7/2/2019 Delayed Coker SW Impacting SWS - Flat

Refinery DiscussionsDelayed Coker SW Impacting SWS Flat

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Started: 6/25/2019 2:21 PM View Properties Reply

Delayed Coker SW Impacting SWS

Folks,

Melendez, Chris

My customer has asked for assistance troubleshooting their SWS that receives coker blowdown sour water; they suspect heat stable salts impacting their ammonia
stripping performance but do not perform daily or weekly analysis on this stream, so I submitted samples today for HSS precursors (formate, acetate, thiocyanate, etc.).

pH in this stream is typcially on higher end, 7-9.

The storage tank receiving this SW also receives the water draw off the slop oil tank; the water draw is very dark (full of solids and slight O&G).

A previous deposit analysis of this tank showed carbonate salt, carboxylic acid salt, oxyalkylate, silica (quartz), and aluminum silicate in addition to presence of aliphatic and
asphaltic HC.

What else should I analyze to help determine appropriate mitigation of performance?

Is the silica or silicate coming from out antifoam or solids possibly in slop oil (canadian crude - Cold Lake)? They did inquire if antifoam derivatives could cause fouling in
SWS.

I'm going through CORE discussions to understand a little more but any help is appreciated.

Posted: 6/25/2019 7:49 PM View Properties Reply

Is this the Chevron designed 2 stage SWS system where the H2S is stripped out first then the ammonia?

Little bit of caustic added between the stripper stages should nicely spring any remaining NH4. pH control range is very tight right at 8 pH.

The silica, or silicate, is most likely quartz and sand particles.

Fearnside, Paul

Posted: 7/1/2019 9:56 PM View Properties Reply

Paul,

This isn't the Chevron design; we have detected high levels of HSS in the overhead sour water going to the stripper.

We also have the slop oil tank water draw sending ~1% solids to this sour water collection tank, so we potentially have 2 mechanisms at play.
Melendez, Chris
Do we have an antifoulant or multifunctional product for this type of issue? Limiting or eliminating the slop oil water draw is being considered. Not sure how to eliminate HSS
heading to the stripper though.

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