Viscosity measurement is one of the techniques available that will improve efficiency everywhere from production to steam raising.
I have had three artciles published in Hydrocarbon engineering on the subject and have recently commissioned a system in Russia for heavy fuel oil blending. When you consider that viscosity is such an important measurement in the oil industry and recognise also that that many process depend on laboratory measurement for control or rely on a 40 year old technology you can appreciate that modern viscosity measurement techniques have a great deal to offer.
AN article was also published on the upgrade at Huntsman Chemicals Wilton site where they introduced on line viscosity measurement for their steam boiler fuel heater control. Estimates of the costs of conventional heater control (using a reference temperature determined from daily laboratory measurement; using excess oxygen and using regular flame inspection) could cost over £100,000 per annum.
Modern viscosity measurement can be used for pipe side measurement systems for such activities as bitumen (sphalt) blending, heavy fuel oil blending, lube oil blending etc. and inline measurement for quench oil control (ethylene crackers) and not only make significant improvements in efficiency but provide a very high onstream factor with minimal maintenance.
Heavy fuel oil production is a very unceratin business without modern instrumentation. In tests i have witnessed savings of around $1-5 a ton can be made but others have reported the penalties as high as $7 per ton. ANother source advised me that they had surveyed a refinery and estimated losses at arount $25m per annum in heavy fuel oil production.
If you would like copies of these papers let me know.
Yes, I will very much like those papers and as soon as possible. Can you email those on this weekend i.e. Sept. 6th to Sept. 8th. I will very much appericiate. You can e mail at Sandeep1970@hotmail.com. Thanx.
Thanx.
