Steam System Asset Management

for the Oil, Petrochemical, and Chemical Industries

In the oil, petrochemical and chemical (OPC) industries, steam system reliability is critical. The huge array of processing equipment, the volume of steam used and the lost production consequences of system failures place steam system performance at the top of an OPC plant’s maintenance priorities.

Traditionally, turbines, heat exchangers, surface condensers, distillation towers and other equipment powered or heated by steam has been the responsibility of the plant’s maintenance personnel. But times are changing. Lean manufacturing trends and a generation of knowledgeable personnel approaching retirement age are making in-house steam maintenance increasingly less practical.

In response to industry needs for expert year-round steam system maintenance, Spirax Sarco has created a Steam System Asset Management Program. Briefly, the program places a specially trained team of steam system technicians on site at your facility. The team surveys, assesses and manages your plant’s steam systems, and delivers energy savings, productivity gains and safety improvements through a proven, systematic approach.

ExpertiseExperience in the OPC Industry

Although generally reliable, steam systems require regular maintenance to ensure that steam arrives at its desired destination at the correct pressure, temperature and quality for optimum process and plant efficiency. The consequences of a poorly maintained steam system can be economically and environmentally damaging, harmful to company image, and can jeopardize the health and safety of plant and personnel.

Spirax Sarco brings to the OPC industry over 100 years of steam and steam system management experience. Our depth of knowledge, human resources and, in many cases, our home grown technology can successfully address virtually any OPC steam system challenge.

Trained Personnel

Spirax Sarco USA provides quality steam system services to major refineries and petrochemical facilities throughout the United States. Our superb safety record and the loyalty we have earned from satisfied customers reflect the skill and experience of our work force. Each Spirax Sarco steam technician undergoes comprehensive training in system knowledge and product applications.

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Our commitment to training is evident in our fully equipped training centers, and the development of our Certified Energy Manager Program.

Under our Steam System Asset Management Program, a team of fully trained and qualified steam technology specialists, backed by the knowledge and resources of Spirax Sarco, will

bring their skills to every aspect of your facility’s steam system.

Capabilities

Spirax Sarco’s expert services range from steam system surveys to reports on Total Cost of Steam System Ownership.

We survey, assess, quantify, and manage our customers’ steam systems in ways that deliver high return on investment and continuing improvements in equipment reliability. Often, our clients realize payback on their investment in a matter of months.

A sampling of the methods we employ to save money and prevent repeat occurrences of breakdowns include the replacement or repair of failed or misapplied steam traps, and plant-wide technical audits that identify unrealized opportunities to further save energy and improve productivity.

Products

Spirax Sarco is the world’s leading provider of steam system solutions. With industry’s broadest line of steam trap products, we are positioned to recommend and expertly install the correct steam trap for your application. Our steam trap product range includes:

• Balanced pressure thermostatic traps• Float and thermostatic traps• Thermodynamic traps• Inverted bucket traps• Bimetallic thermostatic traps• Universal connectors for all trap types

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The OPC Steam System Maintenance Challenge

Like most mechanical systems, steam systems incur wear, accumulate dirt, may be susceptible to rust and erosion and have a defined, often predictable, service life. After a given number of cycles or years, parts require repair or replacement.

At OPC facilities, proper steam system maintenance takes on vital significance. OPC production and storage facilities rely heavily for day-to-day operation on a reliable source of safe, efficient heat energy provided by steam for production processes, trace heating of products in tanks and pipes, and HVAC utilities in buildings and offices. Plants typically have large populations of steam traps, some of which may be difficult to reach. Regular ongoing maintenance and adaption of best practices dramatically reduces steam trap failure and helps keep equipment operational. The key foundations for an efficient and safe steam system are correctly sized and functioning steam traps, an absence of steam leaks and effective steam pipe insulation.

But OPC plants often face specific challenges. While no OPC facility intentionally neglects steam system maintenance, the pressure of running a lean operation in today’s economic climate often leads to reduced in-house maintenance resources and a loss of knowledge and capabilities. Facilities operating with a shortage of maintenance resources typically experience a variety of malfunctioning steam system equipment, sometimes repaired with just a temporary fix.

Malfunctions and symptoms may include:• Water hammer• The need to dump condensate to the sewer or bypass a

steam trap to make a process work• Missing or damaged thermal insulation• The need for a particular heat exchanger or steam turbine

to be more regularly maintained• Steam leaks• Steam blowing from traps and vents• Gaskets failing or blowing out• Rail cars requiring longer to reach temperature• Product failing to meet throughput targets or quality

standards

Failed steam trapsReliable operation of correctly sized steam traps is fundamental to maintaining a healthy steam system. Over time, normal wear will cause steam traps to fail. Failure may occur in either an open or closed configuration. Failed closed traps can cause poor quality steam and can affect plant efficiency, productivity, reliability and safety. Failed open traps discharge live steam that wastes energy and money, and can tarnish company image. Left unchecked, failed open traps can be extremely costly.

