe and Monil Malhotra explain in their recent article in Hydrocarbon Engineering magazine, hydrocarbon manufacturers have more need than ever to stay flexible. Gone are the days where an increase in production means spinning up a new plant. Today’s organizations typically have neither the staff, nor the resources for such expansion. Instead, they are looking for ways to use automation to improve their existing operations. And industrial software is key to this strategy,

“Industrial software, particularly in the areas of intelligence and automation, can be used to create the foresight necessary to accomplish these and other goals, empowering organizations to continually meet the changing needs of a shifting global marketplace.”

Success through simulation

Dustin and Monil focus very closely on simulation as a critical tool to help hydrocarbon processors successfully implement the changes necessary to drive better performance. Process simulation, they explain, helps organizations adapt to change using a virtual model of the plant. This “digital twin” model helps the organization test new strategies, technologies, and operations without any risk to live equipment.

And when the team has landed on a successful new strategy or technology, the simulation continues to deliver value as a training tool. Operators can use the simulation to practice their new strategies and see the results of their decisions as if they were working on live equipment—often in parallel with installation and configuration of any new technologies. By the time a new system comes online, the operators are already prepared to use it effectively.

The benefits are significant. As Monil and Dustin explain,

“Often, these systems provide integrated tools to improve workflows, increase safety, lower costs, and drive improved energy management and more sustainable operations.”

Managing the new frontier

As plants begin to digitalize their operations for better performance, they will be adding more than just simulation software. New safety systems, alarm solutions, control systems and more will help teams ensure operational integrity as they implement new processes and equipment. Operations management software is critical to helping teams monitor and maintain these new systems. Using such a solution, operations teams can more easily adjust alarm configurations, monitor integrity of safety systems, monitor bypasses, and more to help ensure the plant runs safely and efficiently—even when operating in unfamiliar territory with new solutions.

Other solutions for improved success

Dustin and Monil explore a number of other industrial software solutions including operations testing, risk and scenario simulation, and more. They also offer some short case studies that demonstrate the need for these technologies. You can learn more by reading the article in its entirety over at Hydrocarbon Engineering.

The post Navigate Uncharted Territory with Industrial Software appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

Three Strategies to Implement More Cybersecure Pipeline Operations

Jim Cahill — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 17:45:29 GMT

Managing the cybersecurity of thousands of miles of pipelines can be difficult for even the largest teams.

It used to be safe to assume that pipelines would fly under the radar for cyberattacks. Even though they are a critical infrastructure element, they weren’t something hackers focused on. However, a recent series of high-profile attacks on pipeline infrastructure has changed that outlook, and today, the organizations that operate them must spend more effort and resources actively securing their operations.

As Eric Cytrynowicz and Martin Johnson explain in their recent article in Pipeline and Gas Journal, the concern for pipeline security has increased so much that the U.S. Transportation and Security Agency (TSA) has stepped in to issue mandatory security directives for pipeline owners and operators. While every organization will secure their infrastructure differently, there are some similarities for every pipeline. Eric and Martin explain,

“To accomplish this shift to increased cybersecurity, companies must focus on building layers of defense from the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system all the way down to the individual field devices.”

To help companies meet this goal, Eric and Martin have put together three key guidelines to help teams create more secure operations.

Tip One: Develop Secure Practices

When companies were less worried about cyberattacks, many organizations simply left remote terminal units (RTUs) with default usernames and passwords. In fact, the RTUs themselves often had limitations on password complexity that prevented teams from setting requirements that would meet today’s higher standards. But now, RTUs should be able to handle more robust password standards. Eric and Martin suggest that—at the bare minimum—teams implement unique passwords, following common complexity guidelines. Moreover,

“Today’s high-performing organizations are ensuring each person on the network has an individual username and password. In addition, role-based security measures are recommended to ensure each person is assigned access rights based on his or her role or function.”

Tip Two: Enact Solutions to Ensure Compliance

Not only does a company need a cybersecurity plan, but they also need concentrated effort to keep that plan alive. One key element of this plan is to designate a cybersecurity coordinator. In fact, having a coordinator is a requirement under the TSA guidelines. However, as Eric and Martin share,

“Many organizations have thousands of miles of pipelines, so managing the security of RTUs and flow computers in the field often requires sending engineers or field technicians hundreds of miles to remote sites to check on equipment, perform calibration, or collect data”

Even with a cybersecurity champion, this amount of travel often becomes untenable, especially if the primary need is to change a password or manage an account. But industrial software applications like Emerson’s credential management tools enable field managers to handle account control from a central location. With the push of a button, teams can update credentials and instantly replicate those changes across any device in the fleet.

Simple, concrete strategies can have a massive impact on cybersecure operations.

Tip Three: Use More Secure Protocols

Better passwords and account management are not the only way to help secure a SCADA infrastructure. Modbus, the most well-known protocol used in pipeline systems is an insecure protocol, providing no protection against unauthorized control actions. To provide better protection, many organizations are looking to Distributed Network Protocol 3 (DNP3), a more modern, more secure protocol for pipeline communication. Martin and Eric explain,

“DNP3 offers operators the best of both worlds: improved cybersecurity across the pipeline’s SCADA system and field equipment, but without the overhead and delays that come with increased network traffic.”

A Deeper Dive

There are many things a pipeline company can do to help ensure operation continues without incident 24/7. In the full article, Eric and Martin go into much more detail, providing additional tools and strategies to better secure pipeline operations.

The post Three Strategies to Implement More Cybersecure Pipeline Operations appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

Three Strategies to Implement More Cybersecure Pipeline Operations

Jim Cahill — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 17:45:29 GMT

Managing the cybersecurity of thousands of miles of pipelines can be difficult for even the largest teams.

