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In HPCL Vizag Refinery the SRU plant was commissioned in 2009 with the plant designed by M/s KTI italy. The Thermal Reactor Burner Design was provided by AirOil. It is a Lance in Lance type with manual insertion and retraction . The problem we are facing is with the short life of the AAG Diffuser, frequent plugging of the FG tip, and frequent damage to the FG tip resulting in difficult insertion and retraction. The FG gun is provided with a N2 cooling system to keep the tip clear and for cooling when the train is in AAG mode; it is ensured all the time that N2 is continuously fed to the FG gun. Even after this we are facing the above problems. Can anyone can throw some light on the following:
1) Why is the AAG diffuser life short even though we are operating the train well within design feeds.
2) Why is the FG gun tip i plugged even though N2 flow is continuous and the FG to gun is provided with a strainer to provide good quality FG.
3)Why is the FG gun tip getting damaged resulting in difficult insertion and retraction
4)Are any new advanced burner designs available which can overcome these problems
5)Are there have any best operating procedures / troubleshooting reports to avoid these problem

 
Answers
28/05/2020 A: Satyalal Chakravorty, Sr Consultant, satya1354@yahoo.co.in
Contaminants in acid gas are possible causes for burner tip plugging. Sources are amine, hydrocarbon and the corrosion products from upstream/lines. Also from malfunctioning of acid KOP - are the levels you are able to observe or tapping choked? At times the KOP and its drain system plugging create such issues.