Typically between 3 and 10 percent of steam traps will fail every year, resulting in a 10 to 33 year life cycle. For an OPC facility with 10,000 steam traps, this could mean 300 to 1,000 traps failing each year.

Number of failed-open ¾” steam traps Steam Pressure (psig) Steam Loss (lbs/Yr) CO2 Emissions (Tons/Yr) Annual Cost* of lost steam

100 115 26,630,400 1,790 $133,152500 115 133,152,000 8,950 $665,760

1,000 115 266,304,000 17,900 $1,331,520100 425 77,613,600 5,280 $388,068500 425 388,068,000 26,400 $1,940,340

1,000 425 776,136,000 52,800 $3,880,680

*Based on steam cost of $5 per 1,000 lbs of steam

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Steam leaks

Depending on steam pressure, the size of a leak and how long it remains un-repaired, each steam leak can waste hundreds of thousands of pounds of steam per year, significantly affecting plant efficiency and annual fuel costs.

Leak sizeSteam

Pressure (psig)

Steam loss (lbs/Yr)

Annual cost* of lost

steam ($)1/16" 115 107,581 $5381/8" 115 430,325 $2,1521/4" 115 1,721,301 $8,6061/16" 425 364,715 $1,8231/8" 425 1,458,859 $7,2941/4" 425 5,835,435 $29,178

Steam leaks lose energy directly to the atmosphere.*Based on steam cost of $5 per 1,000 lbs of steam.

Un-insulated steam pipe

Correctly installed and maintained steam pipe insulation, with suitable design, materials and thickness, has a dramatic effect on pipe heat and energy loss, while protecting personnel from hot surfaces.

Steam Pressure

(psig)

Insulation Thickness

Surface Temperature

(°F)

Heat Loss (Btu/hr/ft.)

115 None 346.4 1410.00115 1" 174.0 152.00115 2" 133.2 89.63425 None 452.9 2333.00425 2" 125.8 144.90

Calculations based on: 6" horizontal steel pipe, Average ambient temperature 70°F. Average wind speed: 0 mph, Relative humidity: 44.9%, Insulation: 850°F Mineral Fiber with 0.1" Aluminum jacket

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Consequences of a Poorly Maintained Steam SystemIncreases

Costs Wastes Energy Reduces Efficiency

Reduces Reliability

Compromises Safety

IncreasesEmissions

DamagesImage

Incorrect steam trap selection/application • • • • • • •Failed open traps • • • • • • •Failed closed traps • • • • •Steam leaks • • • • • • •Missing or damaged insulation • • • • • • •Water hammer • • • • •System corrosion • • • • • • •System erosion • • • • • •Dumping condensate • • • • • • •Boiler carryover • • • • • • •Spirax Sarco’s solution to correcting malfunctions and symptoms of impending malfunctions is the Steam System Asset Management Program.

Tools

Backed by our deep knowledge of steam system management and more than 100 years of experience solving steam system challenges, Spirax Sarco has developed proprietary tools and technology employing ultrasonic and infrared leak detection that enable our technicians to accurately identify malfunctioning steam traps.

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SolutionsContinuous Improvement under the Spirax Sarco Steam System Asset Management Program

OPC plant and operations managers in search of continuous year-round expert management of their facilities can now turn to a full service option from Spirax Sarco. Under the Steam System Asset Management Program, we take the necessary steps to continually improve every aspect of your plant’s steam system.

Briefly, the program works like this:

1) Spirax Sarco reviews your plant’s steam system and identifies ways to reduce consumption and waste associated with steam traps. We then conduct an audit that spots ways to save energy in related areas, such as heat or condensate recovery. Typically we uncover opportunities for energy savings or margin gains from improved product throughput, quality or uptime that yield excellent ROI in a short time.

2) Spirax Sarco assigns a team of qualified, steam system technicians to your facility who then meet with your plant management to prioritize turnkey projects based on expected ROI, available budget, disruption to normal plant operation and safety implications. The priorities are expertly addressed through appropriate procedures, including steam trap repair or replacement.

3) On a daily basis, the team conducts scheduled steam system inspection and maintenance with the goal of continuous system improvement, again with consideration of plant priorities and needs.

4) Spirax Sarco produces and delivers regular reports covering solutions for efficiency, productivity and safety improvement opportunities, as well as ongoing financial savings and cost analysis of the Steam System Asset Management Program.

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Short and Long Term Program Goals

Spirax Sarco manages your OPC steam system assets in ways that deliver rapid payback, future avoidance of costs and attention to maintenance needs that are often neglected or not completed to best practices.