“To accomplish this shift to increased cybersecurity, companies must focus on building layers of defense from the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system all the way down to the individual field devices.”

To help companies meet this goal, Eric and Martin have put together three key guidelines to help teams create more secure operations.

Tip One: Develop Secure Practices

“Today’s high-performing organizations are ensuring each person on the network has an individual username and password. In addition, role-based security measures are recommended to ensure each person is assigned access rights based on his or her role or function.”

Tip Two: Enact Solutions to Ensure Compliance

“Many organizations have thousands of miles of pipelines, so managing the security of RTUs and flow computers in the field often requires sending engineers or field technicians hundreds of miles to remote sites to check on equipment, perform calibration, or collect data”

Simple, concrete strategies can have a massive impact on cybersecure operations.

Tip Three: Use More Secure Protocols

“DNP3 offers operators the best of both worlds: improved cybersecurity across the pipeline’s SCADA system and field equipment, but without the overhead and delays that come with increased network traffic.”

A Deeper Dive

The post Three Strategies to Implement More Cybersecure Pipeline Operations appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

Pick the Right Control Valves for Ethylene Service

Jim Cahill — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:02:52 GMT

Matthew Wagner, Emerson Flow Products Chemical Industry Manager recently published an article in the August 2022 issue of Hydrocarbon Engineering. It is titled “Control Valve Selection for Ethylene Plants,” and it describes how to choose the right combination of valve style, trim type, materials of construction, and digital positioners for critical valve application in an ethylene unit. A summary of the article follows.

Ethylene is one of the most mass-produced petrochemicals in the world. Initially formed by steam-cracking naptha or natural gas liquids, the product is isolated and refined and sold as an intermediate feed for plastics and other specialty chemical products. This article highlights the critical design features of the more difficult control valve applications in ethylene production.

The ethylene process – warm section

An ethylene plant can be divided into the front end “warm section” and a back end “cold section.” The warm section (Figure 1) starts with a cracking furnace where naptha or natural gas is mixed with steam and subjected to very high temperatures. This fractures the hydrocarbon into many components (ethylene, propylene, acetylene, etc.), and the gas mixture is quenched to stop the reactions, then compressed, and finally run through various vessels to remove acids and water.

Proper operation of the cracking furnace depends upon three major valves: the hydrocarbon feed valve (#1), the dilution steam ratio valve (#2), and the burner fuel control valve (#3).

Figure 1: This flow diagram focuses on the front end “warm section” of the ethylene process. Major equipment includes the cracking furnace, quench tower, gas compressors, acid removal section, and dryer beds. (Click to enlarge)

All of the furnace valves must provide very tight flow control, so high-performance globe valves with diagnostic positioners and environmental packing are the norm.

The quench tower quickly cools the furnace gas. If naptha is the feedstock, then oil is used as a heat transfer fluid and it tends to fill with carbon particles. As liquid passes out the bottom of the vessel, the quench tower level valve (#7) is subjected to a punishing, erosive slurry. Matthew suggests the following for this valve:

Hardened trims, such as Alloy 6 or ceramics, and sealed metal bearings are used to protect the valve internals and lengthen service life. Environmental packing is still required, and most operating units employ diagnostic positioners to sense and indicate developing problems well in advance of failure.

As the gas leaves the quench tower, it is compressed to feed the next processing stages. Each compressor stage depends upon the anti-surge valve (Figure 1 – #8) to protect the equipment from catastrophic damage during low gas flow. These valves (Figure 2) may be very large and must endure the full compressor pressure drop during normal operation.

Figure 2: An anti-surge control valve, like this Fisher Optimized easy-e EWT, is a critical component of an anti-surge control system.

Anti-surge valves are usually customized with pneumatic boosters, actuators, and very high speed and precision diagnostic positioners to meet the required performance specifications.

After compression, the process gas enters the acid gas absorber which uses amine to strip acidic gases. In this area the most critical valve is the rich amine letdown control valve at the bottom of the acid gas absorber (Figure 1 – #9). Matthew describes this service:

This valve is subjected to high pressure drop by design so that the entrained acidic gases separate from the rich amine solution, allowing it to be recycled. This type of separation is known as out-gassing, and it generates noise, vibration, and erosion.

The internals of this valve must employ hardened trim materials, anti-cavitation trim, and environmental packing. A diagnostic positioner is often used to detect and alarm as the valve develops the inevitable trim damage associated with this very difficult service.

After acid removal, the process gas enters the drying section. Multiple molecular sieve beds are alternately switched in and out of service to dry the gas and regenerate the beds. The dryer switching valves (Figure 1 – #12) must endure high cycle rates and high temperatures, yet allow virtually zero leakage.

The best valve designs will usually require quickly stroking double eccentric ball valves or high-performance triple offset valves (Figure 3). Diagnostic positioners are used to detect developing valve problems well in advance of failure.

Figure 3: Triple offset valves (left) and double eccentric C-ball valves (right) are excellent choices for severe service applications requiring zero leakage, such as ethylene dryers. (Vanessa Series 30,000 Triple Offset and AEV 2XC C-ball valves shown.)

Critical cold section control valves

The back of an ethylene plant (“cold section” – Figure 4) chills the product stream and uses a series of distillation columns to isolate the ethylene. Very precise flow control is critical for distillation column operation, and the major valves in this section include the distillation feed control valves (#13) and distillation reflux control valves (#14).

Figure 4: In the back end “cold section” of the process, ethylene is refrigerated to very low temperatures, and then passed through a series of distillation columns to separate and purify the process streams. (Click to enlarge)

Some columns in this process run at cryogenic temperatures, so control valve trim and soft parts must be selected carefully. The valves must be accurately sized to provide consistent and stable control, and the valves themselves are usually high performing globe valves with diagnostic positioners and environmental packing.

