 Infrared technology is like a camera that wears X-ray glasses. This infrared (IR) camera can "see" through the walls of refinery process equipment by locating areas of heat. It helps engineers see the level of liquid, and sometimes solids like sludge inside tanks. This same technology can sometimes be used to find out if fluids are mixing properly or if temperatures are as hot or cold as they should be. This IR camera allows technicians to troubleshoot problem areas and makes taking care of corrosion a speedier process. Recently, we caught up with two engineers and asked them what makes their jobs COOL. The answer? Some of the gadgets in the workplace are pretty amazing. Super Bugs “Did you know we have bugs in the plant? Yep, bugs are an important part of our waste water system. Their health and family affairs are very important to us, because they clean our waste water enabling it to be discharged into the public water way. In short, these bugs eat the bad stuff that may be in the water. You could say that we feed them what we don't want and in turn they give us back clean water. Pretty sweet deal for us!”
Corrosion Prediction
“Did you know that every boat load of crude oil has its own potential for corrosion? Before we buy any boat of crude, we use engineering modeling (tools) to predict anticipated corrosion in every component in the refinery. We (or others) chemically analyze the crude oil and determine its chemical make-up. This make-up is then fed into some relatively complicated computer models and these models tell us what to expect in terms of product yield (amount of gasoline, diesel, etc.) and corrosion potential. We do this to keep the place safe and maintain operability.
Delayed Coking Unit “The function of the delayed coker is to upgrade "asphalt" into gasoline. As a by-product, the unit produces coke, which is essentially the hard, rock-like substance leftover after almost everything useful is removed from the crude oil. The coke is formed inside these huge drums (30 - 40 inches in diameter or so). Every day, we use a high pressure water system to bust out the coke and empty the vessel. It’s an enormous operation. Oh, and these very large coke drums....they expand due to the temperature change. The drums probably grow about 1" when hot, so design considerations have to be in place . So cool.”
Cyclones – “We also have enormous cyclones in our plants. These are much like the cyclones used in some vacuum cleaners and dust collection systems (like in a woodshop to keep the air clear of sawdust). The difference is that, depending on the unit, ours may be 20' tall (or more) and some need to operate continuously for 10-15 years—with only short breaks every 5 years or so. Talk about a long workday!”
| 
