Automatic monitoring systems are particularly relevant in the operation of hazardous production facilities
Automation, robotization, digitalization - the inevitable future of any process, both in public life and in the production process. They allow you to control the processes in automatic mode with minimal participation of a person with control functions. Since both in life and in work, failures are possible not only due to the "human factor", then automatic systems should also be duplicated in the most important areas according to the most critical parameters. Any significant mismatch in the sensor readings is an excuse to check, replace, or repair the equipment, or to calibrate the sensors, if necessary.
The most critical and responsible equipment of the refinery and NHZ installations has an information, alarm and emergency instrumentation and control system, which is designed, among other things, to exclude emergency situations at hazardous production facilities.
The most developed issue is the installation of diagnostic systems for on-line monitoring on critical and expensive dynamic production machines with rotating parts - compressors, pumps, gearboxes, expanders, etc. A sufficient number of competing companies with their own software, including elements of artificial intelligence, are represented on the market.
Systems for continuous environmental monitoring of harmful emissions from their sources, which have been mandatory for installation since recently, have also become very popular.
As for no less responsible, but more energy-consuming and fire-hazardous devices - FURNACES for heating raw materials and fire reactors, such Automatic Systems exist only in their infancy in the form of instrumentation and control equipment, which is mandatory for installation according to the requirements of industrial safety from Rostechnadzor and current regulatory documents, including international ones.
In December 2019, employees of "Green Ray Ltd." together with "InformTechnology Limited" made a Report at the annual Council of Chief Mechanics (https://sovet-npz.ru) in Klyazma, Moscow Region on the topic:
"Digital Monitoring Systems (DMS) for contral and safe operation of Units equipment on the distance run between shatdowns. DFM Sys."
Among other things, the generally accepted criterion for the operation of hazardous production facilities that fall within the competence of the Chief Mechanics Service is to ensure :
“at process”:
- Operational safety;
- Reliability and operational dependability;
- Fail-safety.
"at shutdown”:
- Safety of repair works;
- Reduction of downtime for shutdown;
- Quality assurance of repair works.
DFM Sys ® - Digital Furnace Monitoring Systems for continuous on-line controlling of fire heaters (furnaces, boilers) are designed to increase the safety of their operation, as well as to increase the functional, energy and environmental efficiency of furnaces.
DFM Sys should be designed taking into account:
- Technological process and parameters of its management;
- Equipment failure risk assessments;
- Material and hardware design;
- The existing instrumentation and control system;
- Lifetime of the furnace;
- The actual wear and tear of the equipment.
Metal carburization for pipes of Catalytic Reforming furnaces (530-600 °С, 2-5 MPa, Hydrocarbons + Hydrogen) for 7-8 years of operation reaches a depth of 3.5...5.0 mm of the pipe metal.
Molecular Nitrogen diffuses into the metal structure at temperatures above 600 °С.
DFM Sys capabilities and horizons:
- The efficiency of managing the safe operation of the furnace;
- Continuity of the monitoring process in real time;
- Objectivity and independence of control;
- Maximum information content of monitoring;
- The ability to visualize the control of the furnace (lining, pipes and flare);
- Possibility of remote control of the burning process;
- The ability to self-diagnose and configure the system based on the convergence of the readings of all elements of the DMF Sys;
- The ability to predict hazards based on the accumulated own database and existing libraries;
- The ability to record and analyze the reasons for failures;
- Reduction of labor costs, for conducting heat engineering surveys and burning setting up;
- The possibility of increasing the inter-repair runs based on the current technical condition of the furnace;
- The possibility of switching to a system of maintenance and repair according to the technical condition of the furnace;
- The ability to integrate into the Digital Control System (DCS) of the Unit and the Refinery.
DFM Sys assumes an “open architecture” using different types of NDA testing and sensors
Schematic diagram of DFM Sys:
Download the DFM Sys Brochure →DFM Sys
The idea of an automated on-line corrosion rate monitoring system with an open architecture was announced during The Meeting of Chief Mechanics Council of Oil Refining and Petrochemical Enterprises of Russia and the CIS in December 2020.
The DFM Sys product was also presented at the IV International Conference of JSC "VTI" on Solid Fuels in April 2022, as well as at the Meeting of Chief Power Engineers Council of the Oil Refining and Petrochemical Enterprises of Russia and the CIS in October 2022.
