Document aJVYvoXmNDbo27Ynb204zr2ae

A <?&t7%0e6icti- attd C%esruea& ESCAMBIA PLANT INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM To: From: Rt: Mr. R. E. Davis R. W. Beech PVC Monthly Report February, 1972 Date: Copies: March 6, 1972 SUMMARY Production tor the month was 4769M pounds versus a budget of 4765 M pounds and a iorecast on February 18 of 4800 M pounds. Off-grade, tails and sweeps totaled 414 M pounds, 8. 0% versus a budget of 5. 2%. Contamination, iisheyes and bulk density were causes of off-grade. A total of 602 charges were made, an. average of 20. 7 per day. The total variance tor PVC is $6300 favorable broken down as follows: 1. PVC Bulk 2. PVC Bagging 3. PVC L&S ( 800) 5,900 1, 200 The forecast for PVC bulk on January 20 was $4800 favorable. Major factors affecting PVC bulk variance are listed below: Raw Materials Vinyl Chloride Vinyl Acetate Process Chemicals By-Product Credit Royalties ( 9. 900) 1, 400 - 8, 160 - !ss Costs Volume Process Spending Machine Hours ( 8, 150) 14, 280 { 7,300) PVC-2185 was $5140 unfavorable on volume caused by 175M pounds of oif-grade and PVC- 1200 was $11220 unfavorable on volume caused by production slowdowns tor contamination checks and cleanouts to as'sur-e Phillips grade production. iJ 1 I i AP00047421 PVC Monthly Report -2- March 6, 1972 SUMMARY (continued) Production lor March is forecast at 4925 M pounds with a variance of $9240 favorable. Production in February was 4769M pounds versus a budget of 4760 M pounds. This production was achieved mainly through production of fast cycle resin types as indicated by the unfavorable volume variance above. Total hours budgeted for those resins produced was 7253 versus an actual of 7656. We averaged 20.7 batches per day. An. electric motor agitator drive was installed on the stainless steel reactor to drive the agitator at a constant 125 rpm. Performance on Pearls1 has improved markedly. Dr. Wiley Daniels of R&tD was down to supervise a series of runs in the stainless reactor on PVC-2200. The results of this run and Latest data is summarized in a report to R, W, Beech lrom W. C. Wilde, nPVC-2200 Production in the Stainless Steel Reactor", dated February 25, 1972, The solvent recovery and dehydration units did not operate this month. Mechanical revisions should be complete March 3 with startup on March 6. Reactors 1, 10, and 11 continue to be the only ones chemically cleaned. We are encountering considerable difficulty in producing PVC-1200 and 1250 to meet the wet contamination test of Phillips Film. This is causing delays and lost production time. For example, PVC 1200 was $1020 unfavorable on volume in February. The writer made a visit to Calvert City concering this problem. The purpose was to study their operation and exchange iniormation which might lead to improved performance on Phillips grade material. PVC - BAGGING A total of 3077 M pounds were bagged at a cost of $14,410. Variance is $5,900 tavorable as follows: Volume Spending $7,968 ( 2,065) Greater than budget bagging was caused by the types produced in February. AP00047422 PVC Monthly Report -3- March 6, 1972 STATISTICS Prime Production . Homopolymer Copolymer Total Off-Gra de Ho mopolyme r Copolymer Tails Sweeps Total Total Production Off-Grade, % Total Prod. Bulk Prod. , % Prime VCM Efficiency Reactor Availability Production, #/gal. yr. Off-Grade Analysis Type Lot No. 2225 2160 2185 2185 2185 2185 2185 1225 6180 8655 8665 8667 8669 8670 8672 8674 8727 8755 Production Sequence North Line Batches 1225 1200 2225 2250 2200 30 25 4 30 20 February Actual Budget 4. 029 740 4', 769' 4, 128 637 4, 765 Year to Date Actual Budget 21, 637 3, 472 25,109 21,609 3,299 24,908 229 36 123 10 414 5, 201 8. 0 43.7 94. 6 84. 5 1263 261 5, 026 5.2 - 94. 8 88. 5 1258 500 288 585 44 1, 417 26, 526 5. 3 54. 1 94. 6 85. 1 1264 1, 364 26,272 5.2 - 94. 8 88.5 1258 Pounds 22,550 6, 000 36,000 18,000 52,600 40, 000 28, 650 32,000 36, 000 Reasons Fisheyes. Screens. Contami nation. Contamination. Bulk Density, Bulk Density. Fisheyes. Contamination. Contamination. South Line 6180 2185 8217 1225 12 30P Batche & 88 29 4 39 53 AP00047423 PVC Monthly Report -4' Production Sequence (cont'd) North Line 1200 2200 2250 2200 2225 1200 Batches 45 44 20 69 5 20 South Line 1225 ` 2160 6180 Downtime Analysis Enter and Clean Reactors H. P. Water Cleaning Plugged Drop Valves Changing Types Low Drying Rates Mixing Solutions Behind on Recovery Hyd. Motor Maint, Scheduling Charges Miscellaneous Production Summary (Prime Only) Tvue February 1185 1200 1225 1230P 1250 2160 2185 2200 2225 2250 3185 6180 8217 674 1, 028 59? - 96 71 1, 094 48 385 - 740 36 February Hours % 371 165 23 128 26 7 48 13 205 198 1184 4. B 2.2 0. 3 1.7 0. 3 0. 1 0. 6 0.2 2.7 2.6 15. 