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UreaKnowHow.com introduces a Group Discount for its 5-Day Training Program for Urea Engineers 23-27 July 2012 in Dubai.
This question 7 is in continuation of question 6 in which we started explaining why an active vacuum leak detection system is superior over an active pressurized system. Active leak detection systems can be either a pressurized system, in which an inert carrier gas stream flows through the leak detection circuits most probably only via the machined leak detection grooves present in the carbon steel and a vacuum system, where one pulls vacuum pressure underneath the liner.
We recommend a vacuum based leak detection system for several reasons:
Reason #2: Direct detection of the complete carbon steel surface
Since 100 years ago the industrial production of ammonia began for the widespread agricultural and industrial application. Safety hazards and risks have been identified and for a large extend resolved.
Nowadays ammonia is used more and more as a very efficient hydrogen energy storage, carrier and carbon free fuel. This means that more and more people will get involved with this potentially toxic substance. How will the public and the authorities react?
Are the previously known safety regulations sufficient for the storage / bunkering of ammonia?
We say no, it can be better, more safe and reliable.
We recommend a vacuum based leak detection system for several reasons:
Reason #1: No risk of liner bulging
A first reason is that when using a vacuum system there will be no risk for liner bulging and damage due a to too high pressure in the leak detection system behind the liner. Be aware that the relatively large liner compartments are welded to the carbon steel pressure bearing wall. These large areas allow only a very limited pressure difference between each side of the liner.
Some vendors try to avoid this risk of bulging by switching off the leak detection system when the pressure in the synthesis section is below a certain value. In our view this is not a good solution because...
High pressure urea equipment consist of a heavy carbon steel pressure bearing wall, which is protected against corrosion by a thin corrosion resistant layer; this layer is in the most cases made out of stainless steel or a duplex. This protective layer can be an overlay welding, an explosive cladded layer but is in most cases a loose liner.
Any leak in a loose liner will lead to a dangerous situation because a potentially corrosive fluid can be spread and trapped in the gap between the carbon steel pressure bearing wall and the loose liner. This area will then be exposed to the extremely corrosive ammonium-carbamate.
Real situations have proven that ammonium-carbamate can corrode carbon steels with very high corrosion rates up to 1,000 mm (40 inch) per year. But also stainless steels will show accelerated corrosion because of lack of oxygen. That means that it is an absolute must to have a detection system present that already warns for al leak in an early stage. Then one can only conclude that an active leak detection system is required...
Without water no corrosion.
Jan van der Werf died peacefully Monday morning November 30, 2020 at an age of 76 in his hometown Sittard-Geleen.
With a career of 55 years at Stamicarbon, Jan was enjoying his work with whole his heart. Jan did know where he was talking about, he knew what was urea as he was involved in numerous commissioning and start-up projects. Jan started up one of the first CO2 stripping plants under difficult circumstances in the former DDR, the first PoolCondenser plant in Bangladesh and left his footprint in many other countries like North Korea, Thailand, Romania, USSR, Japan, USA, Myanmar, China, Mexico and Alaska. Jan also worked at several high level management positions in Stamicarbon, always pushing forward innovations and breakthroughs in our industry; amongst many others Safurex® and Full Life Cycle support.
Everywhere we came, people asked how Jan was doing. Jan was open, friendly, flexible and always in a good mood, Jan was really a great manager and colleague, with both feet on the ground, one between his colleagues, his door was always open, Jan was always striving for cooperation and teambuilding. We and we believe many other colleagues owe Jan a lot. Jan was always in to discuss technical issues, strategical topics and life in general, preferably with a pint of beer.
Jan, we will miss you.
We send condolences to Wilma, Guido and Petra and the entire van der Werf family.
In a passive leak detection system an indication of a leak in the liner only shows up when the leak emerges from the leak detection hole. Or, in case the leak detection hole is connected via tubing to for example a bottle with a phenolphthalein solution, when the colour of the liquid in the bottle changes. The detection occurs at a later moment then when the leak occurs in the liner. Time passes (dwell time) between the moment the leak occurred and the moment the leak emerges at the leak detector or when a field operator notifies the leak. The latter case is even worse as the dwell time can be much larger. During that dwell time the risk that the leak detection path gets clogged is realistic. That means that there will be a serious threat to the integrity of the carbon steel pressure bearing wall... Click here to Read more.
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Question #2: When does one need a proper Leak Detection System ?
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“Highest Safety and Reliability Standards ; Minimum Maintenance and Repair Efforts”
The heart of every urea plant is the urea reactor. The high pressures, high temperatures and the presence of very corrosive ammonium carbamate puts high demands on its reliability and safety during its typical lifetime of 40-50 years. UreaKnowHow.com has established a Urea Incident Database containing numerous serious incidents with urea reactors and a Urea Reactor Risk Register containing fifty risks and failure modes of a traditional design urea reactor.
Based on the above information plus by applying our extensive experience and knowledge, we can offer you the complete detailed design specification of a State-of-The-Art Urea Reactor with optimum design details of the carbon steel pressure bearing wall, the protective layers and all the internals. This will realise the highest reliability and safety standards and minimize maintenance and repair efforts.
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Clogging in the leak detection system is by far the most serious risk to cause high corrosion rates of the carbon steel pressure bearing wall of high pressure urea equipment. A state of the art leak detection system should safeguard first and for all warn before clogging occurs. Key words to avoid the aforementioned situations are early detection and high reliability.
This is the reason that passive leak detection systems, where one waits for the leak to show up at the analyzer are unsafe and not acceptable anymore today. This has been proven through trial and error in numerous incidents, for example Urea Incident 18-005 (FIORDA Urea Case #5).
The next question is: What are the requirements for a state of the art active and reliable leak detection system?
Find the Risk Register of a Leak Detection System including the lessons learned from related incidents via the following link: Risk Register Leak Detection System.pdf
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After establishing the largest Urea Incident Database with 130+ incidents, now UreaKnowHow.com starts up a UAN Incident Database. UAN seems a safe, non hazardous, colourless liquid but several serious hazards and risks are to considered when designing, operating and maintaining UAN plants. Experience has proven that HAZOPs only do not provide sufficient assurance that all risks are properly take care (background reference). Learning lessons from earlier incidents is in our opinion a very effective way to increase safety and reliability of your plant. Click here to go to our UAN Incident Database
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Urea incident databases and risk registers clearly prove the need for a proper leak detection system for loose liners of high-pressure urea equipment as the #1 Safeguard for Any Urea Plant. UreaKnowHow.com and KeyTech Engineering Company have developed an active vacuum-based leak detection system with the most accurate and reliable ammonia analyzer: The AMMO LASER Leak Detection System. This leak detection system is the most reliable leak detection system over all existing leak detection systems in operation so far.
UreaKnowHow.com introduces a new initiative for the nitrogen fertilizer industry: An E-MarketPlace for revamps, upgrades, equipment supply, diagnostics, audits, repairs, etcetera. Post your equipment / project and/or services requests or offers (excluding confidential information) in our E-MarketPlace. Click here for posting your inquiries and click here for posting your offers.
