Understanding the Software Options

Newsfront
Thermo Fisher
Scientific
FIGURE 1. The Prima Pro process mass
spectrometer for online gas analysis was
designed using advanced physical property
modeling software. The analyzer also offers
complete, precise and fast gas composition
analysis, along with lower maintenance than
gas chromatography systems
Keeping an ‘eye’ on every step of the chemical
process is possible — and profitable —
thanks to new inline analyzers
The often-uttered phrase, “Keep
your eyes on the prize,” couldn’t
be more relevant than it is in
the chemical process industries
(CPI) where process optimization via
inline analysis is key to producing
product within specifications (specs),
reducing waste, increasing efficiency
and boosting safety.
“The advantage of inline analysis is
that it provides instant feedback about
what’s going on in your chemical process,”
says David Joseph, senior industry
manager with Emerson Process
Management’s Rosemount Analytical
div. (Solon, Ohio). “Because the data is
available in realtime, it provides information
immediately, instead of having
to draw a sample and send it to a laboratory
to have it analyzed, which takes
time. Inline analysis also trends the
process nicely so you can see if there
are any changes taking place.”
Specifically, the ability to provide
data without the wait helps chemical
processors in several ways. Obviously
the primary benefit is speed of
results. “You’re saving time by getting
data in realtime at the process
point,” says Chris Heil, product specialist
with Thermo Fisher Scientific
(Waltham, Mass.). “But the real benefits
are had because those immediate
results can be used for feedback
that can help you control, chart and
trend the process right now instead
of after the fact.
“When you are controlling the process
in realtime, you can find a process
upset or out of spec product much,
much faster than when you’re using
laboratory analysis. In the chemical,
petrochemical, polymer and food
industries, ten minutes could mean
thousands of gallons of product can
be saved before something goes out of
spec,” he continues. “Point blank: Moving
testing out of the laboratory and
onto the production floor saves time
and money in reduced waste and increased
yield, higher quality and increased
efficiency.”
Benefits in realtime
The benefits of inline analysis, and
the resultant performance optimization,
are especially beneficial in very
dynamic processes, such as in olefins,
Mettler Toldeo AutoChem
ANALYZERS KEEP
WATCH INLINE
FIGURE 2.
The ReactIR 247 is a
new generation of FTIR process
analyzer, equipped with ATR �ber probes,
that can be used to measure material in a solution
as it disappears and crystallizes into a solid
says Peter Traynor, product manager
for process mass spectrometry with
Thermo Fisher Scientific. The front
end of an olefins unit is a series of
cracking furnaces where various hydrocarbon
feeds come in from the
petroleum refinery and are cracked
with steam to make products such as
ethylene and propylene. The appropriate
target for concentration changes
on a day-by-day basis, depending on
the current price for end product or if
there is a downstream demand at another
plant. “This means you have to
optimize the product slate, which includes
all the products you are getting
out of a particular unit from refinery
feedstocks,” notes Traynor. “That product
slate needs to change depending
on prices and demand, as well as the
current price of energy and steam. So
if you’re analyzing gases inline, you
can see the cracking severity via direct
measurement.”
If inline analysis isn’t used, then
models based on temperature and
flow must be employed to make predictions.
However, models are likely to
drift if regular input is not provided
based on inline measurements. “In
this cracking scenario, inline analysis
is crucial because things change
quickly during processing and the
feedstocks are very valuable.”
Another area where optimization is
critical is in catalyst selectivity moni-
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHE.COM AUGUST 2011 17