Successful Projects: Catalytic Reforming Units (CRU)

IGS has completed a large number of successful projects win order to optimise the operation of Catalytic Reforming Units including using Cetek High Emissivity Ceramic Coatings to stop oxidation. IGS also install Hot-tek hot refractory repair online without disrupting daily operations.

The following projects delivered significant benefits to the facility.

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14% Increase In Throughput After Cetek Coating

Three separate Platforming heater cells experienced reduced radiant efficiency due to the scale build up on the process tubes; 2 cabin heaters and one 2- cell U-tube Heater.

IGS evaluated the heaters predicting a 10% increase in radiant efficiency to the 23,000BPD catalytic reformer following a Cetek coating application. A post-evaluation supplied by the refinery confirmed a 14% increase in radiant efficiency, which equals a 14% increase in throughput.

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Scale Prevention | Protecting Process Tubes From Outside Oxidation For 8 Years

The Catalytic Reformer at a Petrochemical Plant in Africa has a three-cell heater. 2.25% Cr tubes were replaced in a cell during the turnaround in 2011.

Prior to their installation, the tubes were coated with a Cetek ceramic coating.

Another infrared inspection after Cetek coating has been in service for 8 years, in 2019, indicated that the ceramic coating is still performing but approaching end of life.

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Shutdown Prevented! Furnace Hot Spot Repair Saves $15 Million

The refinery saved $15 million by avoiding a forced shutdown. The shutdown would have cost the plant more than $1 million per day in lost production to repair the hot spots. Conventional repair would have taken 2+ weeks to complete. Integrated Global Services (IGS) installed the Hot-tek hot refractory repair online without disrupting daily operations.

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Improving Radiant Efficiency in Catalytic Reformers

Optimizing the operation of Catalytic Reforming Units is critical as these fired heaters consume large amounts of energy to provide the required heat for the process.

Cetek partnered with PTTGC, Thailand, for a ceramic coating application in their CCR Platforming Heaters. Upon completion of the successful field application, once back in service, the results exceeded expectations and provided an excellent projected ROI over the lifetime of the coating.

Cetek Fired Heater Ceramic Emissivity Reformer

Cetek High Emissivity Coating Stops Oxidation of Radiant Tubes

Oxidation of external tube surfaces is responsible for metal loss at around 0.25 mm/year, which limits the tube life. Scale growth produces an insulating layer that restricts conductive heat transfer to the process fluid and eventually limits production.

The application of Cetek High Emissivity Ceramic Coatings stopped oxidation. The units are no longer limited and are running at design capacity or above. Payback from the investment was within 6 months.

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Fired Heater Shutdown Prevented with Hot Refractory Repair

refinery in the U.S. has discovered serious refractory integrity concerns on its CCR unit. The refractory ceramic fiber was missing in a furnace. As a result, the outer steel shell was damaged due to the exposure to the high temperatures in multiple areas of the roof and sidewall.

IGS Hot-Tek team was invited to repair the damaged refractory roof areas, using Hot-Tek Hot Refractory Repair Services, while the unit was running at full capacity.  All quoted areas of the furnace roof were repaired, along with two additional damaged areas, discovered during the project.

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Hot Refractory Repair Stops Daily Losses

An internal refractory failure left the internal shell exposed to hot flue gas. As a result, the radiant temperature on the CCR platformer had to be decreased, causing production loss of over $400,000 per day.

Cetek have successfully completed this repair online using Hot Refractory Repairs Baskets, with no additional impact to production.