Careers Ammonia Reformer Hot Spot Repair During Operation
Problem
A large U.S. fertilizer manufacturer that was experiencing a “hot spot” on the external steel shell where a manway used to exist.
Solution
IGS (Integrated Global Services) applied a Hot-tek Hot Refractory Repair solution applied with no downtime or impact to production.
Outcome
No emergency shut down needed to perform conventional repairs.
Fertilizer Plant
This fertilizer plant’s products include anhydrous ammonia, urea, urea blends, ammonium nitrate solution, phosphate, potash, ammonium polyphosphate, and sulfur-based products.
Ammonia Reformer
The ammonia reformer within the plant was experiencing a “hot spot” on the external steel shell where a manway used to exist. The plant personnel attempted to repair this area on their own by installing a steel box over the affected area and filling it with castable refractory. This repair approach only survived for two weeks. Seeking a more permanent solution that would help them avoid an emergency shutdown, they contacted IGS (Integrated Global Services) for a solution.
Solution | Hot Refractory Repair
HRR (Hot Refractory Repair) service effectively replaces missing refractory without shutdown. The project was successfully completed in three days without any issues or impact on production.
During the application, another hot spot was identified in the surrounding area and was also repaired.
The plant manager was extremely happy with the results and no longer needing to consider an emergency shut down to perform conventional repairs.
Fast Solutions Hot Problems
Hot spots resulting from damaged refractory, scaled or misaligned process tubes, plugged SCR catalyst banks, and fouled convection sections can all affect the performance, reliability and safe operation and ultimately the operating capacity of the fired heater.
If a planned shutdown is still years away, Maintenance Managers are faced with a dilemma. To accept the risks and inferior performance or attempt temporary repairs, potentially still risking an unplanned shutdown if the solution is not fit-for-purpose.
Refineries, Petrochemical and Agrochemical Plants rely on the Hot-tek service, delivered by Integrated Global Services (IGS) to effectively address fired heater maintenance challenges in between turnarounds, without the need to shut down or power down their fired heaters.
Each service has been designed and perfected in collaboration with major oil and gas refineries to ensure that the safety, performance, and the output of the fired heater is not compromised.
Hot-tek Services
Decades of experience, unparalleled customer support and commitment to excellence has solidifed Hot-Tek’s position as a global leader in fired heater maintenance.
Over the last 10 years, over 40 refractories have been successfully repaired with no additional impact to production.