Monitoring and maintaining the parameters of the efficient functioning of a tube furnace steam curtain

Purpose. A review of the structure of a modern automated process control system of an oil refining complex allowed the authors to identify the lack of technical means for remote control of the effective functioning of a protective steam curtain of tube furnaces. Numerical simulation of changes in steam pressure in a steam pipeline at the site of a diesel fuel hydrotreating unit depending on the steam mass flow was carried out. Based on the results of the review and simulation, technical solutions were developed that provide remote control of steam pressure, as well as automatic maintenance of the set steam pressure parameters for the effective operation of a protective steam curtain of a tube furnace of a diesel fuel hydrotreating unit. METHODS. To obtain the results, the authors used general scientific and special methods of scientific knowledge such as analysis, synthesis and generalization, which are based on the provisions of systems and information theories. FINDINGS. The results of numerical simulation of changes in steam pressure in a steam pipeline at the site of a diesel fuel hydrotreating unit depending on the steam mass flow were obtained. It was determined that with the simultaneous launch of protective steam curtains of five tube furnaces, it is possible to reduce the steam pressure values below the normative ones. RESEARCH APPLICATION FIELD. The obtained results of the research can be used in tube furnace protective steam curtain systems at oil refineries and petrochemical plants to automate the control of steam pressure parameters and automatically maintain the set parameters of steam pressure when the values drop below the set ones. CONCLUSIONS. Based on the results of numerical simulation of changes in steam pressure in the steam pipeline at the section of a diesel fuel hydrotreating unit, depending on the steam mass flow, technical solutions were developed that provide remote control of steam pressure, as well as automatic maintenance of the set steam pressure parameters for the effective operation of the protective steam curtain of a tube furnace of a diesel fuel hydrotreating unit. Directions for further research are defined.