Efficient Antisurge Control Retrofit at Beijing Yan Shan Refinery
December 1, 20035

The original antisurge control system for the ammonia compressors of the refrigeration station at the Beijing Yan Shan Refinery (China) was outdated, and the precise automated control could not be realized. In order to reduce energy consumption, ensure safe operation of compressors and achieve optimum performance, the Refinery Business Division implemented CCC antisurge control system.

MORE >>>

For more information please contact CCC at solutions@cccglobal.com

Valero St. Charles Refinery Has Success with CCC Guardian Overspeed Prevention System
November 11, 2003

By Chaille Percy, Senior Instrumentation & Electrical Engineer, Valero St. Charles Refinery, Louisiana

"The Coker Wet Gas Compressor at the Valero St. Charles Refinery in Louisiana has been in operation for approximately six years without a major overhaul. During the Coker 2003 turnaround, a team was assembled to facilitate a major revision of the compressor due to multiple trips of the system. The original manufacturer of the compressor was brought in to rework the balance piston and seals, the PLC system was replaced, all old transmitters were replaced, and, where possible, all single source signal shutdown devices were replaced with dual voting systems. Among other innovations, Compressor Controls Corporation’s Guardian Overspeed Prevention System was chosen to replace an old mechanical overspeed trip device.

There were several key reasons why Valero St. Charles chose the new Guardian Overspeed Prevention System from CCC. The Coker Wet Gas Compressor is driven by a 650# steam turbine, and since the original mechanical overspeed trip device was one of a kind, the replacement parts for the device had to be handcrafted, thus costing the plant a lot of money, and a modern solution was a must. In addition, the refinery has different voltage needs for overspeed prevention. So, it was extremely important to have the flexibility offered by the Guardian for variable requirements. Another consideration was the ease of installation: the Guardian was installed from a manual, no additional engineering was required and no field services from CCC were necessary.

The operators’ training was fast and easy as well. We were able to mount the three speed sensors, during a limited amount of time, when the turbine case was removed. The Guardian Overspeed Prevention System monitors the three speed sensors, and will cause a shutdown based on a 2 out of 3 voting. This system was mounted in a local control panel on the compressor structure.

The Guardian Overspeed module, upon trip initiation, diverts control oil pressure from the Gimpel throttle trip valve to the steam turbine. Valero St. Charles employs two output trips from the Guardian Overspeed module to each of two 3-way ?” solenoids. This action trips both, the turbine and the compressor.

The holistic approach to compressor control solution secured this project’s success. The Coker Wet Gas Compressor has been running continuously since it was put back in service in mid-June 2003. CCC’s Guardian Overspeed Prevention System played a pivotal role in the compressor controls upgrade and the turbomachinery availability."

For more information please contact CCC at solutions@cccglobal.com

Unique Control System for Nitric Acid Production Process
November 10, 2003

Compressor Controls Corporation has successfully commissioned a Series 5 control system at the P/O AZOT nitric acid production unit in Ferghana, Republic of Uzbekistan. The unit, with its annual capacity of 380,000 metric tons, is arguably one of the largest in the world.

The nitric acid production is an “energy-technological” process, where chemical and thermal processes are intertwined, and the heat generated by the thermal process is used by steam turbines that drive compressors. This traditionally presents numerous control and automation challenges. Hence, process automation using accurate microprocessor-based controls helps significantly increase the product output.

The nitric acid production unit at the Ferghana plant employs a complex set of turbomachinery, consisting of two steam turbines, a centrifugal nitrogen dioxide compressor, a high-pressure gas turbine, and a low-pressure gas turbine driving an axial air compressor.

Only one month after the beginning of start-up and commissioning work by CCC engineers at the plant the first quantities of nitric acid were produced with the reliable help of the CCC control system.

Currently, the CCC system is performing the following functions:

• Automated start-up of the nitric acid unit
• Antisurge control of the axial compressor
• Automatic control of the ammonia-to-air ratio
• Rotational speed control

Most of the control tasks listed above are breakthrough functions, rarely implemented in nitric acid production processes.

For more information please contact CCC at solutions@cccglobal.com

Belarus Plant Integrates with European Power Grid
September 10, 2003

Compressor Controls Corporation will retrofit two power blocks at the Berezovskaya Power Plant in the Republic of Belarus. The retrofit will make it possible for the plant to meet the stringent requirements of the European Union for Coordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE) and allow for the plant’s integration with the European power grid. The Berezovskaya plant will then be able to sell electric utilities to European countries.

One way to solve the UCTE compliance issue is to greatly improve control of the steam turbine generators. A good example is Maritsa-East 2 Power Plant in Bulgaria, where Compressor Controls Corporation recently successfully retrofitted a control system for a Russian-made K-215-130 generator steam turbine. This retrofit made integration possible with the European utility grid.

