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In our refinery, there is a proposal to utilize treated water from Effluent Treatment Plant in our Delayed Coking Unit as Coke Cutting Water. Can somebody throw some light on the suitability of ETP water for coke cutting purpose and the problems expected, if any?
 
Answers
07/01/2012 A: Raghavendra Sangam, Libra Techcon Ltd., rsangam0504@yahoo.co.in
Excellent way to conserve water. However, ETP outlet water quality need to be constantly monitored for oil and grease, pH, algae or any biological growth etc. lest they should give rise to operational issues in high pressure pumps and piping system. There may be foul odour.
It is preferable to try a small rate of make-up in to the maze water and observe the effects for few days. Then slowly increase the bleed-in.
21/07/2011 A: Sudhakara Babu Marpudi, Dangote Oil Refinery Company, m_sudhakarababu@yahoo.com
Treated ETP water is likely to contain higher conductivity caused by metals and Chlorides. When the Coke drum off gases are recovered the sour water stream will have these high metals and chlorides related issues. Also one need to check the impact on the sour water stripping unit in case the stripped sour water from sour water is recycled as Desalting water in CDU. In short we need to check the down stream system in totality when we make a change in the upstream.
12/05/2011 A: keith bowers, B and B Consulting, kebowers47@gmail.com
It is pretty hard to imagine a service more accommodating of poor water quality than 'coke cutting.'
Unless the 'ETP' water is unusually corrosive, I would not expect any problems at all. Even high dissolved solids is not of concern as they would tend to deposit on the coke. It is pretty unlikely that ETP water is of worse quality than the circulating cutting water.