Survey on Cracker and Quench

Design Features in respect to Safety

ECVM Annual Safety Conference
Nice 9th and 10th June 2005

Joachim Rettner

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Objective of the Questionnaire

The aim of the questionnaire is to share

Best Practices within ECVM to assess if

the risk at individual companies

is at an acceptable level.

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Summary is based on:

1. Information received from 10 member companies

2. Assumption that the number of furnaces is equal

to the number mentioned in the gasket
questionnaire

3. Attempt to convert the various materials into AISI

codes
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Summary on Findings
1. Tube Material used in convection zone
321 at 19 furnaces
347 at 6 furnaces
351 at 2 furnaces
Incoloy at 2 furnaces
600 at 2 furnaces
800 at 6 furnaces
??? at 3 furnaces

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Summary on Findings
1.1 Tube Material used in combustion zone
321 at 13 furnaces
347 at 4 furnaces
351 at 2 furnaces
Incoloy at 1 furnace
600 at 3 furnaces
800 at 14 furnaces
B 163 at 3 furnaces

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Summary on Findings
1.2 Material combination in radiation and convection
zone
321 at 12 furnaces
351 at 2 furnaces
Incoloy at 1 furnace
600 at 2 furnaces
800 at 6 furnaces
321 / 347 at 1 furnace
321 / B 163 at 3 furnaces
321 / Alloy at 1 furnace
321 / 600 at 1 furnace
321 / 800 at 3 furnaces
347 / 800 at 5 furnaces
347 / B 163 at 1 furnace
347 / ??? at 3 furnaces
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Summary on Findings
2. What type of de-coke method is performed?
2.1 traditional steam/ air decoke at 25 furnaces

five companies reported experience with carburization

five companies are carrying out moisture checks
before re-starting with limits between 20-60 ppm or
dew points of -50 C respectively
three companies are relying on furnace exit
temperature (200-300 C)
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Summary on Findings
2.2 Sand-jet method for cleaning is used at

20 furnaces (seven companies)

one site has used it recently at three furnaces and will

continue

one company is using both techniques (5 furnaces)

some companies with WHBs, pigging furnace and boiler

to remove residual coke
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Summary on Findings
3. Furnace inspection frequency and methods
There is a wide spread within industry as well as individual
companies on inspection frequencies:
4 furnaces after every decoke
1 furnace every 6 months
12 furnaces on an annual and 11 furnaces on a bi-
annual basis
5 furnaces between 12 and 24 months
2 furnaces every 5 years
no information on 5 furnaces
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Summary on Findings
3.1 Likewise is the method of inspection
Ultrasonic is performed at four companies (11 furnaces)
X-raying at two companies (4 furnaces)
Ultrasonic and X-raying at one company (2 furnaces)
Ultrasonic and dye-penetration at three companies
(11 furnaces)
Ultrasonic, dye-penetration and X-raying at one company
(5 furnaces)
no information on 7 furnaces
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Summary on Findings
4. Quench design feature
8 Furnaces 2 Furnaces

3 Furnaces

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Summary on Findings
4. Quench design feature
8 Furnaces

7Furnaces
12 Furnaces

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Summary on Findings
5. Removal of solids
Seven companies are using filters to remove solids
mainly from the bottoms stream of the heavies still or
tar still respectively
Filters are also used in purge streams from the quench
system to the purification units
Two companies reported different systems, e.g. flashing
and use of cyclones
Three companies reported experience with blocked
systems, either the quench itself or the surrounding
pipework
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Summary on Findings
6. Material in use in quench systems
Pipework
Carbon steel reported for 8 units
Cr-Mo-steel 6 units
Combination of CS/ Cr-Mo-steel 6 units
304 1 unit
316 9 units
321 2 units
Alloy 1 unit
Monel 6 units
No information 5 units
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Sunnary on Findings
6. Material in use in quench systems
Quench unit
Carbon steel reported for 2 units
High Cr-steel 1 unit
CS/ SS gladding 12 units
CS/ 316 L 12 units
CS/ 400 1 unit
CS/ Monel 6 units
316 1 unit
No information 5 units

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Summary on Findings
7. Quench inspection frequency and techniques
Likewise the furnace inspection, wide spread in frequency
and inspection methods
4 units after every de-coke
3 units every 3 months
3 units every 6 months
2 units after 12 months
5 units between 6 and 12 months
8 units after 24 months
3 units after 30 months
After 3 years, one, after 4 years, five, and after 5 years two units
and no information on five units
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Summary on Findings
7. Quench inspection frequency and techniques
Inspection methods
Visual at one company (1 furnace)
Ultrasonic is performed at five companies (12 furnaces)
Ultrasonic and X-raying at one company (2 furnaces)
Ultrasonic and dye-penetration at three companies
(13 furnaces)
Ultrasonic, dye-penetration and X-raying at one
company (5 furnaces)
no information on 7 furnaces
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Summary on Findings
8. Safety around furnaces ?
Flammable gas detectors reported
for 34 furnaces

Steam or water curtains

at 8 furnaces

Fire walls at 5 furnaces

mainly towards quench/ vaporizer systems
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Summary on Findings
8. Safety around furnaces ?
Remote isolation valves are at 33 furnaces
venting elsewhere at 3 furnaces for the
remaining only blocking in

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Conclusions ?
Based on the information received it is very difficult if not
impossible to conclude Best Practices.

Obviously there is a trend to go back on costs grounds

from high Alloy steel to A 321 in some member companies.

In the area of de-coke the more expensive, but less

corrosive method of Sand jet-cleaning is making its
way through industry.
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