Comments on Tower Inspection and Chapter 1 Index

A Few Notes on Column Inspection by C.D. Marler January 2003

Inspection of columns (or towers if you prefer) is based upon the same tried and true inspection methods that we all use to inspect everything else, i.e., attention to detail, and recognition of the significance of color and texture changes. If there is scale everywhere except right there, theres probably a reason, and its probably corrosion or erosion (velocity driven corrosion). If theres a marked difference in scale texture, thickness or color, its probably chemistry (corrosion) happening. The key to discovery is attention to detail, and the willingness to investigate what you see. Eight or nine times out of ten, the perceived change in color or texture is real, but insignificant, with the area in question having little or no difference from the overall corrosion rate, but if you dont check every time, you wont catch the problem until its too late. Weve all had the experience of inspecting a vessel or exchanger where all previous records indicate no significant corrosion, only to discover the vessel is at failure. The significant difference between inspection of columns and most other vessels is that mass transfer is taking place inside the column. Whether its called distillation, stripping or scrubbing, whether the process is designed for enrichment of the liquid, or enrichment of the gas (overhead) product, chemistry is happening across the trays, and anywhere chemistry is happening, corrosion is likely. The key to understanding where to concentrate your discovery efforts is basic knowledge of how the tower works. Toward this end Ive included several exceptional descriptions of the distillation process, and the operational problems that trayed towers, in particular, are subject to. (As I write this, in my mind I can hear: Who cares about the operational problems trays might have I dont need to know that stuff Im looking for corrosion of the pressure boundary, thats it!!! WRONG!!!! If nothing else, the trays are an important visual indicator of where (else) deleterious chemistry is happening. More on this later.) Back to the distillation process, and inspection of the column. Inspection of a column is just like inspection of a drum, or an exchanger shell, only not Its actually like inspecting three or four drums with somewhat similar processes, or inspecting three or four exchanger shells, in as many different feed streams. This is because in most columns there are at least three separate zones of gross chemical activity: 1. At, immediately above and immediately below the feed(s) inlet, whether its an inlet distributor, flash box or vapor horn. The feed is coming in and is either experiencing or beginning to experience a phase change. This is prime area for the liberation, concentration, or precipitation of corrosives. 2. At, immediately above and below the reflux inlet, which includes the top head. Reflux is condensed overhead vapors, and any corrosive vapors that were

Comments on Tower Inspection and Chapter 1 Index

present in small amounts in the overhead stream are quite likely to be present in significantly higher amounts in the reflux. Depending upon the volatility of the corrosive, theyre also likely to be enriched as the reflux flows down toward the feed inlet. This, too, is prime area for the liberation, concentration, or precipitation of corrosives. 3. At and immediately above the reboiler return. The reboiler return can have entrained liquids, vaporized corrosives, or elevated levels of corrosives that are impinging on the shell. Additionally there are other areas of concern that may be present 4. At, immediately above and immediately below the transition cone, should one be present. Transitions cause increased vapor velocity. The increase in vapor velocity means that any velocity driven corrosion is exacerbated, while the change in pressure on the liquid reflux can have fairly disastrous effects on the liberation/precipitation of various corrosives. A fine recipe for deleterious chemistry, if you ask me 5. Chimney trays, draw pans and redistributors provide an excellent location for the collection of corrosive liquids that might have precipitated out of the vapor stream, as well as the buildup of any precipitate sludge and scale or corrosion by-product that may be entrained in the liquid flow. 6. Finally, the bottom head and shell courses below the seal pan. Phase changes, collection of both liquids and solids, and the physical and chemical agitation that the reboiler return may engender can cause significant corrosion. Multiple feeds and draws can further complicate things, as can combinations of packing and trays. For this reason, if for no other, a print showing trays, feed locations, etc, is a primary tool in tower inspection. With it, you can get a heads up on where to concentrate your efforts and will miss less of the things you should be seeing. In addition to the aforementioned areas where one may expect to find corrosion, the areas between the trays see both distillation chemistry, boiling of the liquid on the tray and gas flow through the valves or perforations. This can lead to a variety of corrosion scenarios across the short space between two trays. From the sludge and corrosion by-products accumulating on the tray edges and the exposed portions of the support ring, through the actual vapor/liquid interface at the top of the frothing liquid just below the tray above, lots of opportunities exist for localized corrosion.

