PLUG SUITABLE TO BE INSERTED INTO A REFILL-OPENING ON A TUBE AND HYDROCARBON PROCESSING PLANT

Abstract

A plug suitable to be inserted into a refill-opening on a tube, whereby the plug is at least partially made of a refractory material, preferably of firebrick.

Claims

14. The plug according to claim 9, wherein said plug material is firebrick.

15. The plug according to claim 14, wherein said firebrick plug material has a thermal conductivity in W/mk at 600? C. of less than 0.7.

16. The plug according to claim 12, wherein said top of said plug includes a groove or projection for engaging with a tool to enable removal of said plug from said refill-opening.

17. The plug according to claim 9, wherein said plug material has a density less than 1.200 kg/m3.

18. A hydrocarbon processing plant comprising: a network of tubes, wherein one tube of said network of tubes has a refill-opening; a catalyst arranged in said one tube; and a plug at least partially made of a refractory material arranged in the refill-opening and closing said refill-opening.

19. The hydrocarbon processing plant according to claim 18, further comprising: a radar emitting device, wherein the radar emitting device is arranged outside said one tube, said radar emitting device orientated such that radar waves emitted by said radar emitting device propagate through said plug and in the direction of said catalyst.

20. The hydrocarbon processing plant according to claim 19, further comprising: a radar receiving device for receiving an echo of the radar waves reflected by said catalyst to determine the level of said catalyst.

21. The hydrocarbon processing plant according to claim 20, further comprising: a flange arranged between said radar transmitting device and said plug, wherein said flange comprises: a cylindrical portion; and a rim portion distal to the top of said tube relative to said cylindrical portion; and wherein refractory material is arranged in said cylindrical portion.

22. The hydrocarbon processing plant according to claim 21, further comprising a lid arranged on said rim portion for closing said flange.

23. A method for determining the level of a catalyst in one tube of a hydrocarbon processing plant comprising a network of tubes, comprising: providing a refill-opening in said one tube of said network of tubes; providing a plug at least partially made of a refractory material in said refill-opening that closes the refill-opening in said one tube; transmitting via a radar transmitting device, radar waves from a first end of said one tube toward said plug to cause said radar waves to propagate through said plug in the direction of a catalyst arranged downstream of said plug in said one tube; receiving an echo of these radar waves reflected by the catalyst at a radar receiving device at said first end; and determining the level of said catalyst in said one tube according to the echo received by the radar receiving device.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said steps of transmitting, receiving, and determining the level of catalyst present are performed during operation of said hydrocarbon processing plant wherein said catalyst converts a process gas contained in said network of tubes to cause an endothermic reaction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The invention will be further described with reference to figures that only show exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view through a portion of a hydrocarbon processing plant according to an embodiment of the invention, the section shown in FIG. 1 among others showing a portion of the network of tubes of the plant and one tube that has a refill-opening;

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view through a portion of a hydrocarbon processing plant according to a further embodiment of the invention, the section shown in FIG. 2 among others showing a portion of the network of tubes of the plan and one tube that has a refill-opening;

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a sectional side view of a first embodiment of a plug according to the invention;

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a sectional side view of a second embodiment of a plug according to the invention;

[0036] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of third embodiment of a plug according to the invention and

[0037] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view through the embodiment of the plug as shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] FIGS. 1 and 2 show portions of a hydrocarbon processing plant. The portion shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 contains one tube 1. The one tube 1 has a refill-opening 2. In the refill-opening 2 a plug 3 is arranged.

[0039] A further tube 4 branches of the one tube 1. A catalyst 5 is arranged in the one tube 1.

[0040] A radar emitting device 6 that at the same time is a radar receiving device 7 is arranged above the plug 3. The radar emitting device 6 emits radar waves 8 that propagate through the plug 3 into the direction of the catalyst 5. Radar waves 8 reach the catalyst (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 for reasons of simplicity of the drawings) and are reflected by the catalyst back towards the radar receiving device 7. The radar receiving device 7 hence receives the echo of the radar waves that had been emitted by the radar emitting device 6 and had propagated through the plug 3 to the catalyst 5. From the echo the level of the catalyst in the one tube 1 can be determined.

[0041] A flange 14 that has a cylindrical portion 15 and a rim portion 16 is arranged on top of the tube 1 and the refill-opening 2 of the tube 1. Blankets 17 from refractory material is arranged in the cylindrical portion 16 of the flange 14. The flange 14 is closed by a lid 18. The lid 18 sits on the rim portion 16 of the flange 14. The lid 18 is connected to the rim-portion 16 of the flange 14 by screws 19.

[0042] The plugs 3 as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are made of firebrick, namely of a firebrick that complies with the standard ASTM C155-97 as republished in 2018. The plugs 3 are made of the material sold by BNZ Materials, Inc. under the product name BNZ-23. The plug 3 could also be made of a refractory material that uses fibres, especially of a refractory material that complies with the standard ASTM C892-05 in the version of Nov. 1, 2005.

[0043] The respective plug 3 has an end face 9 that is intended to be arranged most deeply in the refill-opening 2. The plug 3 has a top 10 intended to be arranged outside the refill-opening 2. Plug 3 has a middle section 11 that is arranged between the end face 9 and the top 10. The middle section in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 has the shape of a truncated cone. The middle section in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 partially has the shape of a truncated cone and partially has the shape of a cylinder. In the embodiment of FIG. 3 the middle section merges into the top 10 for reasons of the middle section partially being of cylindrical shape and the top also partially having a cylindrical outside. The end face 9 is a plain surface that is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A of the plug 3.

[0044] The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 has a top 10 that has a groove 12 that assists engagement with the top 10 in order to pull the plug 3 out of the refill-opening 2. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and 6 show protrusions 13 that can also be used to facilitate the pulling out of the plug 3 out of the refill-opening 2.

[0045] A gas mixture, for example a gas mixture of natural gas and steam can be made to propagate through the tube 1 and the further tube 4. The gas mixture can flow from top to bottom or bottom to top depending on the design of the plant. The catalyst 5 assists the reaction between the ingredients of the gas mixture. Energy by way of heat can be brought into the inside of the tube 1 by way of burners (not shown) being arranged around the outside of the tube 1 that heat the tube 1 from the outside.