Chemical Engineering May 2021 - 52

Gulf Coast 2021 Special Advertising Section
Predict Heat Exchanger Fouling
Reduce the downtime of heat exchangers by building predictive
maintenance programs and digital twins with MATLAB
C
leaning heat exchangers is expensive. Maintenance can cost
hundreds of thousands dollars annually. However, operating a
fouled exchanger affects the energy efficiency of the process by requiring
additional utilities such as steam and natural gas. Hence, it
is important to clean neither too often (too costly and higher HSSE
risk) nor too infrequently (higher operational cost and low efficiency).
Implementing a predictive maintenance program can address
these issues. By estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) of exchangers,
process engineers can take timely action to both prevent
unexpected equipment downtime and reduce unnecessary maintenance
expenditures.
Key to developing a predictive maintenance program is having
a finely tuned first-principles model for the heat exchanger along
with appropriate sensor
data. MATLAB allows engineers
to build models of
heat exchangers using prebuilt
libraries of equipment.
Simulink and Simscape
allow engineers to perform
rigorous heat and mass
transfer calculations and
incorporate pressure and
temperature-dependent behavior
of fluids. They can
also assess the effect of
temperature on component
and process-level
performance. By tuning
the model to match sensor data using Simulink Design Optimization,
engineers can create a physics-driven, up-to-date representation of
the heat exchanger in the field. This digital twin is then operationalized
to make accurate predictions of heat exchanger performance.
Once the digital twin is created, Predictive Maintenance Toolbox
lets users estimate the RUL of exchangers. The toolbox provides
multiple functions and an interactive app for extracting and ranking
features for exploratory and predictive analytics. Failure criteria for
components, including time, pressure, or temperature-based conditions,
can be specified, allowing engineers to track system changes
and determine the presence of anomalies and faults. This approach
enables the detection of any drift in the operation of the heat exchanger
so that operational issues, such as fouling, and off-spec
products can be mitigated.
Engineers and operators need to use the validated digital twin
Modeling a heat exchanger in
MATLAB.
in an operational environment. Standalone executable applications
and dashboards can be created with App Designer and MATLAB
Compiler. This way, models built in MATLAB can be either deployed
onto the DCS or shared with anyone via an internal web application
without involvement by IT.
www.mathworks.com/solutions/chemicals-and-petrochemicals
A classic mixing tool for the petroleum industry
Ross LPD Static Mixers are rugged, reliable devices that combine excellent inline mixing
with minimal pressure loss
R
oss Low Pressure Drop (LPD) Static Mixers are used throughout
the oil and gas industry for turbulent-flow mixing applications.
These heavy-duty low-maintenance devices serve in continuous operations
where high performance and accuracy are required, such
as on-line water determination of crude oil; dosing of various additives
into gasoline; blending different kinds of fuel oils; gas-gas
blending; and pipeline reactions, among others.
Static mixers have no moving parts and the energy for mixing is
available in the form of pressure. Pressure loss - a natural consequence
of static mixing - sometimes becomes the deciding factor
in mixer selection. The LPD Static Mixer remains a classic choice for
many inline blending requirements due to its simple and durable
design capable of uniform mixing with little pressure loss. The mixer
elements consist of semi-elliptical plates carefully positioned in series
to split and rotate the product 90 deg. in alternating clockwise
and counterclockwise directions.
LPD mixers in diameters from 1 in. through 2.5 in. are welded to
Shown are removable LPD mixing elements supplied
with retainer ring and flanged housing.
52
a central rod, while larger elements are welded to four outside support
rods for maximum rigidity and stability. Units as large as 48 in.
diameter can be supplied as stand-alone mixer elements or as modules
complete with a mixer housing and injection ports.
Established in 1842, Ross is one of the oldest and largest mixing
equipment companies in the world. Ross mixing, blending, drying
and dispersion equipment is used throughout many industries in
the manufacture of foods, adhesives, electronics, coatings, cosmetics,
pharmaceuticals, plastics and composites.
www.staticmixers.com
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM MAY 2021
http://www.mathworks.com/solutions/chemicals-and-petrochemicals http://www.staticmixers.com http://WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
Chemical Engineering May 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering May 2021
