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Compressor Anti-Surge

Downstream, Metals Processing /

Compressor Anti-Surge Background Axial and centrifugal compressors are critical pieces of equipment found at the heart of many industrial processes throughout many industries. Implementing the correct high performance compressor control strategy impacts process control and plant profitability. Responsive and stable process control is imperative to improve yield and ensure maximized compressor availability. One of the main applications to ensure maximized availability and throughput is Anti-Surge Control.  What is Compressor Surge? A compressor surge event is a temporary flow reversal through a compressor. This typically causes a rapid downstream decrease in demand, therefore resulting in a rapid increase in compressor discharge pressure. Eliminating these events is essential since they damage the compressor and cause unwanted process downtime at production facilities. How can the Compressor Anti-Surge Valve help? The Compressor Anti-Surge Valve (ASV) is a critical component in compressor operation, because if optimally controlled, the ASV can eliminate surge through the compressor. Furthermore, this allows for safe operation while enabling the compressor map area to be increased, maximizing compressor efficiency. The ASV requires high-performance capabilities including minimal dead-time, high-frequency response, rapid stroke speed, and minimal overshoot. REXA Actuators can easily exceed the requirements for 500msec full stroke trip, moving the operating point away from the surge line and back into control. Our actuators provide resolution and repeatability to 0.05% and eliminate overshoot, regardless of the step size.  Literature Interested in learning more? Check out our full Application Spotlight and webinars!  Download

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FCC Flue Gas Slide Valve

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Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Background on Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) is an essential process in refineries, used to convert heavy feedstock oil into valuable gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel, amongst other products. During the FCC reaction coke builds up on the catalyst, limiting the catalyst’s ability to carry out the reaction. The spent catalyst transfers over to the regenerator to burn off the residual coke. As the spent catalyst is regenerated, flue gas (combustion gas) is created by burning off residual coke. The flue gas must then pass through a flue gas slide valve which diverts the flue gas to a power recovery train or through a series of separators and electro-static precipitators before it is released into the atmosphere.  Its’ Importance The flue gas slide valve provides accurate pressure control of the regenerator, and in turn, control the differential pressure between the reactor and the regenerator. Tight control is critical in maintaining the FCC pressure balance in the cracking process, allowing smooth flow of the catalyst and feedstock oil between the reactor and the regenerator.  Why REXA? With REXA Electraulic™ Actuation, the end-user gets all the advantages of a hydraulic actuator, such as fast response to signal command and precise modulation of the Flue Gas Slide valve, which are essential for tight control, an efficient process and safe operation.  Literature Download the full FCC Flue Gas Application Spotlight!  Download

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Furnace & Heat Stack Dampers

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Furnace and Heater Stack Dampers Background Furnaces help refineries and petrochemical plants break down and convert hydrocarbon fluids into fuels or chemicals such as gasoline, diesel, ethylene and propylene. As furnaces sometimes account for more than 50% of total plant energy consumption, small improvements in efficiency equate to large financial returns. Refineries and petrochemical plants tend to overlook draft control when making process improvements.  Optimizing the draft in a process heater is easy as there are many types of processes and instruments to choose from. The challenge is safely elevating process fluid temperature to a target level while maximizing thermal efficiency, throughput and reducing O2, CO and NOx emissions. Fast-acting, repeatable and accurate damper positioning enables fine-tuning of modern damper control systems.  Problem Despite the high-level automatic control of instruments running complex loops in refineries and petrochemical plants, many dampers are controlled manually via cable and winch. This type of damper arrangement complicates accurate positioning, leading to poor furnace draft control. More importantly, manual operation of dampers creates a potential safety hazard to personnel – especially during emergency situations.  In an inexpensive attempt to automate a damper, a lot of plants select pneumatically-operated drives. Prone to hysteresis, static friction (stiction), overshoot and instability, pneumatic actuators face increased difficulty making small and controlled position changes. This inability to achieve stiff control limits the combustion process efficiency. Solution Upgrading or automating existing dampers with REXA Electraulic™ damper drives provides immediate benefits – enhancing furnace draft control.  Literature Download the full Furnace and Heater Stack Dampers Application Spotlight! Download

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Compressor Anti-Surge

Downstream, Metals Processing /

Compressor Anti-Surge Background Axial and centrifugal compressors are critical pieces of equipment found at the heart of many industrial processes throughout many industries. Implementing the correct high performance compressor control strategy impacts process control and plant profitability. Responsive and stable process control is imperative to improve yield and ensure maximized compressor availability. One of the main applications to ensure maximized availability and throughput is Anti-Surge Control.  What is Compressor Surge? A compressor surge event is a temporary flow reversal through a compressor. This typically causes a rapid downstream decrease in demand, therefore resulting in a rapid increase in compressor discharge pressure. Eliminating these events is essential since they damage the compressor and cause unwanted process downtime at production facilities.  How can the Compressor Anti-Surge Valve help? The Compressor Anti-Surge Valve (ASV) is a critical component in compressor operation, because if optimally controlled, the ASV can eliminate surge through the compressor. Furthermore, this allows for safe operation while enabling the compressor map area to be increased, maximizing compressor efficiency. The ASV requires high-performance capabilities including minimal dead-time, high-frequency response, rapid stroke speed, and minimal overshoot. REXA Actuators can easily exceed the requirements for 500msec full stroke trip, moving the operating point away from the surge line and back into control. Our actuators provide resolution and repeatability to 0.05% and eliminate overshoot, regardless of the step size. Literature Download the full Compressor Anti-Surge Application Spotlight! Download

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