Matthew concludes his article with this advice:

The number of available design options are extensive, so end users may find it helpful to consult with their valve vendor to determine the best valve type, packing, materials of construction, and digital positioner for their specific application.

Visit the Ethylene, Control Valves, and Isolation & Shutoff Valves section on Emerson.com for more on the technologies and solutions to help you drive ethylene process performance improvements.

The post Pick the Right Control Valves for Ethylene Service appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

Pick the Right Control Valves for Ethylene Service

Jim Cahill — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:02:40 GMT

The ethylene process – warm section

Proper operation of the cracking furnace depends upon three major valves: the hydrocarbon feed valve (#1), the dilution steam ratio valve (#2), and the burner fuel control valve (#3).

All of the furnace valves must provide very tight flow control, so high-performance globe valves with diagnostic positioners and environmental packing are the norm.

Hardened trims, such as Alloy 6 or ceramics, and sealed metal bearings are used to protect the valve internals and lengthen service life. Environmental packing is still required, and most operating units employ diagnostic positioners to sense and indicate developing problems well in advance of failure.

Figure 2: An anti-surge control valve, like this Fisher Optimized easy-e EWT, is a critical component of an anti-surge control system.

Anti-surge valves are usually customized with pneumatic boosters, actuators, and very high speed and precision diagnostic positioners to meet the required performance specifications.

This valve is subjected to high pressure drop by design so that the entrained acidic gases separate from the rich amine solution, allowing it to be recycled. This type of separation is known as out-gassing, and it generates noise, vibration, and erosion.

Critical cold section control valves

Matthew concludes his article with this advice:

The number of available design options are extensive, so end users may find it helpful to consult with their valve vendor to determine the best valve type, packing, materials of construction, and digital positioner for their specific application.

Visit the Ethylene, Control Valves, and Isolation & Shutoff Valves section on Emerson.com for more on the technologies and solutions to help you drive ethylene process performance improvements.

The post Pick the Right Control Valves for Ethylene Service appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

Optimise Plant Performance in Chemical Facilities Using Continuous Integrity Monitoring

Jim Cahill — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 03:22:06 GMT

Rosemount ET310C

The demand for corrosion management in chemical facilities has increased because of the high risk of corrosion and the severity of events, which could harm life. Corrosivity can be significantly impacted by even little changes to the process. Asset integrity may suffer from changes in flow rates or product specifications and, if left unchecked, could cause unplanned outages and under-utilisation of the facility. Continuous corrosion monitoring offers the granularity, accuracy, and reproducibility that traditional periodic monitoring methods such as manual inspection do not. Using these traditional methods mean it is impossible to link corrosion incidents to asset integrity, which leads to chemical operators acting reactively rather than proactively.

New technology, like fixed asset integrity sensors, can be easily retrofitted to the facility, enabling plant processes to be optimised. Sensor models, such as the Rosemount ET310C, send asset integrity information by way of wall thickness readings directly to the integrity or corrosion engineer’s desk.

Traditional Corrosion Management

Traditional corrosion management techniques use tools such as handheld ultrasonic thickness gauges, which are taken by a technician to the location for measurement on a periodic basis. This method is prone to error, through misconfiguration in the tool, operator error, or uncertainty and inconsistency between measurement location. Clearly, highly accurate and repeatable measurements are key to understanding asset health at any given time.

Another corrosion management technique, Integrity Operating Windows (IOWs), is widely used, whereby process parameters are kept within tolerable limits thereby theoretically eliminating corrosion risk, amongst other things. Although this is logical theoretically, in practise process parameters do indeed change, and especially if the IOW is violated excessively, then corrosion can occur incredibly rapidly, and the method offers no quantification for damage to the equipment.

Rosemount Wireless Permasense Sensors for Continuous Corrosion Monitoring

Utilising permanently mounted ultrasonic sensors measuring wall thickness and employing wireless data is already best practise in the refining industry. The sensors are simple and cost-effective to deploy at scale and provide a quality and frequency of data that is otherwise unavailable. The data informs a wide range of operational decisions due to its sensitivity to small changes in wall thickness, robustness to extreme plant conditions, and extended battery life enabling reliable operation over the entire cycle between turnarounds. Data is transferred using WirelessHART communications to the end users’ desk, allowing frequent, reliable, and safe wall thickness monitoring.

A typical system architecture is incredibly simple, supported by wireless data retrieval and data visualisation at the end users’ desk.

Corrosion Monitoring System

Recent developments, such as the Rosemount ET310C sensor, mean that sensors can be deployed across the entire chemical facility across any metal, monitoring continuously the asset integrity. With best-in-class repeatability and resolution in the measurement, this allows informed decision making about the process. Sensors are deployed in under five minutes making retrofit installation trivial, and data is retrieved immediately using WirelessHART data delivery.

Data retrieved is fed into Plantweb Insight, an industrial analytics solution, which offers instant visibility to key assets, enabling better and faster decisions to digitally transform operations. Plantweb Insight delivers known solutions for known problems in an easy to interpret manner. With pre-packaged analytics focusing on the health monitoring of plant assets, the corrosion software applications give end users the ability to monitor both the risk and impact of corrosion in their plant. A range of analytics supports abnormal situation identification to mitigate safety related incidents, as well as managing routine maintenance and turnaround scope and schedule.

Wall thickness vs. time graphs as well as custom corrosion rate views allow both root cause analysis and predictive maintenance strategies to be done from the engineer’s desk.

