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14/12/2012 A: Mike Watson, Tube Tech International Ltd, mike.watson@tubetech.com
Flare lines are typically cleaned Off- Line. Traditional methods include water jetting, chemical cleaning, steam, high-volume flushing. Deposits vary from pyrophoric hydrocarbons, sulphur sludge, rock like sulphurcrete etc. Corrosion is a major factor when using water hence quick in - quick out with inhibitors is key. Tube Tech Internationals patented technology allows Flare Lines to be "cleaned and inspected while the refinery is still live and flaring during production".
Having successfully undertaken live flare line cleaning projects for Chevron and Shell, Tube Tech have since designed a new breed of refinery process plant such that not only flare lines but other heat exchangers can now all be cleaned In-Situ without pulling apart and in some cases On-Line, during full production. This new range of refinery "cleanable" plant heralds a new breed of self cleaning and cleanable refineries, fully eliminating all bottleneck issues and many other benefits.
Just thought I might put that in as it's quite revolutionary.
13/12/2012 A: Ricardo Correia, Portugal, jrmc1977@gmail.com
It always depends what you want to do in a flare line. We replace all flare line of our refinery and the process of cleaning was fast. Attention to the point you expect to have deposit of material. You can use RX digital to view the height and avoid any surprise.
24/01/2008 A: Marcello Ferrara, ITW SrL, mferrara@itw.it
In degassing operations, which remove light hydrocarbons, you have to take into account the type of foulants which you might have in a flare line. Quite often heavy hydrocarbon deposits might be found, which need a specific cleaning program, different from normal degassing.
23/01/2008 A: Hermann Kempen, Kurita Europe GmbH, kempen@kurita.de
Flare line systems are often complex systems. Chemical cleaning programs can help to reduce the shut-down time significantly. If a cleaning product can be added together with wash water into the flare system the average time is between two and eight hours. Sometimes it is not possible to use aqueous washing solvents and in this case a cleaning and degassing product can be fed together with steam through the flare system. The steaming will require more time and 6-10 hours is common for chemical cleaning and degassing procedures