Document Detail


Combination of sealed source and radiotracer technique to understand malfunctioning in a chemical plant.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19318264     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Pure terphthalic acid (PTA) is produced by the oxidation of paraxylene in an oxidation reactor of a PTA plant. Since the reaction is exothermic, the temperature rises above 210 degrees C. Vapours formed in the reactor are passed through a series of heat exchangers and the cooled liquid is fed back to the reactor, which flows to the reactor by gravity. In one of the heat exchangers, improper flow distribution in the inlet and outlet pipelines was suspected. Maldistribution of flow in the heat exchanger was also suspected. Gamma scanning of the pipelines and a radiotracer experiment were carried out in the heat exchanger to study the malfunctioning. A specially fabricated pipe scanner was used to scan both 24in diameter and 16in diameter pipelines. From gamma scanning of the pipelines mostly on the bends, absence of the full bore flow of the liquid was observed. Presence of vapours along with the liquid could be obstructing the liquid flow, thereby causing the malfunctioning. A radiotracer experiment was also carried out to study the flow pattern in the heat exchanger. From the experiment, mean residence time of the heat exchanger was estimated as 470s, which theoretically should be about 102s. It indicated that the flow is decelerated in the heat exchanger because of the presence of vapour lock in the tube side.
Authors:
V N Yelgaonkar; T K Jayakumar; Sudhir Singh; M K Sharma
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2009-02-20
Journal Detail:
Title:  Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine     Volume:  67     ISSN:  1872-9800     ISO Abbreviation:  Appl Radiat Isot     Publication Date:    2009 Jul-Aug
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-06-08     Completed Date:  2009-08-12     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9306253     Medline TA:  Appl Radiat Isot     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1244-7     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Quality Assurance and Isotope Applications Services, BRIT, Vashi Complex, Navi Mumbai 400705, India. vivekyel@rediffmail.com
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Chemical Industry / instrumentation*
Equipment Failure
Equipment Failure Analysis / methods*
Gamma Rays
Hot Temperature
Oxygen / chemistry
Radioactive Tracers
Xylenes / chemistry
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Radioactive Tracers; 0/Xylenes; 106-42-3/4-xylene; 7782-44-7/Oxygen

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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