APC Consulting   /  Hydrocracker Control Consulting

Hydrocracker Control Consulting

Hydrocrackers are one of oil refining's most demanding process control challenges at all levels -- safety systems, regulatory control and advanced control. Economically, hydrocrackers are well situated in today's market, converting heavy oils and inexpensive natural gas into high-value fuels. Yet, most hydrocrackers in industry are under-automated, lacking basic excursion control, depressure prevention, and effective advanced control features.

Read "Update hydrocracker controls for reliability" in Hydrocarbon Processing Journal, Oct. 2012 issue.

The message that often fails to accompany auto-depressure projects is the need for much better excursion control to avoid reaching auto-depressure conditions in the first place.  Auto-quench is a DCS control, but it can be one of the most important control functions in a refinery, since it is the final layer of hydrocracking reactor depressure prevention.

These are controls that work for us, not the other way around.
     - Console Operator on a complex 2-stage hydrocracker with 13
       individual beds and 3 separate ABT controls
 
Operating a highly exothermic reaction vessel, without reliable bed outlet temperature controls and other safeguards, no longer makes common sense, and should no longer pass a modern process hazard analysis (PHA).  Contact APC Performance to discuss modern best practice hydrocracker controls.

Get in touch

Contact APC Performance regarding a 10-point review of hydrocracking unit safety systems, DCS controls, advanced controls and field instruments - and never undergo another unwanted depressurization event. 

Safety, reliability, and optimization are the main challenges facing the process industries today, and process control is one of the most important tools to these ends.

APC Performance LLC offers services designed to help clients rapidly achieve top quartile Basic Process Control (BPC) and Advanced Process Control (APC) core-competency.

Contact

APC Performance, LLC
Box 984
Red Lodge, Montana 59068
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406-426-0803


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