Delivering rapid cooling to safeguard EDC production at a Louisiana petrochemical facility

The challenge
Elevated vapor temperatures threaten production efficiency
The solution
Aggreko experts diagnose and engineer a custom cooling package
The impact
Aggreko’s rapid response safeguards revenue and continuous ethylene dichloride production maintained without disruption

Client:Petrochemical facility

Location:Louisiana

Sectors:Petrochemical and refining

The Challenge

Elevated vapor temperatures threaten production efficiency

At a petrochemical facility in Louisiana, ethylene dichloride (EDC) is pumped onto vessels for transport. During this process, the equivalent vapor volume is vented to a downstream process unit. This plant, a long-standing partner of Aggreko, faced a significant challenge during the summer months when ambient conditions in the southern United States reached high temperatures.

The vented vapor’s elevated temperature caused excessive inlet pressure and high absorber bed temperatures in the process unit’s carbon beds, which could lead to damaging the beds and the downstream unit. If left unresolved, this could reduce the amount of ethylene dichloride produced and sold. The plant needed a swift and accurate solution to maintain production efficiency and protect their equipment.

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1500 lbs per hourOf EDC / N2 vapor

70 °FTemperature drop

100%Remote Monitoring

Custom cooling solutionShell & tube heat exchanger, closed-loop air-cooled chiller, full engineering package (PDP)

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The Solution

Aggreko experts diagnose and engineer a custom cooling package

Recognizing the urgency, the facility reached out to Aggreko process services for support. In response, our team of subject matter experts was swiftly deployed to the site. After diagnosing the process bottleneck, we designed and implemented a temporary cooling solution that met the plant’s needs, all while ensuring safety and efficiency.

Our engineered solution included a shell & tube heat exchanger, designed to cool 1,500 pounds per hour of EDC/N2 vapor from 115 °F to 45 °F, while maintaining minimal pressure drop across the system. To achieve this, we utilized a closed-loop air-cooled chiller system, supported by power generation equipment and auxiliaries. The package also came with a comprehensive engineering plan to assist the plant in navigating the management of change (MOC) process.

Additionally, we provided Remote Monitoring to ensure that the system was performing optimally, alleviating a major concern of the plant’s by avoiding any potential pressure drops that could lead to unsustainable operational trips.

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The Impact

Aggreko’s rapid response safeguards revenue and continuous ethylene dichloride production maintained without disruption

Thanks to the collaborative effort between Aggreko’s process services group and the plant’s operations and engineering teams, we successfully resolved the vapor discharge issue. The solution allowed the plant to meet its desired vapor specs, protecting the downstream process unit and carbon beds from damage.

As a result, the Louisiana petrochemical facility continued its production and sale of ethylene dichloride without any delays or operational disruptions, safeguarding both their output and critical equipment. By addressing the overheating issue head-on, Aggreko once again demonstrated its capability to deliver rapid, reliable solutions that keep businesses moving forward.

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Delivering rapid cooling to safeguard EDC production at a Louisiana petrochemical facility

Delivering rapid cooling to safeguard EDC production at a Louisiana petrochemical facility

Elevated vapor temperatures threaten production efficiency

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Aggreko experts diagnose and engineer a custom cooling package

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Aggreko’s rapid response safeguards revenue and continuous ethylene dichloride production maintained without disruption

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Elevated vapor temperatures threaten production efficiency

Aggreko experts diagnose and engineer a custom cooling package

Aggreko’s rapid response safeguards revenue and continuous ethylene dichloride production maintained without disruption

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