Document pxzpgGYOZ0KpjaBBr9DbrNBw

Castleman File: American Petroleum Institute w/c = with cover letter or memo If DATE = 0, undated CD-ROM Document #:API ~nc> DATE published article from trade journal published advertisements newspaper article published government report government inspection results unpublished or internal report unpublished presentation from conference letter memorandum industry warning labels industry sales literature industry recommended practices meeting minutes (with attachments) membership list BC notes a PETROLEUM ;/ REFINER SPECIALIZED FOR THE OIL REFINING INDUSTRY, INCLUDING PETRO-CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, PETROLEUM SYNTHETICS AND NATURAL GASOLINE A Gulf Publishing Company Publication Published Monthly at 3301 Buffalo Drive' Houston, Texas Copyright, 1947 . C. C. Pryor Associate Editor .# L. S. Daniels . Editor J. Kent Ridley Managing Editor C^ontentd VOLUME 26, NO. 5 MAY, 1947 Specialized Oil Journals _ Published by The Gulf Publishing Company Post Office Box 2608, Houston 1, Texas R. L. Dudley, President' A. L. Burns, 'General Manager Tom W. Nelson, Advertising Manager Advertising. Representatives New York: Room 523, 250 Park Avenue, Dick Swinsky. Nelson Bigelow. Frank Vickrey. Cleveland: 1010 Euclid Avenue, Roger Motheral. Chicago: 332 S. Michigan Avenue, H. G. Fitzpatrick. Los Angeles: 426 W. W. Wilson Building, Huntington Park, California, J. W. Curts. Tulsa: 1304 Hunt Building, Bill Atcheson. J. F. Carter, Jr. . . Houston : 3301 Buffalo Drive, j Charles Wyatt Single copies 36 cents (except special Issues). Sub scription price, domestic and foreign, >2.00 a year; 2 years >3.00; 3 years >4.00. Entered as second class matter June 16, 1923, at the post office at Houston, Texas, under act of March 3, 1879. Advertising rates on application. Copyright 1947 by The Gulf Publishing Company. Factors Affecting Quality and Supply of InternalCombustion-Engine Fuels.................................................................................. 79 William M. Holadsy, R. E. Albright, T. L. Apjohn and K. F. Miller , Octane Versus Conservation........................... ;......................................... 86 Ernest O. Thompson . '. Natural Gasoline Looks Ahead...................................................... ........................... 91 G. G. Oberfelt.and R. C. Alden ' ' Stopgap Processing Versus Catalytic Cracking.......................................... '. 99 Davis Read . Analysis and Properties of German Polyethylene Oils. .........................Ill C. M. Murphy and C. E. Saunders Factors Affecting the API Design'of Separators for Removal of Oil from Waste Water Effluents.................................117 Sheppard T. Powell and E. L Knoedler, Jr. Mexico's Two Refineries Models of Newest Insulation Methods. .121 ' H. R. Morris . Engineer Training Methodg.......................................................................................123 Carroll O. Bnttrilt '' The Determination of Chlorinated Phenol Derivatives in Treated Cooling Waters..................... .........................................................124 C. E. Headington and W. A. Sassman ' Miscellaneous Fractionating Techniques (Appendix) ..... .. . . .127 Study of Alkylation-Plant Isobutane Tower Performance..................127 J. J. Clcnlese, J. A. Davis, P. J. Harrington, . G. S. Honghland, A. J. L Hutchinson and T. J. Walsh Bleeder Constantly Removes Light Gases from Propane. Refrigerant............................................................................................144 The Place of Natural Gasoline and the NGAA in the Petroleum Industry..................................................................... J. H. Dnnn ' ..158 Monsanto Only Texas City Plant Materially Damaged by Ship Rlast.......................................... C. C. Pryor , *' 170 Departments Look Box................................................ 75 How To Do It................'...................................................................................................... 146 Afiout Our Authors--and Other Personalities........................ .154 ^ The Month in the Industry.................................................................. 163 ! Science and Technology Abstracts.........................................................................180 Compiled by Dr. E. H. Leslie and Dr. H. B. Coats Digest of United States Patents Pertaining to Petroleum....................192 Compiled by Heins Heinemann New Equipment, Manufacturers' Literature..................................................240 About Equipment-Service Suppliers..................................................................246 Index to Advertisers...........................................................................................................254 Petroleum Refiner is indexed by Industrial Arts Index. May, 1947--A Gulf Publishing Company Publication 1 i! u;:; If! ! JM- <1 r m? Mexico's Two New Refineries Models of Newest Insolation Methods H. R. MORRIS Materiales flislantes, S. ft., Monterrey, Mexico .. THE 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 temperatures are encountered. Temperature control is more and more a "must" 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 application are becoming much more exacting. Arthur G. McKee & Company is one of the firms whose engineers write into their insulation specifications the most complete and exacting re quirements, drawing upon years of experience in this line. A case in point are the two modern refineries for Petroleos Mexicanos. One of the refineries is located at Atzcapotzalco in the Federal District and consists .of a crude unit, thermal 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 towers at intervals of 12 feet. After being hung loosely in place in a vertical position the blankets were secured in place by ^6-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 fractionafing tower. The piping insulation being applied at Poza Rica where the tropical climatic conditions are very severe is also of a minera.l 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 with fine galvanized soft-iron wire. The 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 with mineral wool insulating cement and given two coats of fibrated asphaltic emulsion weather seal. In sections of the refineries having the greatest fire hazard, as in the vicinity of the headers in the thermal-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 j^-inch troweled coats of fibrated asphaltic emulsion. The contractor believes that 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. Ei Wn -cepted ity of ; refine: ever, t best i which uate t ance. schen: positi to five (c) a comp: media trol v. depar stud} unit ' Te finer} arou: plan: side: . isfac new men: test trol . equi: or a yielh W'or. inte, leni uau tern visa the g>11( rec list. . tria II . th! wo 1 inp enp arc ale na sta , an er: dr , Mu