Best quality and reliable measurements are key when it comes to predictive maintenance. Built-in tools allow end users to see accurately the point of retirement of the asset or piping, allowing early replacement scheduling, and consideration of metallurgy for future corrosion resistance. Wall thickness data can be combined to correlate periods of increased corrosion with process data, allowing operators to tweak the process to eliminate corrosion risk, or better plan future maintenance activities.

Conclusion

Online non-intrusive corrosion monitoring is already best practice in the refining industry, and recent advances mean that the same technology is now being rapidly adopted across chemical processing facilities. With the availability of data-to-desk monitoring systems that provide previously unachievable quality and frequency of online wall thickness measurements, engineers and inspectors have demonstrated the ability to know the current condition of the equipment at any point in time with no additional maintenance or costs since the system was installed. The quality and frequency of the measurements enables variations in corrosion rates to be detected, measured, and acted upon while the plant is operating.

The post Optimise Plant Performance in Chemical Facilities Using Continuous Integrity Monitoring appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

Optimise Plant Performance in Chemical Facilities Using Continuous Integrity Monitoring

Jim Cahill — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 03:22:06 GMT

Rosemount ET310C

Traditional Corrosion Management

Rosemount Wireless Permasense Sensors for Continuous Corrosion Monitoring

A typical system architecture is incredibly simple, supported by wireless data retrieval and data visualisation at the end users’ desk.

Corrosion Monitoring System

Wall thickness vs. time graphs as well as custom corrosion rate views allow both root cause analysis and predictive maintenance strategies to be done from the engineer’s desk.

Conclusion

The post Optimise Plant Performance in Chemical Facilities Using Continuous Integrity Monitoring appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

Ideal Temperature Measurement for Ammonia Applications

Jim Cahill — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 02:00:17 GMT

Temperature measurement and monitoring is critical to synthesize ammonia for nitrogen fertilizer production. Growers usually use nitrogen-based fertilizers to supplement the soil and improve crop quality and yields. The United States alone consumes 11.8 million tons of nitrogen-based fertilizers annually.

Ammonia (NH₃) can be used directly as a fertilizer, or as feedstock to produce other forms of fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃), urea, and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) products. Temperature monitoring and control are very important when synthesizing these fertilizers, thus the need for accurate high temperature sensors that can withstand harsh conditions.

Figure 1: Ammonia production from feed to storage – simplistic view. Click to enlarge

Issues with Safety, Reliability, and Efficiency During Ammonia Production

Figure 2: Ammonia safety sign displayed in a hazardous area at a plant.

The main consideration in an ammonia plant is human safety. NH₃ irritates the eyes, nose and throat. It can burn skin, damage lung and/or cause blindness in large concentration. Measurement instruments must be able to endure these conditions as well. Ammonia is highly corrosive and extremely high temperatures are necessary to produce the compound. Over time, both conditions tend to damage standard apparatus, causing them to become defective and the plant to lose its efficiency.

In most ammonia accidents, the hazardous substance occurs in gaseous form. If an injured person is suspected to be in a contaminated area, the rescue effort will be tougher and put to the upmost priority. Respiratory protection, independent of the ambient air, is essential for fire brigades and other emergency personnel. Other important safety wears include helmets and goggles which protect the eyes from contact with the contaminated atmosphere at the same time. In many cases, gas-tight chemical protective suits are required in the expected hazardous situation. If liquid ammonia leaks from the refrigeration systems, the situation will become more problematic. Upon contact with the skin, the temperature of the liquid, which is -33 °C or lower, will cause frostbite. The severity level depends on the contact surface and the amount. Even with basic protective clothing, it cannot withstand the freezing cold liquid that corrodes through the material. It is recommended to wear chemical protective suits, made from cold-resistant material, when starting the work. To protect the skin from frostbite, warming work clothes as well as woolen sock liners and finger gloves should be worn under the suit. The associated dangers, downtime and costs can be detrimental.

How the Skin Temperature evolved to non-intrusive Temperature measurement?

Figure 3: Rosemount X-well Technology

In the past, skin temperature measurements cannot be relied as accurate predictor of process temperature due to the impact of the environment and heat loss. The physics of heat transfer through the pipe and variations in ambient conditions have to be considered as they have significant impact to the measurement accuracy. Rosemount X-well technology made it possible to model in real-time with the physics of heat conduction through the pipe as well as compensate for variations in ambient temperature—and do all that within the transmitter itself.

Rosemount X-well technology is based on Emerson’s industry-leading Rosemount 3144P analog/HART and Rosemount 648 wireless temperature transmitters. Notably, when intended for use, the transmitter’s firmware comes with factory configuration that include the pipe’s material of construction, diameter, and schedule to accurately model heat flow from the process to the outer surface of the pipe. Meanwhile, the effects of changes in ambient temperature are compensated based on the temperature reading of a second, high-accuracy RTD within the transmitter housing.

The Customer Challenge

In this case study,Emerson examines the challenge faced by a chemical customer in Asia. This solution was provided for a manufacturer and distributor of diversified chemical products (e.g., monoammonium phosphate, phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid, synthetic ammonia, phosphatic compound fertilizers) based out of Yunnan, China.

In the customer’s plant, ammonia flowed through the pipeline in the ammonia production unit in liquid form. A traditional patch sensor installed on the pipeline was used to measure the temperature and data was then transmitted to the distributed control system (DCS). Temperature readouts range from 0 °C to 200 °C. Low level sensor signals from RTDs and Thermocouples are quite susceptible to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and Radio Frequency Interference (RFI).

Sensor leak can act like an antenna for noise interference causing a potential wide range measurement error. The system installed in the temperature loop suffered from large static compensation error resulting in inaccurate measurement readings at the control system. These inaccuracies also pose safety risks in the process unit. To prevent hazard, the management instituted a plant-wide policy to ensure that the readings on the ammonia pipeline is highly accurate. The challenge is to minimize temperature reading errors below its current range of +/- 1% of span.

