REPORT ON RECTIFICATION OF SOLIDIFIED

DRA AT RMDS

RBPL-RAMAN MANDI

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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 3
PROBLEM FACED AT RMDS..................................................................................................... 4
SOLUTIONS TO EXISTING PROBLEMS......................................................................................... 6
Mixing Stirrer with Vertical Motor ........................................................................................ 6
Key Features of Stirrer ............................................................................................................ 7
COST COMPARISON FOR STRIRRER ..................................................................................... 8
Suction feed gear/diaphragm pump in DRA pump suctions .................................................. 9
COST COMPARISON FOR SUCTION FEED PUMP/MOTOR ................................................. 10
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................ 10

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INTRODUCTION
Drag-reducing agents (DRA), or drag-reducing polymers (DRP's), are additives in pipelines that
reduce turbulence in a pipe. Pressure loss reduction is achieved by reducing the level of
turbulent motion in the flow. Usage of DRA allows increased flow using the same amount of
energy or decreased pressure drop for the same flow rate of fluid in pipelines.
DRA consist of long-chain hydrocarbon polymers that act as turbulence inhibitors along the
pipe wall to decrease the amount of energy lost in turbulent activity. Frictional pressure drop,
or drag, is a result of the resistance encountered by flowing fluid coming into contact with the
pipe wall.

Fig: DRA Injection

The friction pressures observed in laminar flow cannot be changed unless the physical
properties of the fluid are changed, as DRA does not change fluid properties and hence is
effective only in turbulent flow. In most petroleum pipelines, the liquid flows through the
pipeline in a turbulent regime. Therefore, DRA can perform very well in most pipelines,
allowing treatment of light to medium crude, heavy crude, multiphase and refined product
applications.

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PROBLEM FACED AT RMDS
As DRA plays a major role in achieving high thruputs, It is used in various pipeline locations of
HPCL like Vizag, Ramanmandi, Bahadurgarh,Rewari etc. which is centrally procured from
HQO. At pumping locations like RMDS DRA plays an important role in increasing of flow thus
affecting monthly thuruput and performance of pipeline. Thus, dosing of DRA becomes critical
and a nonstop process for such locations.
Recent lot of DRA IBC’s supplied from M/s FLOWCHEM LLC resulted in layer formations as
evident from pictures shown below.

Fig: Layer Formation in IBC’s

As many as 25-30 IBC’s were found in these conditions. As these were oil based polymers,
Oil and polymer part were separated and polymer part was found to have lumps due to
coagulation.

Fig: Lump of Solidified DRA

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These lumps were rubber like materials which were not breaking with manual stirring
procedures. Using manual stirrings, this product was not getting mixed and it was not suitable
for dosing as it may choke suction of DRA pumps. Some methods like heating of solidified
DRA were also tried but former was found to be getting more solidified .

Fig: Heating of Solidified DRA

Contacting M/s FLOWCHEM LLC: With 25-30 IBC’s in said condition, DRA dosing was affected
at RMDS. M/s Flowchem LLC was contacted for this problem. M/s Flowchem LLC reported
RMDS and stirred DRA IBC’s with their stirrer which was vertical motor driven. Upon Stirring
all IBC’s, solidified DRA was mixed with oil with small lumps of DRA still left in IBC’s. These
IBC’s were also used for dosing DRA but that too resulted in choking suction of DRA pumps,
hence affecting thru put.
M/s Flowchem LLC also suggested to put another suction pump in suctions of present pumps
of double diaphragm/Gear type so that these pumps always work in flooded suction, also if
there is any lump which chokes suction of DRA pumps, it will easily go ahead in presence of
pressure generated by Gear/Diaphragm pump.

Fig: Modification Suggested by M/s Flowchem

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SOLUTIONS TO EXISTING PROBLEMS
As per advice by M/s Flowchem LLC followings were the solution for present situation:
a. A Mixing Stirrer with vertical motor
b. A suction gear/diaphragm pump in DRA pump suctions

A. Mixing Stirrer with Vertical Motor

In discussion with M/s Flowchem LLC, a need for agitator was felt at RMDS, hence former
was contacted for the same. M/s Flowchem LLC directed us to third party M/s R.S
Enterprises who were suppliers for their stirrer. M/s R.S. Enterprises gave a quotation of INR
Rs. 47,500 (excluding GST and courier charges). Hence, it was decided to fabricate this
stirrer in-house.