At the Belarus Plant, CCC control system will meet, among others, the following parameters:

Range of power control: not less then +/-5% Nn between minimal and nominal turbine load

Factor of static dependence power-frequency: adjustable from 4%-6%, and dead band adjustable at the range 0, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 mHz

Dead band of the control system below +/-10 mHz

Accuracy of the load control +/-1%, and full answer on the demand load not longer then 10 sec.

Once Compressor Controls Corporation completes the control systems retrofit of the two 165 Mwt Russian-made steam turbines at the Power Blocks #5 & #6 on Berezovskaya Power Plant, non-compliance with UCTE standards will no longer be an issue.

For more information please contact CCC at solutions@cccglobal.com

Validating Antisurge Control System
August 22, 2003

At a gas processing plant, real time simulation was used to analyze the design of a surge protection scheme for a natural gas compressor, after questions arose over the system's effectivenes in the event of an emergency shutdown. The article posted below is discussing the advantages of the real time high fidelity simulation. The article was originally published in the Summer 2003 issue of the Petroleum Technology Quarterly (PTQ).

MORE >>>

For more information please contact CCC at solutions@cccglobal.com

Introducing Vantage GD
August 5, 2003

A new addition to the VANTAGE product line: the VANTAGE GD governor. The VANTAGE GD governor is designed for condensing and back-pressure steam turbines driving synchronous electrical generators. An extensive combination of benefits, capabilities, and features create a compelling argument for use of the VANTAGE GD governor on virtually any general-purpose, generator-drive steam turbine. The VANTAGE GD governor provides a comprehensive collection of turbine and generator control algorithms, including speed control, generator load control, and cascade control.

MORE >>>

For more information please contact CCC at solutions@cccglobal.com

ATEX Certification for Vantage GP and Reliant
August 5, 2003

CCC has received ATEX (hazardous area) certification for the Vantage GP and all Series 5 Reliant products. With this certification, these products can now be installed in European hazardous areas, specifically, Group II, Category 2, Gas Group IIC, Temperature T3. This translates into above-ground (non-mining) locations where hazardous gases are present infrequently (less than 10 hours/year), and the gases present have an auto-ignition temperature greater than 200° C.

For more information please contact CCC at solutions@cccglobal.com

CCC-Amsterdam Office is Granted VCA Certification
June 12, 2003

CCC - Amsterdam has been granted VCA (Veiligheid, Gezondheid en Milieu Checklist Aannemers) certification. (Safety, Health, and Environment Checklist for Contractors - SCC).
The SCC system was designed to provide objective testing and certification of the safety management practices of companies providing services to the chemical and petrochemical industries, and was originally developed in the Netherlands. However, the system is now widely implemented in other European countries such as Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. More and more of CCC’s European customers have asked for SSC certification, and it has become a requirement for the approved vendor listing because customers who deal with SCC-certified suppliers can rest assured the high risk work will be performed safely.

For more information please contact CCC at solutions@cccglobal.com

CCC completes Total Train Control for Ethylene Plant
May 21, 2003

In January 2003, Compressor Controls Corporation (CCC) finalized commissioning of a Total Train Control (TTC) system for ZAO “Sibur-Khimprom” ethylene plant. The system was installed September, 2000, and has been in trial operation. The customer officially approved the system in January 2003. The plant, located near Perm, Russia was experiencing compressor surge and had reliability problems. CCC provided a Series 4 redundant system for the four electric motor driven compressors. The TTC system included all control functions: antisurge, performance, load-sharing, master, and logic control. The customer is very pleased with the operation of the CCC system, and recently sent an official letter to CCC informing about the successful operation of the control system. The Series 4 control system provides full protection of compressor equipment from mechanical damages, avoiding costly repairs to the centrifugal compressors. The system has also prevented unexpected equipment shutdown and therefore lost production and revenue.

For more information please contact CCC at solutions@cccglobal.com

Emulator for Replication of Actual CCC Control
May 14, 2003

CCC Emulator is specially designed to accurately replicate CCC control responses. This product replicates CCC control algorithms used in Series 3 Plus, Series 4, and Series 5 control systems. CCC Emulator allows you to easily incorporate CCC controllers into simulations you develop for process design validation and operator training.

MORE >>>

For more information please contact CCC at solutions@cccglobal.com

Comparison of Duplex and Triplex Controls for Use in Basic Process Control Systems
February 28, 2003

For several years a debate has been underway regarding the benefits of duplex systems versus triplex systems, especially for use in process control (non-safety) systems. Previous attempts at quantifying the differences have generally taken a narrow view by focusing on the control and safety systems as stand-alone hardware platforms, often with overly simplified reliability models. Compressor Controls Corporation has analyzed the benefits associated with duplex and triplex systems. The results are described in a comprehensive manner, consistent with an actual plant environment in the following paper.

MORE >>>

For more information please contact CCC at solutions@cccglobal.com