Figure 4: A side-by-side comparison of the Rosemount X-well showing marked performance improvement at the DCS versus existing patch temperature sensor as evidenced by decreased noise/error and smoother curve. Click to enlarge

The Emerson Solution

Emerson recommended Rosemount X-well Technology with Rosemount 3144P Temperature Transmitter to improve measurement accuracy and reduce safety risks due to errors in readings. This provides a complete point solution for accurately measuring process temperature without the need for a thermowell or process penetration. Rosemount X-well Technology calculates a repeatable and accurate process temperature measurement via an in-transmitter thermal conductivity algorithm. With simple clamp design, pipeline modifications, hole drilling, welding and fixture insert are not required.

With the Rosemount X-well Technology, customer can get accurate and quick temperature readouts from the DCS, enabling effective Hazard and Operability Analysis (HAZOP) for the liquid ammonia pipeline over an extended period. There is no need to stop the equipment and maintain the sensors. The Rosemount X-well Technology is also SIL3 Capable: IEC 61508 certified by an accredited third-party agency for use in safety instrumented systems up to SIL3.

Overall, customer can realize the benefits of more accurate and quicker temperature readouts while improving safety and reducing maintenance hours.

Rosemount X-well technology is available in wired and wireless models with transmitter finishes in durable enamel or stainless steel.

What Other applications are most suitable for X-Well technology?

Applications suitable for Rosemount X-well technology range from monitoring pipelines to small line-size applications. Obviating the need for a thermowell is especially advantageous for pipes that require frequent cleaning, high velocity processes, slurries and heavy particulate fluids, clean-in-place processes, high viscosity fluids and harsh processes requiring exotic thermowell materials.

Retrofit or incremental temperature measurement applications are particularly attractive because no process penetration or associated production interruption is necessary. The value proposition of Rosemount X-well technology, embedded with Wireless capabilities is even more compelling since there is no need to run cable either. This makes it particularly useful for diagnostically driven implementations.

Figure 5: Rosemount X-well Technology with 648 wireless

The elimination of thermowells also reduces the associated leak points and long-term maintenance requirements. From an engineering perspective, wake frequency calculations are eliminated, as is the time spent determining the material compatibility, correcting the insertion length and thermowell profiles. The result is a 65% savings in engineering time and effort.

Furthermore, Rosemount X-well technology can be installed with standard pipe-clamp procedures and ordinary hand tools. It does not require a welder or pipefitter, resulting in a 70% savings in installation costs. In any installation, at least half an inch of insulation over the skin sensor, should always be used to meet performance expectations.

Emerson continues to invest and improve on the technology’s capabilities over time, but non-invasive methods in general are not suitable for processes with rapidly changing conditions, such as safety loops, custody transfer or fast control applications. Low fluid velocities and non-metallic pipes are also not suitable. There are far more applications in which Rosemount X-well technology is suitable and it definitely outweigh the benefits of using it.

Visit the Rosemount X-well Technology section on Emerson.com to learn more about how Rosemount X-well technology provides accurate temperature measurements without the complexities of thermowell assembly.

The post Ideal Temperature Measurement for Ammonia Applications appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

Ideal Temperature Measurement for Ammonia Applications

Jim Cahill — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 02:00:17 GMT

Ammonia (NH₃) can be used directly as a fertilizer, or as feedstock to produce other forms of fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃), urea, and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) products. Temperature monitoring and control are very important when synthesizing these fertilizers – thus the need for accurate high temperature sensors that can withstand harsh conditions.

Figure 1: Ammonia production from feed to storage – simplistic view. Click to enlarge

Issues with Safety, Reliability, and Efficiency During Ammonia Production

Figure 2: Ammonia safety sign displayed in a hazardous area at a plant.

For ammonia plants, the main consideration is human safety. NH₃ irritates the eyes, the nose, and the throat. In large concentrations, it can burn skin, damage lungs, and/or cause blindness. Measuring instruments must be able to endure these conditions as well. Ammonia is highly corroding, and extremely high temperatures are necessary to produce the compound. Over time, both conditions tend to damage standard apparatus, causing them to become defective – and the plant loses efficiency.

In most ammonia accidents, the hazardous substance occurs in gaseous form. If injured persons are suspected in the contaminated area, their rescue is the highest priority. Respiratory protection independent of the ambient air is essential for fire brigades and other emergency personnel. One important component helmets and goggles, which safely protects the eyes from contact with contaminated atmosphere at the same time. In many cases, gas-tight chemical protective suits are required in the expected hazardous situation anyway. If liquid ammonia leaks from the refrigeration systems, the situation becomes problematic. Upon contact with the skin, the temperature of the liquid, which is -33 °C or lower, causes frostbite. Its level of severity depends on the contact surface and the amount. Even basic protective clothing cannot withstand, the freezing cold liquid corrodes through the material. It is recommended to wear chemical protective suits made from cold-resistant material when starting the work. To protect the skin from frostbite, warming work clothes as well as woolen sock liners and finger gloves should be worn under the suit. The associated dangers, downtime, and costs can be significant.

How the Skin Temperature evolved to non-intrusive Temperature measurement?

Figure 3: Rosemount X-well Technology

In the past, skin temperature measurements couldn’t be relied on as accurate predictor of process temperature due to the impact of the environment and heat loss. The physics of heat transfer through the pipe needed to be considered, and variations in ambient conditions also had a significant impact on measurement accuracy. X-well technology first made it possible to model, in real-time, the physics of heat conduction through the pipe as well as compensate for variations in ambient temperature—and do all that within the transmitter itself.

