Date : 13th Oct 2016e-MOC STUDY REPORTRev : 00

e-MOC No : SF4-AM-3852-2016Originator Name: Ghamdi-Al, Ali S.

Replace Methanator Effluent Cooler (41-E-312) with modified design (with expansi
on bellow) as per UDHE recommendation & ESR#1109
Name
AlSaifi, Basim Mesned
Naeem, Muhammad MThomas, Punnackattu V.Thomas, Punnackattu V.Team MembersTeam Le
aderReview Committee Leader
Change Type : Capital
Safety / Health / Environment impact :  FORMCHECKBOX  Yes /  FORMCHECKBOX  No
If Yes, mitigation Action:

e-MOC No :
SF4-AM-3852-2016e-MOC STUDY REPORTDate:
13th Oct 2016
Change 
As per ESR#1109, to raise a MOC for the detailed study about upgrading 41-E-312.
And to replace with modified heat exchanger (with expansion bellow) after MOC r
ecommendations with actual quotation and dimensional drawings (by maintenance).
Brief description
Methanator effluent cooler (41-E-312) is installed at the downstream of Methanto
r (41-R-301) after Methanator Feed/Effluent Exchanger (41-E-311). Effluent coole
r is BEM TEMA type exchanger with heat transfer area of 513.06 m2. As per design
, synthesis gas is flowing in shell side whereas on the tube side, cooling water
is flowing. Synthesis gas is cooled from 81 oC to 44 oC having heat duty requir
ement of 5572 MCal/hr. Below is the design data for the cooler.
 EMBED PBrush 
During recent turnaround-2015, we have experienced some tube leakages as per th
e attached inspection report, in which they have suggested to modify the gas coo
ler with improved design, considering the following changes;
1. Increase the Tube size to facilitate 100% tubes in-service inspection
2. Modify the TTS weld design to avoid leak from inner edge of the tubes.
3. Being hydrogen service, perform PWHT for TTS welds.
The same was shared with UHDE and they shared their inputs with some suggestions
and recommendations. As per them, the experienced cracks indicated an overload
by thermal expansion. The suspicion of missing PWHT could not be confirmed, the
attached procedure and temperature records of actual PWHT looks normal.
The crack formation is due to the differential thermal expansion between shell a
nd tube side. The temperature is governed by cooling water temperature for the t
ubes but the shell temperature is governed by the operation temperature of the g
as. The metal wall temperatures given in the technical specification are from th
e operation case described in the technical specification and do not require any
expansion bellows or floating head.
However the design temperature of the shell side given in the specification does
exceed the design temperature required for the operation case reflected in the
specification which is normally 30C above highest operation temperature.
A further inquiry to our process department resulted in another not documented t
emporary operation case which happens only during reduction of catalyst of the C
O2 and during preheating of Shift conversion reactors. This may explain why no o
verload or off spec operation was reported by your operating personnel.
They just followed the procedure for catalyst reduction or operating handbook fo
r plant start up. In this case the heat exchanger sees temperatures leading to e
xceeding thermal expansions for the heat exchanger which would require an expans
ion bellow.
Unfortunately this temporary operation case was not specified and considered for
the design of the cooler. So you will need a new heat exchanger with an install
ed expansion bellow for this temporary operation case.
This case happens only during reduction of new catalyst in the CO2 Shift Convers
ion Section and after scheduled shutdowns when the catalyst temperature in the s
hift reactors cools down and needs preheating for restart of the plant.
During normal operation no major worsening of the condition of the heat exchange
r must be expected. But before next catalyst replacement of shift catalyst or lo
nger shutdown requiring preheating of the shift converters a replacement of the
heat exchanger is advisable.
Attached find the necessary correction in the design data sheet with the correct
ed metal wall temperatures to design the required expansion bellow.
Hence a new heat exchanger with an installed expansion bellow for this temporary
operation case will be required.
Budgetary offer is attached for future correspondence with the vendor (UHDE) by
referring vendor ID number.
Proposal:
It is proposed to modify the bottom as well as the top portion of the Dryer (U-9
01L A/B) similar to X-Dryers as per the mark-up P&ID attached.
Recommendation:
Based on the above analysis, PED recommends to modify the bottom as well as the
top portion of the dryer U-901L A/B similar to X-Dryers as per the mark-up P&ID
attached.
Conclusion:
Modification of the bottom and top portion of the IA dryer similar to that of X-
Dryers will resolve the current issue of 3-way valve obsoleteness and ensure eas
y availability of reliable switching valves and facilitate common spare maintain
ing. Furthermore, with these modifications of bottom & top portions, Operational
and control philosophy of U-Dryers will be same as that of X-Dryers.
/roject Development & Control Department/
PED e-MOC Study Report, Rev: 00
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