Case Study: Air Leak Survey
2018 / CASE STUDY
Refinery Completely Eliminates Rental Compressors without New Equipment
Introduction
A leading US refinery was struggling with their over-stressed compressed air system. Battling to maintain reliable operation, the site opted to utilize rental compressors to maintain pressure. As rental costs mounted, the site was forced to weigh their options, reaching out to Hydrus for help with the needed upgrades.
Compressed air systems, like most utilities in a refinery, are often taken for granted until they begin to strain under normal loads, posing a real risk to unit processes, controls, and ultimately leading to unplanned downtime. This risk was a daily reality for a large US refinery with a single, integrated instrument air network that spanned the entire site. Through the years, the demand on air compressors had progressively increased beyond existing capacity, and no one could pinpoint why.
To bridge this gap, staff had integrated multiple rental compressors scattered across the system, paying thousands per week just to ensure that pressure was sustained and that the air flow was there when it was needed most. Acutely aware of the issue and Hydrus’ utility expertise, staff reached out for help evaluating new compressors, where to place them, and to develop an implementation plan to execute. Like all utility projects, Hydrus started with a comprehensive system evaluation. Fortunately, for the site, this included a site-wide air leak survey intended to maximize the impacts of any upcoming improvements.
1,726 |
LEAKS INDENTIFIED |
13,424 |
CUBIC FEET PER MINUTE LOST |
$688,300 |
EST. ANNUAL LEAK COST |
9,000 |
CUBIC FEET PER MINUTE RECOVERED |
Compressor Capacity was There All Along
Hydrus’ leak survey uncovered a key finding unexpected by both Hydrus and the project team; over 30% of compressed air was lost to leaks. Data showed that fixing 65% of air leaks not only allowed removal of all the rental compressors, but also allowed one existing compressor to be shutoff and act as a spare. Delighted by this finding, Hydrus had the data needed to pivot from implementing a new compressor and to refocus on repairing leaks.
Maximize What You Have
FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS MOST
“I was surprised at how many leaks we had…one compressor was basically dedicated to leaks”
At a high level, Hydrus’ data helped convince management to focus on addressing leaks. More importantly, data collected detailed the leak size and location, allowing engineers to work closely with operations to efficiently prioritize and fix the 1,700 plus leaks scattered across the site.
SAVINGS ON SAVINGS
Hydrus’ data-driven analysis approach revealed cost savings beyond avoiding the capital cost of integrating new equipment; a reduction in normal energy consumption. Shutting down a compressor represents a major energy cost reduction, not to mention reduced air dryer loads and the gained redundancy from equipment already in-place.
WHEN RULES OF THUMB AREN’T GOOD ENOUGH
Process design firms often underestimate the plant-wide impacts overstressed utilities can have. It’s essential to stay on top of the vital systems that support the entire plant. This project demonstrated that Hydrus’ approach is a key element in maintaining the critical infrastructure that supports the site.
Hydrus eliminated a capital expenditure with fixes that fit inside a maintenance budget, reduced energy consumption, and gained redundancy without new equipment.
THE HYDRUS APPROACH
MINIMIZE ASSUMPTIONS
Eliminate the guesswork with measured, real-world data to push your project out of the theoretical
DO THE HOMEWORK
Leverage sound, data-driven design analyses and decision making to ensure any project’s success
EXCEED PROJECT GOALS
Uncover opportunities not typically revealed through conventional engineering approaches