X-well technology solutions are based on Emerson’s industry-leading Rosemount 3144P analog/HART and 648 wireless temperature transmitters. Notably, when intended for X-well use, the transmitter firmware comes factory configured with the pipe’s material of construction, diameter, and schedule to accurately model heat flow from the process to the outer surface of the pipe. Meanwhile, the effects of changes in ambient temperature are compensated for based on the temperature reading of a second, high-accuracy RTD within the transmitter housing.

The Customer Challenge

In this case study, we examine the challenge faced by customer based out of Asia. This is solution was provided for manufacturer and distributor of diversified chemical products (e.g., monoammonium phosphate, phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid, synthetic ammonia, phosphatic compound fertilizers) based out of Yunnan, China.

In the customer’s plant, ammonia flowed through the pipeline in the ammonia production unit in liquid form. A traditional patch sensor installed on the pipeline was used to measure the temperature, and data was then transmitted to the distributed control system (DCS). Temperature readouts range from 0 °C to 200 °C. Low level sensor signals from RTDs and Thermocouples are quite susceptible to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), electrostatic Discharge (ESD), and Radio Frequency Interference (RFI).

Sensor leak can act like an antenna for noise interference causing a potential wide range measurement error. The system installed in the temperature loop suffered from large static compensation error resulting in inaccurate measurement readings at the control system. These inaccuracies also pose safety risks in the process unit. To prevent hazards, the management instituted a plant-wide policy to ensure that the readings on the ammonia pipeline is highly accurate. The challenge was to minimize temperature reading errors below its current range of +/- 1% of span.

The Emerson Solution

With the Rosemount X-well Technology, plant personnel can get accurate and quick temperature readouts from the DCS, enabling effective Hazard and Operability Analysis (HAZOP) for the liquid ammonia pipeline over an extended period. There is no need to stop the equipment and maintain the sensors. The Rosemount X-well Technology is also SIL3 Capable: IEC 61508 certified by an accredited third-party agency for use in safety instrumented systems up to SIL3.

Overall, plant staff can realize the benefits of more accurate and quicker temperature readouts while improving safety and reducing maintenance hours.

X-well technology is available in wired and wireless models with transmitter finishes in durable enamel or stainless steel.

What Other applications are most suitable for X-Well technology?

Applications suitable for X-well technology range from monitoring pipelines to small line-size applications. Obviating the need for a thermowell is especially advantageous for pipes that require frequent cleaning, high velocity processes, slurries and heavy particulate fluids, clean-in-place processes, high viscosity fluids and harsh processes requiring exotic thermowell materials.

Retrofit or incremental temperature measurement applications are particularly attractive because no process penetration—or associated production interruption—is necessary. The value proposition of X-well technology in our wireless transmitters is even more compelling since you don’t need to run cables either. This makes it particularly useful for diagnostically driven implementations.

Figure 5: Rosemount X-well Technology with 648 wireless

The elimination of thermowells also eliminates associated leak points and long-term maintenance requirements. From an engineering perspective, wake frequency calculations are eliminated, as is time spent determining material compatibility, correct insertion length and thermowell profile—resulting in a 65% savings in engineering time and effort.

Further, Rosemount X-well technology can be installed with standard pipe-clamp procedures and ordinary hand tools and does not require a welder or pipefitter, resulting in a 70% savings in installation costs. In any installation, at least half an inch of insulation over the skin sensor should always be used to meet performance expectations.

We continue to invest in and improve on the technology’s capabilities over time, but non-invasive methods in general aren’t suitable for processes with rapidly changing conditions, such as safety loops, custody transfer or fast control applications. Low fluid velocities and non-metallic pipes are also unsuitable. There are far more applications for which X-well technology is suitable than there are applications for which it isn’t.

The post Ideal Temperature Measurement for Ammonia Applications appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

PAT in the Chemical Industry: The Effectiveness of Analyzers

Jim Cahill — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 21:23:57 GMT

For those who have never worked in the pharmaceutical industry, the term PAT (process analytical technology) may be unfamiliar. It describes an effort between pharmaceutical manufacturers and the FDA, started some 20 years ago, to establish procedures so those companies could have greater flexibility when making changes to validated production processes. Rather than simply following a fixed recipe and testing at the end to make sure the product was on-spec, producers were able to use analyzer technologies at strategic points during the run to see if adjustments were necessary.

One of the arguments suggested by pharma producers in favor of PAT was essentially, “This is how conventional chemical companies do things. We could benefit from the same approach and avoid a lot of rejected batches.” The FDA agreed and it allowed major improvements to the industry. Now, those conventional chemical companies are seeing the value in new ways. How this is happening is the main subject of my article in the July/August issue of PI, Applying process analytical technologies in the chemical processing industry (piprocessinstrumentation.com)

One of the main elements of PAT in the chemical industry is its use to monitor a process so it can be optimized while the process can still be adjusted, rather than sticking with fixed parameters throughout a long production run. Since there may not be a sensor to quantify a specific attribute of the process, such as verifying that a reaction is complete by monitoring the concentration of a product, common generic measurements must serve as indicators. These often include conductivity, pH, and dissolved oxygen.

To be on-spec, complex products will usually call for a variety of specific attributes, and quantifying these often requires the types of liquid analyzers just mentioned.

So, what are some of the products in the Rosemount catalog designed for these tasks?

The Rosemount 242 Flow-Through Toroidal Conductivity Sensor is a useful way to quantify the presence of conductive ions in a solution, which can be used to measure acidity or alkalinity. It also determines total dissolved solids.
The Rosemount RBI pH/ORP Sensor is a premium pH sensor for a wide variety of applications. For example, it is frequently used in oil refining to determine the presence of sulfides in feedstocks, or in chlor-alkali processes for pH control at critical steps.
The Rosemount 499ADO Dissolved Oxygen Sensor is often used to monitor aeration basins in wastewater treatment processes, but also in other areas, such as oxygen control in fermentation tanks for ethanol production.

