RELIABILITY IMPROVEMENT – RUBBER CHEMICAL PLANT

Petro Chemical

Petro Chemical

Background​

The process of manufacturing a product consists of a condensation reaction of acetone with aniline in a glass-lined reactor with HCL as catalyst. The HCl is neutralised using caustic soda (NaOH). The condensation reaction is followed by polymerisation to f​orm the product

Challenges​

• Severe frequent breakdowns of various equipment
• Black swan events (catastrophic failure of H2 reformer tubes and leakage of hazardous liquid from Agitator glands)

• Outcomes​
• The RAMS study identified the bad actor’s equipment causing majority of the failures:
• H2 reformer tube was found to be cracked causing catastrophic disruption due to thermal ageing of the reformer tube bellows
• Weld joints were defective – welding process incorrect and the weld joints were not properly stress relieved in the previous repair.
• lubrication, preventive overhauling of the equipment was inadequate
• Corrective actions taken:
• Resolution location-specific issues (vibration/heat etc), Lubrication schedule etc
• A variable frequency Condition monitoring regime (age and criticality focussed)
• Appropriate welding process selected and stress reliving with the replaceable spare reformer tubes and bellows
• Service changeover schedule modified (prevent simultaneous wear-out of redundant equipment)
• A FRACAS programme was deployed to monitor the modified assets and the teething trouble were root analysed and mitigated ​