Spirax Sarco employs a five-phase plan to achieve short term goals:

Phase I comprises a detailed steam trap survey that includes locating, identifying, testing, logging, tagging and mapping of all steam traps in the plant. Based on our findings, we select optimum steam trap technologies, prepare cost analysis and proposals for required replacement and repairs, and prioritize work to meet budget limits and site needs. Documentation includes payback and return on investment calculations.

Phase II consists of project scoping and a detailed engineering review. Within the context of a turnkey project, we replace all identified failed steam traps, identify and repair all accessible steam and utility leaks (compressed air, nitrogen, condensate and water), and make recommendations for the replacement or repair of missing or damaged steam pipe insulation. All work is completed to Spirax Sarco best practices and customer specifications.

Phase III activities include the evaluation of cold, disconnected and removed steam traps.

Phase IV completes ongoing database updates for all work. The database maintains historical records and can provide benchmarks for future performance evaluations.

Phase V consists of periodic and annual steam trap re-surveys. The process for short term goals then repeats steps I – IV.

Longer term goals

Once the Steam System Asset Management Program’s short term initiatives are underway, the Spirax Sarco team investigates additional opportunities to reduce energy losses, improve productivity and address plant hygiene and safety gaps. These activities focus on less obvious but equally rewarding longer term opportunities. They are identified through detailed system assessments, staff interviews and feedback from operations and maintenance personnel during training seminars.

During this process, our team applies its skills to: • Recovering condensate or heat from contaminated condensate• Reducing turbine steam consumption • Assessing and diagnosing heat exchanger and compressor

performance • Eliminating water hammer• Improving steam generation efficiency with blow down heat

recovery or economizers• Recovering flash or exhaust steam • Ultrasonic testing of pipe wall thickness• Addressing equipment uptime and longevity issues• Increasing steam tracing efficiency • Correcting flare snuffing steam issues, such as nozzle erosion • Improving batch process heat-up time and temperature control

(reactors/rail cars/storage tanks)• Employing thermal imaging to identify heat loss through leaks -

including underground leaks• Conducting thermography audits of steam heat exchangers and

process equipment

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A Case in Point

Documented evidence shows that Spirax Sarco’s Steam System Asset Management Program reduces operation costs. However, those same costs soon escalate if a program is suspended or its functions are brought back in house.

The graph below shows the evolution of a major oil producer’s steam trap program and how the steam trap failure rate continually dwindled from 2004 until the program was halted in 2007. Subsequent to 2007, the trap failure rate accelerated. In just a few years the facility was back to pre-program failure rates. Fortunately this facility has reinstated Steam System Asset Management. Once again the rapid reduction in trap failure rate is now in progress.

2004 2005 2006 2009 2011

7%6%5%4%3%2%1%0%

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SustainabilityAt Spirax Sarco, working to achieve a clean, healthy environment is a top priority. Indeed, the efficient management of steam consumption directly contributes to conserving fossil fuels, reducing carbon footprint, and conserving water and utilities such as nitrogen and compressed air. To this end, the Spirax Sarco Steam System Asset Management Program seeks out sustainability gains at every opportunity. In addition we are positioned to help you achieve and maintain regulatory compliance, reduce plant emissions and provide expertise and training to meet increasingly stringent standards.

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Contact Spirax Sarco Today

Spirax Sarco has both the expertise and resources to maintain and upgrade your OPC steam system. Our day-to-day maintenance and management of your steam system assets alongside your in-house personnel will enable you to concentrate on running your business, produce quality end-product more efficiently and generate greater revenues. Spirax Sarco, with over 100 years of steam system experience makes for the ideal partner to resolve your steam system issues quickly and effectively.

Spirax Sarco Steam System Asset Management Programs are based on a 12 month renewable term.

All turnkey projects, replacement or repair work undertaken by the Spirax Sarco team is covered by our two year Performance Warranty. This covers the differential cost of material and labor to correct and resolve any performance issues directly related to the selection and application of Spirax Sarco equipment. This is in addition to our standard product warranty that covers product issues due to defective parts and workmanship.

For more information on how Spirax Sarco can become your long term partner for Steam System Asset Management, contact your local Spirax Sarco professional at1-800-883-4411.

Companies in the Oil, Petrochemical and Chemical industries that have requested Spirax Sarco to assist them with their Steam System

improvements and maintenance include:

B.P.BASF

ConocoCelanese Chemicals

ValeroINEOS

Exxon MobilHuntsman Chemicals

MotivaHovensa

Amerada HessHolly Frontier Refining

DuPontHercules

Chevron PhillipsLyondell Basel Refining

Spirax Sarco, Inc.1150 Northpoint Blvd., Blythewood, SC 29016

T 800-883-4411 or 803-714-2000spiraxsarco.com/global/us

SPB1060 © Copyright 2017 Spirax Sarco is a registered trademark of Spirax-Sarco Limited

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