Document Ne2Om3QvzBdMb7wXRLkyaR9LR

INTEROFFICE COMMUNICATION Ponca City, Oklahoma M4rch 18, 1970 to: SUBJECT: Mr. L. N. Vernon RESEARCH AND PED OBJECTIVES FOR VCM PLANT SHUTDOWN We understand that the Vinyl Chloride Plant will shut down for a turnaround early in April. The oxychlorination reactors will be recharged with new catalyst at that time. Much valuable data can be gathered during the shut down .to further analyze and monitor the reactor operation. Toward this end, we are listing below data we hope to gather with explanations as tb why this information will be valuable. We realize that plant operations will take precedence over our work, but we do not feel that any inter ruption of these operations will accrue from our activity. 1. Reactor Pulse Testing Prior to Turnaround Prior to the shut down, reactor pulse testing should be performed. These tests should be similar to the tests of November 20* 1969. iThere are three primary reasons for performing these tests. They are: a. SIM0XY program Development b. Estimation of Degree of Catalyst Deactivation at Point of Turnaround c. Data Accumulation on System for Future Use 2. Reactor Operating Information Prior to Shutdown Obtain all pertinent operating information on the system prior to turnaround. Hiis should include reactor temperature profiles, travel ing thermocouple profiles, and steam drum information. This information will provide a bench mark for future oxy turnarounds as well as give indications of catalyst deactivation. A comparison of control board indicated tem perature profiles with traveling thermocouple profiles will indicate the accuracy and re liability of operator information. ^cc*"oooJ4i4a --y 0 / rs ,< * * INTEROFFICE COMMUNICATION ' * i to: 'SUBJECT: 1 3. Mr. L. N. Vernon page 2 Photographs of Tops and Bottoms of All Reactors After reactor heads have been removed, take color - photographs of the top of both heads of each re actor. These photos of the Raschig rings on the heads will indicate possible channeling of re actants. They also will show the amount of dust ing that has occurred in the reactors. 4. Dust Samples from Reactor Heads Collect samples of dust from the heads of each xeactor. Special attention should be given the R--301 top sample. Analysis of the catalyst dust will show the degree of catalyst fracturing due *to coking. The R-301 sample will show whether xeactant impurities in the reactant feed streams axe accumulating in R-301. These Impurities may be aiding deactivation in this reactor by clog ging catalyst pores. 5. Pressure Drop Data Obtain pressure drop information on catalyst tubes and on experimental catalyst tubes. These tests should be conducted on a set of tubes lo cated radially from the center of the reactor. The data will show tube plugging characteristics and reactant channeling tendencies. A comparison * of experimental with normal catalyst tubes will indicate the relative degree of dusting in each of the catalyst types. 6. Unloading of Catalyst Tubes Unload one. outer and one inner catalyst tube from i each reactor. Collect and label these samples. 1* ' -(CC* 000034243 / S .* * INTEROFFICE COMMUNICATION . , to: subject: i' 7. Mr. L. N. Vernon Page 3 Unloading Experimental Catalyst Tubes Unload experimental catalyst tubes from each t reactor. Collect and label these samples. At least two tubes must be sampled as two different types of experimental catalyst were installed in the reactors. 8. Obtain HCl Column Wash Sample If the HCl column is to be washed during the turnaround, obtain a sample of the first portion of the exiting wash solution. A comparison of this wash solution with the solution obtained at the last turnaround may yield corrosion in formation on the column. 9. Check Furnace Decoking Assuming furnace is to be decoked, check on the | f : ,` { !' jr;\ 10. Provide for Transport of Samples Package and label all samples and provide for their rapid and safe shipment to Ponca City for analysis. 11. Preliminary Catalysis Analysis in Ponca City Analyze by high temperature, high resolution mass spectroscopy the samples as soon as pos sible. Compare these catalyst analyses with analyses of catalyst from the last catalyst turnaround. 12. Further Catalyst Analyses Analyze all catalyst samples by the previous means and methods with special attention to 9 carbon microscopy. l '. ! : ; :' ' (CCR 000034-244 ' INTEROFFICE COMMUNICATION SUBJECT: Mr. L. N. Vernon Page 4. _ , 13. Data Analyses and Presentation Collect and compare all data from this catalyst to that of the last turnaround. This is to show the effect of the altered operation conditions. It is our understanding that this catalyst change is not being forced by deactivated catalyst but is dictated by other ^turnaround considerations and shipping-production com mitments. This must be kept in mind in the analysis of the catalyst data. F. J. Radd Senior Research Associate Central Research Division I '/ Martin Hawley Engineering Consultant Process Engineering Departm nt FJR-MH-DEM-LEC CC: JBC-SS--FJR(2)-LNV KRG-HDB-DKP-WBS Chemical Engineer Petrochemical Division Process Engineering Department ,i (cc 000034245