5 January 246 774 895 646 159 1, 075 291 377 689 - March 6, 1972 Batches 48 9 14 Year to Date Hours % 1937 720 168 449 108 81 503 78 985 978 6007 4. B 1. 8 0.4 1.1 0. 3 0. 2 1. 3 0.2 2.4 2.4 14. 9 Year to Elate 48 1, 330 4, 371 4,908 1, 061 661 668 5, 510 668 1, 955 339 3, 472 120 AP00047424 PVC Monthly Report -5- March 6. 1972 MAINTENANCE 1. Compressors (a) Replaced second stage valves in north recovery compressor. (b) Adjusted cross-head on north compressor to stop knock. (c) Repacked shaft seal on south compressor. (d) Adjusted piston rod nut on south compressor to stop knock. (e) Changed out valves in south compressor. {) Repaired loose nut on end of piston rod on south compressor. 2. Repaired overspeed trip on hydraulic oil pump steam turbine. 3. Installed electric motor agitator drive on #10 reactor. 4. Replaced automatic steam valve on the north stripper. 5. Replaced steam sparger on #11 reactor. 6. Charged out motor and some parts in the starting gear on the north centrifuge. DISCUSSION The RFE for the 40 psig steam line has been approved. This RFE was revised and economics calculated on the difference of high pressure steam at standard cost and 40 psig steam atfuel value. On this basis the project shows an ROI of 30. 3% and a payout of 1. 64 years. Completion is expected by April 1, 1972. A check on noise Levels in the PVC Area indicated real improve ments have been made in the area north of the reactor building. Previous readings of 113 - 115 decibels have dropped to 91 decibels. We have rerouted the jet exhaust through the roof on two jets and installed a muffler on the third jet. i L- AP00047425 SUBJECT: FEBRUARY PVC RESIN REPORT (Cont'd.) 3/7/72 Page 2 Backtracking the line, we found improper material in the footbearings of the stripper and blend tanks. During this interval, we received a call stating that our resin produced a "plate out" problem with Dr. Adams requesting a change in the recipe from Vazo catalyst to Lup 11 along with the emission of the buffer. After several batches of this, we discontinued trying for Phillips Film due to the plate out and returned to our original recipe for other customers. This account was shifted to the Pace Plant, but, as of the latest verbal communication, they are unable to pass the slurry dirt test. V7e were in the latter stages of the run, favorable on the slurry dirt test, but unfavorable with plate out. Based upon our efforts here, we feel we can pass the slurry dirt test on a marginal basis, but due to the excessive cleaning of reactors and related.equipment, our volume will decrease during this type of production. A Capital Expenditure for quick open ing manways and a vacuum system is now circulating for approvals, and with materials such as this to produce, it is increasingly important to reduce the cycle time by having such additions to our equipment. Improvements were measureable in the bagging area by a 25% increase in pounds per manhour. We still have room to improve much further in this goal. The new type sifter that was inspected on February 11th was unable to increase the rate over our present sifter. We will make minor mechanical changes to the butterfly valves on the bins to allow better control of a consistent feed rate. Engineer ing is further studying means of an increase in screening rates. Progression is continuing on tlie rescreening and bagging of the 400 series repurchased from Airco. Our goal is to be completed by 'April 1st on this project. A change in the safety equipment at the bulk loading area has been made. A cable is stretched over the car and truck loading areas onto which the operator can connect a line from the safety harness he wears. This, alone, will not keep a person from falling off the bulk vehicle, but it will avoid the complete drop to the ground. A procedure is being written on this improvement. A complete overhaul was necessary for #1 reciprocating compressor of the recovery system. SHORT TERM GOALS: 1. Debug and arrange utilization of the spare vacuum pump throughout the 400 series run to increase productivity. 2. Major reduction of solids at the bulk loading area. AP00047426 I SUBJECT: FEBRUARY PVC RESIN REPORT (Cont'd.) , . . . -x ... . 3/7/72 3 I SHORT TERM GOALS: (Cont'd.) ------V .:-i_. .. I 3. Reduce the amount of material necessary to remove, from the settling pit. >.. I 4. Increase bagging rate pounds per manhour to. 2700. 5. Arrange a by-pass around the strippers for transferring. I V7e have a sales forecast of 7MM-pounds'with a goal of 8MM pounds. I It is expected to produce 400 series nearly all of March on the South line. We have.no 400 series available in 420, nor do we have any 405 or 470 suitable for film or bottles for compound I production. The 400 for film and bottles will exceed budget due to the additional reactor cleaning required to meet the fish eye specifications. ... . AP00047427