Document 6wpev2Go39dK12qz8YE3XEzD4

FILE NAME: Oil Industry and American Petroleum Institute (API) DATE: 1947 May DOC#: API079 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Trade Journal Article - Mexico's Two New Refineries Models of Newest Insulation Methods REFINER PETROLEUM / SPECIALIZED FOR THE OIL REFINING INDUSTRY, INCLUDING PETRO-CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, PETROLEUM SYNTHETICS AND NATURAL GASOLINE A Gulf Publishing Company Publication P u b l is h e d M o n t h l y a t 3301 B u f f a l o D r iv e ' H o u s t o n , T exas Copyright, 1947 . .11 L. S. D aniels , Editor J. K ent R idley Managing Editor VOLUME 26, NO. 5 (C ontent MAY, 1947 S pecialized O il J ournals , Published by T h e Gulf P ublishing Company Post Office Box 2608, Houston 1, Texas R. L. D udley, President A. L. B u r n s , 'General Manager T o m W. N e l s o n , Advertising Manager Advertising. Representatives New York: Room 523, 250 Park Avenue, Dick Swinsky. Nelson Bigelow. Frank Vickrey. C l ev e l a n d : 1010 Euclid Avenue, Roger Motheral. C h ic a g o : 332 S. Michigan Avenue, H. G. Fitzpatrick. I d s A n g e l e s : 426 W. W. Wilson Building, Huntington Park, California, J. W. Curts. T u l s a : 1304 Hunt Building, Bill Atcheson. J. F. Carter, Jr. . . H o u st o n : 3301 Buffalo Drive, Charles Wyatt Single c o p ie s 36 c e n ts (e x c e p t s p e c ia l Is su e s ). S u b scrip tio n p rice, d o m estic an d fo reig n , $2.00 a y e a r; 2 y e ars $3.00; 3 y e a rs $4.00. E n te r e d a s seco n d class m a tte r Ju n e 16, 1923, a t th e post office a t H ouston, Texas, u n d e r a c t o f M arch 3, 1879. A d v e rtis in g rates on a p p lic atio n . C o p y rig h t 1947 by T h e G ulf Publishing Com pany. Factors Affecting Quality and Supply o f Intem alC om bustion-E ngine F u e ls..................................................................... 79 W illiam M. H o lad ay , It. E , A lb rig h t, T. L A p jo h n a n d K. F . M iller. O ctane Versus C onservation...................... ; ............ .............. 8 6 E rnest O. Thom pson . ' .. Natural Gasoline Looks A h ea d ................................................... 91 G. G. O berfell.and R. C. A lden ' Stopgap P rocessing Versus Catalytic C rack in g.........................................99 D avis R ead Analysis and Properties o f German P olyethylene O ils. .....................I l l C. M. M urphy an d C. E. Saunders Factors Affecting the API D esign'of Separators for Rem oval o f Oil from W aste W ater E fflu e n ts........................... 117 Sheppard T. Pow ell and E. L K noedler, d r. Mexico's Two R efineries Models o f Newest Insulation M ethods. .121 ' H . R. M orris . E ngineer T raining M eth od s........................................................................123 C arroll O. B u ttrill ' ' T he Determ ination o f Chlorinated Phenol Derivatives in Treated C ooling W a te r s............... : . ................ ............................... 124 C. E. H eadington an d W . A. Sassm an * Miscellaneous Fractionating Techniques (Appendix) . . . . . . . . . .127 Study o f A lkylation-Plant Isobutane Tower P erfo rm a n ce................127 J. J. C icn lese, J . A . D a v is, P . J . H a r r in g to n , . G. 8. H onghland, A. J . L, H utchinson an d T. i. W alsh Bleeder Constantly Removes Light Gases from Propane. R e fr ig e r a n t............................................................................ 144 The Place o f Natural Gasoline and the NGAA in the Petroleum In d u str y ....................................................... ................. * . 158 J. H. Dunn ' M onsanto Only Texas City Plant Materially Damaged by Ship B la st.................................. 170 C. C. P ryor . V- . . ' . ; . D ep a rtm en ts Look B o x ........................................................................................................... 75 How T o D o I t .............'............................................. ..................'................. 146 A bout Our Authors-- and Other P ersonalitiea..................: . . . . . . .1 5 4 T h e M onth in the In d u stry...........................................................................163 Science and T ech n ology A bstracts........................................................... .1 8 0 Com plied by D r. E . H . Leslie and D r. H . B . C oats , D igest o f U nited States Patents Pertaining to P etro leu m ................ 192 C o m p ile d b.v H e in s H e in e m a n n ` New E quipm ent, M anufacturers' L iterature......................................... 2 4 0 A bout Equipm ent-Service S u p p lie r s ...................................................... 2 4 6 In d ex to A dvertisers........................................................................................ 