Trays
Inspection of trays is not just counting missing valves and hardware. Information on the condition of the valves, the valve legs (or valve cage legs), the tray perforations, the condition of the tray deck (level, bulged up or down, indications of ponding {areas of the tray where the valves are stuck shut, with no vapor flow turbulence and accelerated corrosion as a consequence} on the active

Comments on Tower Inspection and Chapter 1 Index

panels), and its degree of corrosion, on both upper and lower surfaces, the condition of the hardware in general are all valuable. Upon investigation, some of the things you may find are: 1. Indentation of the valve into the tray deck. This allows the valve to form a vacuum seal to the deck panel, increasing the vapor pressure of the tray below, or causing the non-indented valves to have excessive vapor flow. 2. Sacrificial wear of the valve legs. This is as it should be. Valves, which are relatively cheap, shouldnt wear out the active panels, which are relatively expensive. Valves are supposed to wear out, and be replaced in kind, not upgraded to material that is harder, or more resistant to the particular corrosion happening at that tray. That type of upgrading leads to tray replacement. 3. Keyholing of the tray deck by the legs of the ballast unit or flexitray cap, frequently as a result of some type of upgrading, which is called slotting when dealing with Nutter (rectangular) valves. 4. Enlargement of the valve perforation, usually most easily noticeable either where valves are blown out, or from the underside of the tray. This is usually called elongation when dealing with Nutter or float (rectangular) valves. Look for out of round-ness on ballast unit perforations and how large a gap is visible at the th th end of rectangular valves. 1/16 to 1/8 inch is usually OK, 1/4 inch is usually too much, and will lead to lots of blown valves next downtime. 5. Thinning of the valves/ballast units. A good rule of thumb is that if you can deform it by hand, its shot. 6. One of the most important things for inspection to be aware of is the downcomer clearance and the weir height. Especially in the chemical industry, minor variations in weir height, or improper installation of a downcomer panel, is enough to ensure that the column wont operate properly. Ive included diagrams, pictures and at least some of the purported strong points or advantages of most of the types of trays that Ive seen in the last few years. This should enable you to know whats missing or damaged and what to call it when you write a report, (and provide back-up when it turns out they call it something different in that plant). I tend to use the Koch-Glitsch names and part numbers, since thats generally easier, and the parts are more generally available, but ACS was making a major push into the Gulf Coast area, and should be able to have local supplies of parts almost anywhere soon.

A few of the things scattered throughout are: Page # 6 and # 60 have very nice pictures of trays in action. Several pages of definitions of such things as foaming, flooding and weeping, etc, are on pages # 11 and # 12, with more in depth descriptions on pages # 15 through # 25. Descriptions of the types of packing are scattered throughout, but a really nice one, with labeled pictures is on page # 6. Page # 65 has a listing of some of the types of weirs and baffles, including a nice description of anti-jump baffles and picket weirs. A nice description of why the

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typical packing support grid is shaped like it is can be found on pages # 73, # 111 and # 147. Speaking of packing, you should note that you wont find the word rashing anywhere in this damn book except this sentence. The word is RASCHIG!!! And finally, Ive included a listing of the web sites that all this various and sundry information was gleaned from.... ACS http://acssepartions.com http://acsseptech.com AMT http://www.amtintl.com APV http://apv.com APV distillation handbook http://apv.com/technology/downloads/distillation%20HB.pdf AZAR Energy http://www.azarenergy.com DISTALL http://distal.co.uk Distillation, an introduction http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/distil/distil0.htm Fractionation Research Inc. http://www.fri.org Gamma Scan http://www.gammascan.com GESIP http://www.gesip.com Koch-Glitsch http://www.koch-glitsch.com/ Shell Global Solutions http://www.shellglobalsolutions.com/ Sulzer http://www.sulzerchemtech.com The Distillation Group UOP http://www.uop.com Rauschert http://www.rauschertus.com E. Frank Wijn http://www.euronet.nl/~wijnef/ Montz http://www.montz.de/ Stone and Webster Ripple trays http://www.shawgrp.com Tianjin Corporation http://www.xtj.com.cn/english http://www.distillationgroup.com Tray Hardware Inc http://www.trayhardware.com

Comments on Tower Inspection and Chapter 1 Index

Chris Tower Brain Book Chapter 1 Items of Use and Interest

Comments on Tower Inspection and Chapter 1 Index

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