But the sensors are only part of the picture. Plant personnel must understand what the numbers mean and make use of the data. The Rosemount 56 Dual Channel Transmitter allows users to access troubleshooting guidance or simple technical explanations with respect to any reading or alert with the push of a button. The transmitter also allows users to directly download measurement and other data so they can analyze it in their preferred tool.

Accurate and reliable liquid analysis measurements, following PAT concepts, are critical in a wide range of chemical processing facilities to protect capital assets, ensure product quality, increase process uptime, and reduce energy costs. These measurements are now more widely available in real-time due to advances in online analyzers, allowing chemical plants to close control loops quickly, instead of relying on outdated data from lab instruments.

For more information, please visit the Liquid Analysis pages at Emerson.com. You can also connect and interact with other engineers in the Chemical Processing Groups at the Emerson Exchange 365 community.

Process Instrumentation Jul/Aug 2022, Applying Process Analytical Technologies in the Chemical Processing Industries, by Charu Pandey

The post PAT in the Chemical Industry: The Effectiveness of Analyzers appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

PAT in the Chemical Industry: The Effectiveness of Analyzers

Jim Cahill — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 21:23:57 GMT

To be on-spec, complex products will usually call for a variety of specific attributes, and quantifying these often requires the types of liquid analyzers just mentioned.

So, what are some of the products in the Rosemount catalog designed for these tasks?

The Rosemount 242 Flow-Through Toroidal Conductivity Sensor is a useful way to quantify the presence of conductive ions in a solution, which can be used to measure acidity or alkalinity. It also determines total dissolved solids.
The Rosemount RBI pH/ORP Sensor is a premium pH sensor for a wide variety of applications. For example, it is frequently used in oil refining to determine the presence of sulfides in feedstocks, or in chlor-alkali processes for pH control at critical steps.
The Rosemount 499ADO Dissolved Oxygen Sensor is often used to monitor aeration basins in wastewater treatment processes, but also in other areas, such as oxygen control in fermentation tanks for ethanol production.

Process Instrumentation Jul/Aug 2022, Applying Process Analytical Technologies in the Chemical Processing Industries, by Charu Pandey

The post PAT in the Chemical Industry: The Effectiveness of Analyzers appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

Avoid the Misconceptions Leading to Poor Alarm Management

Jim Cahill — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 15:23:14 GMT

In today’s manufacturing environment, where fewer experienced people are running the plant, well-designed alarm strategies are more important than ever. A timely, clear, accurate alarm—one that is not buried in an alarm flood—can mean the difference between safe operation through a process aberration or a disaster that impacts safety or creates an environmental incident.

Plant operators know the importance of good alarm management, and so they’ve been striving for years to meet ISA 18.2 standards for good engineering practices for alarm management. But alarm management is a science of its own. In a recent article in Chemical Processing, Emerson’s Darwin Logerot shares nine misconceptions that often lead engineers astray when designing alarm strategies.

Intuitive alarm dashboards improve visibility to help operators react as quickly as possible.

The right visibility is key

Engineers know operators need to see their alarms clearly. If a crucial alarm is buried in a flood of nuisance alarms, the odds are an operator will not be able to react in time. However, visibility is not necessarily about the number of alarms, but rather the effectiveness of those that are presented. Darwin explains,

“Thinking in terms of quantity rather than quality is a mistake. The goal of effective alarm management is to identify quality alarms and keep them in service while improving or eliminating nuisance alarms.”

He defines five keywords and definitions critical to creating quality alarms. In fact, according to Darwin, the quality of an alarm is negative if it does not conform to the following keywords and definitions:

abnormal — not planned or expected, a surprise to the operator
actionable — operator response to the alarm is required and possible
consequential— lack of or incorrect/insufficient action likely will lead to an undesirable result
unique — only one alarm sounds to announce an abnormal deviation
relevant — understandable to the operator and pertinent to the current operating state

Don’t create your own floods

One of the key definitions in the above list is “unique.” While it may seem like alarming everything in the plant or creating multiple alarms for crisis situations might draw more attention to problems,

“as alarms flood in, operators quickly can become confused as to which they must address first, delaying responses. Moreover, even when operators identify the source of the problem and begin to take action, they waste valuable time silencing the other alarms.”

A better strategy, Darwin suggests, is to create and trust a single, high-quality alarm for each event. A single alarm presenting important details and clear severity information will help operators understand and prioritize issues in the plant.

Dynamic alarming is key

Plant operations are not static, so it makes sense that alarms should not be static either. As the plant conditions and activities change from day to day, alarm management needs to be able to change with them. When the current operating environment does not reflect the design of alarm conditions, nuisance alarms are born.

“Alarms, by definition, identify abnormalities in plant and equipment operation. However, what is normal and abnormal often varies with operating state. As a result, to be effective, alarm management also must adapt to the state of the plant.”

Dynamic alarm management, a feature available in advanced alarm management technologies like Emerson’s AgileOps software, can help keep the alarm system optimally configured across changing process states. And when that dynamic alarm management is integrated seamlessly with the distributed control system, dynamic alarm management becomes even easier.

Know your audience

It is important that a good alarm strategy is based on metrics and is designed to satisfy management, but it is also important not to forget the key audience for alarms: the operators. Experienced operators can offer strong guidance to designing alarms that will help them more safely perform their jobs. Darwin explains,

“Developing an alarm strategy that satisfies ISA 18.2 guidelines means designing based on solid principles and on the feedback of the board operators who must deal with each alarm. Therefore, an alarm configuration that empowers operators to control the process effectively and safely should be one of the ultimate goals of the program.”