2 5 4 Petroleum Refiner is indexed by Industrial Arts Index. May, 1947--A Gulf Publishing Company Publication Mexico's Two New Refineries Models of Newest Insulation Methods H. R. MORRIS .. M ateriales fiislantes, S. ft., Monterrey, Mexico T h E value of thermal insulation is becoming better recognized by those who design and operate petro leum refineries as the processes become more highly specialized and higher tem peratures are encountered. Tem perature control is more and more a "m ust" as newer methods are introduced, calling for operations requiring maintenance of temperatures within nar row limits. These facts have been taken into consideration by engineering firms specializing in refinery design and construction and their specifications for materials and method of a p p lic a tio n a re becoming much more exacting. A rthur G. McKee & Company is one of the firms whose engineers w rite into their insulation specifications the most complete and exacting re quirements, draw ing upon years of experience in this line. A case in point are the two modern refineries for Petrleos Mexicanos. One of the refineries is located at Atzcapotzalco in the Federal D istrict and consists .of a crude unit, therm al cracking unit, a Badger and Braun unit, isopentane and isobutane fractionation unit, isomerization and an alkylation unit, as well as power plant, storage tankage, etc. The other, at Poza Rica, Veracruz, in the coastal oil producing area con sists of a gas-gathering system, primary topping and fractionation units. The insulation chosen for the lagging of all towers, heated vessels, heat exchangers, spherical tanks and other equipment was mineral wool felted between layers of metal fabrics. These blankets, made up in sizes 2x8 feet, were suspended from rings welded on to the tow ers at intervals of 12 feet. A fter being hung loosely in place in a vertical position the blankets were secured in place by f^-inch strapping, machine stretched and sealed on 8-inch centers, the exposed surface of the blanket insulation being of expanded metal lath. The mineral wool in the blankets was carefully felted and compressed so that the tightening of the Section of Atzcapotzalco refinery, showing insulation and waterproofing finished and painted. May, 1947--A Gulf Publishing Company Publication 489] 121 Mineral wool blankets banded in place on frac- tionafing tower. The piping insulation being applied a t Poza Rica where the tropical climatic conditions are very severe is also of a mineral wool base. This rugged, heavy- duty type of lagging, made up in 2-foot lengths, with "keys" to fit the outer circmference of the pipe also presents an expanded-metal lath surface on the ex posed side and is given a smooth dressing of mineral wool insulating cement. Each joint of the metal-lath- clad piping insulation is laced firmly together at butt ends w ith fine galvanized soft-iron wire. T he finished insulation is given a dressing of 3-ply roofing felt secured in place by 14-gauge galvanized wire on 6- inch centers. All valves and other fittings to receive insulation were built up to the thickness of the adjacent pipe covering w ith mineral wool insulating cement and given two coats of fibrated a s p h a ltic em ulsion w eather seal. In sections of the refineries having the greatest fire hazard, as in the v i c i n it y o f th e h e a d e rs in the therm al-cracking unit, all piping was given a jacket of galvanized iron of 24 gauge. Mineral wool blankets and insulating cement in place and weatherproof ing being applied to thermal cracking unit. straps did not cause "valleys" to appear in the sur face of the insulation. At each of the rings on the tower an expansion joint was provided, allowing for vertical expansion and contraction of the vessel. The mineral-wool-blanket insulation was chosen because of its low thermal conductivity coefficient and because, due to the resiliency of the felted ma terial, expansion of the equipment can take place without cracking the finish coat, as would be the case with a more rigid or block type of insulation. After the blankets were in place two coats of min eral wool insulating cement were applied by trowel and secured firmly in place with 1-inch galvanized hex mesh stretched tautly over the entire surface. An unusually heavy weather seal was applied, consisting of two 34-inch troweled coats of fibrated asphaltic emulsion. T he contractor believes th at if you "save the surface you save all" and insists upon this rugged and extra heavy duty weather proofing. This surface is given two coats of aluminum paint, presenting a smooth and very attractive appearance. Weatherproofing coot being troweled over the mineral wool insulating cement.