 Purchase of FLP motor

A vertical FLP motor (2HP,4 Pole,1400 RPM,3 Phase) was searched at India Mart, and
finally was procured from M/s Nutech Transmissions by generating a new vendor
code.
 Purchase of Mild Steel shaft, and strips
MS was bought from local market for shaft, stand and blades from local market in
Raman-Mandi.
 Fabrication of Stirrer
All the required materials were taken to a local workshop in Ramanmandi where
following things were done:
o Fabrication of frame for mounting of motor
o Fabrication of shaft and motor coupling without disturbing Motor’s shaft.
o Fabrication of Adjustable blades which may be fixed anywhere on shaft
depending on the level of DRA in tank.
o Balancing of shaft and motor after coupling.
After all this brainstorming and continuous efforts, a MCB was provided on stirrer for local
START/STOP operation which Completed the fabrication of stirrer.

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 Fig: DRA Agitator setup

Key Features of Stirrer

 Adjustable Blades: Blades are adjustable which may be fixed up and down depending upon
the level of DRA in tank.

Fig: Adjustable Blades

 Safe and efficient bolted Coupling : Coupling for motor and shaft as in M/s
Flowchem Stirrer was threaded in which motor shaft needs to be taken out and
appropriate threadings must be made on agitator shaft and motor shaft but here a
bolted coupling is used with only giving small impressions on motor shaft so that this
motor can be reused for any other purpose in future.

Fig: Coupling

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  Local ON/OFF Operation: The setup can be locally operated by MCB and does not
required switching OFF of electrical connection every time.

Fig: Local ON/OFF MCB

 Portable: The setup can be disassembled for shaft, frame, blades and motor and can
be taken to long distance if required without consuming too much space.

COST COMPARISON FOR STRIRRER

Cost Incurred
S.
Activity M/s HPCL M/s Flowchem LLC
No
Procurement of
1 mandatory materials like 16800
47500
Motor, Shaft etc.
2 Fabrication of Setup 5500
Courier Charges (Ex.
3 0 2000
Howrah to RMDS)
Total (in Rs) 22300 49500
Savings done by M/s
27200
HPCL (In Rs)

As evident from above figures a saving of Rs 27200 was done i.e. almost 55 % of actual value
excluding IGST charges.

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Suction feed gear/diaphragm pump in DRA pump suctions
As suggested by M/s Flowchem different parties were contacted for suction feed pump. But
due to higher rates quoted (as shown in cost comparison below) by them this part was also
done in house.
Taking advantage of suction gear pump which was available in-house and a spare motor this
setup was installed with some corrections to feed suction of DRA pumps. The available gear
pump was having bore size of 4 mm only. Hence, this Bore size was increased up to 8 mm in
HMEL workshop. After this the motor and pump were coupled and trial runs were made. The
setup was found successfully running without any stoppage.

Fig: DRA Setup before suction feed pump

Fig: DRA Dosing Setup after suction feed pump

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 Fig: DRA Suction Feed pump at RMDS

COSTCOMPARISON FOR SUCTION FEED PUMP/MOTOR

Cost Details
S.
Activity M/s HPCL in House M/s Matz Pumps
No

Procurement of Motor
1 0
and Pump 80000
2 Fabrication of Setup 0
Courier Charges (Ex.
3 0 1500
Ahmedabad to RMDS)
Total (in Rs) 0 81500
Savings done by M/s
81500
HPCL (In Rs)

As evident from the comparison above a whooping amount of Rs 81500 was saved which is
excluding IGST charges.

CONCLUSION

Both of these In-house methods has resulted in total saving of Rs ( 27200 + 81500 )= Rs
108700. Apart from that continuous dosing at RMDS and BRDS has also resulted in achieving
all time highest ever yearly thru put of 6.0 MMT which is a milestone for RRKPL.

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