Use the tools at your disposal

Designing a sound alarm strategy doesn’t require engineers to solve every problem for themselves from the ground up. Powerful alarm management toolsets like those available in Emerson’s AgileOps come with helpful alarm management tools such as native integration with the DeltaV distributed control system, dynamic alarm management, and intuitive dashboards. Implementing these toolsets from the earliest stages of alarm design helps teams configure alarms correctly from the very first moments of operation and drives improved value across the lifecycle of plant equipment.

For more advice and specific examples on avoiding alarm management pitfalls, you can read Darwin’s article in its entirety at Chemical Processing magazine. And while you’re here, I’d love to hear your unique strategies—alarm-based or otherwise—that have helped keep your operators safe and alert. Feel free to comment below.

Update from Jim: Join us at the October 24-88 Emerson Exchange conference in the Dallas-Fort Worth Texas area to hear Darwin and his co-presenters share alarm management lessons and best practices from a large-scale, grassroots ethylene cracker & polyethylene complex project.

The post Avoid the Misconceptions Leading to Poor Alarm Management appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

Avoid the Misconceptions Leading to Poor Alarm Management

Jim Cahill — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 15:23:14 GMT

Intuitive alarm dashboards improve visibility to help operators react as quickly as possible.

The right visibility is key

“Thinking in terms of quantity rather than quality is a mistake. The goal of effective alarm management is to identify quality alarms and keep them in service while improving or eliminating nuisance alarms.”

abnormal — not planned or expected, a surprise to the operator
actionable — operator response to the alarm is required and possible
consequential— lack of or incorrect/insufficient action likely will lead to an undesirable result
unique — only one alarm sounds to announce an abnormal deviation
relevant — understandable to the operator and pertinent to the current operating state

Don’t create your own floods

“as alarms flood in, operators quickly can become confused as to which they must address first, delaying responses. Moreover, even when operators identify the source of the problem and begin to take action, they waste valuable time silencing the other alarms.”

Dynamic alarming is key

“Alarms, by definition, identify abnormalities in plant and equipment operation. However, what is normal and abnormal often varies with operating state. As a result, to be effective, alarm management also must adapt to the state of the plant.”

Know your audience

“Developing an alarm strategy that satisfies ISA 18.2 guidelines means designing based on solid principles and on the feedback of the board operators who must deal with each alarm. Therefore, an alarm configuration that empowers operators to control the process effectively and safely should be one of the ultimate goals of the program.”

Use the tools at your disposal

The post Avoid the Misconceptions Leading to Poor Alarm Management appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.

Building a Portfolio of Sustainability

Jim Cahill — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 21:20:09 GMT

I joined a breakout session at the 2022 ARC Industry Forum, Building a Portfolio for Sustainability, hosted by ARC Advisory Group’s Peter Reynolds. Included in the panel accompanying this session was AspenTech’s Paige Morse. Here is the description of this session:

The energy transition and move toward a circular economy is causing investors, energy, and chemicals companies to re-align capital, priorities, and projects to meet new sustainability imperatives. Project teams have embraced digital evolution and digital transformation underpinned by a rigorous sustainability framework and criteria.

The sustainability framework guides innovative design, investment and operational philosophy, and a new standard for evaluating investment opportunities, risks, and returns. It also helps shape projects through early engagement with project sponsors and partners during infrastructure development and delivery.

The sustainability projects portfolio demonstrates economic value by integrating an “environmental impact reduction” philosophy across the project lifecycle and supply chain from development to delivery and operations. Digital enablement of new business models and finding new ways to bring products or services to market are critical for sustainable manufacturing.

Peter opened by sharing research on how manufacturers and producers see digitalization as essential to sustainability goals.

LyondellBasell Global Procurement, Strategic Materials, and Sustainable Solutions VP Jen Jewsen described the company’s sustainability initiatives. As a plastics manufacturer, recycling is a huge focus. The Circulen family of sustainable solutions enables customers to achieve circularity in their use of plastic packaging. To make this possible, LyondellBasell continuously invests in technologies that span molecular and mechanical recycling and renewable feedstocks. Within the manufacturing process, key initiatives are switching to lower carbon-intensive fuels and optimizing fuel use within the process. Safety, diversity, equity & inclusion, and advancing sustainable procurement are vital elements in their sustainability strategy.

Fidelis New Energy Managing Director & Chief Project Officer John Plumlee described their mission to create value from decarbonized energy and materials’ development, delivery, and operations. They work with customers in developing, investing, structuring, and/or delivering these projects.

Indorama Ventures VP of Digital Eric Delattre shared their work in recycled PET (rPET). He explained that rPET is a 100 % circular, recyclable plastic with a lower carbon footprint than other packaging materials such as glass and aluminum. They work with industry partners to achieve a circular economy for sustainable plastics. They intend to play a leading role by bringing recycled products into the value chain and developing ways to include recyclability in all of their products.

After the presentations, Paige joined the panel to discuss the importance of digitalization in achieving the 2050 net-zero goals. She highlighted the importance of analytics to transform massive data sources into actionable insights to drive more sustainable operations. Jen added a much broader scope of what to look at for carbon intensity, fuel use, and energy efficiency. It includes transportation, material losses, process inputs, and more.

Paige noted that digital systems are needed for more than analytics but also for streamlining work processes, managing cybersecurity, scenario planning to pre-plan issues before they arise, and scaling up operations quickly. She attended the Glasgow Climate Change conference this past November and gave her perspectives. She shared that there is more urgency to take action, and global meetings will occur more frequently—annually—to advance the aggressive targets for net-zero and aim to turn the 2020s into a decade of climate action and support.

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