Method for reducing fouling in a refinery

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reducing fouling associated with a process stream in a heat transfer component. The method and apparatus include the use of one of a vibration producing device to impart a vibrational force to desired component and a pulsation producing device for apply pressure pulsations to the process stream. The heat transfer component has at least one surface having a surface roughness of less than 40 micro inches (1.1 μm).

1 . A heat transfer component for heating a process stream, comprising: 
 a housing having a wall forming a hollow interior, wherein the wall having an inner surface;    at least one heat transfer element located within the housing for heating the process stream; and    one of a vibration producing device to impart a vibrational force to the heat transfer element and a pulsation producing device for apply pressure pulsations to the process stream flowing through the heat exchanger,    wherein at least one of the inner surface and the at least one heat transfer element having a surface roughness of less than 40 micro inches (1.1 μm).    
   
   
       2 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface roughness is less than 20 micro inches (0.5 μm).  
   
   
       3 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 2 , wherein the surface roughness is less than 10 micro inches (0.25 μm).  
   
   
       4 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat transfer element being formed from a composition that is resistant to sulfidation corrosion and corrosion induced fouling.  
   
   
       5 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 4 , wherein the composition is a steel composition comprising: 
 X, Y, and Z,    wherein X is a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co and mixtures thereof,    wherein is Y is Cr, and    wherein Z is at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of Si, Al, Mn, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Ru, Rh, Ir, Ga, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, B, C, N, O, P, and S.    
   
   
       6 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 5 , wherein each heat transfer element having an inner surface and an exterior surface and a Cr-enriched layer formed on at least one of the inner surface and the exterior surface, wherein the Cr-enriched layer also being formed from the steel composition X, Y and Z, wherein the ratio of Y to X in the Cr-enriched layer being greater than the ratio of Y to X in the remaining portion of the heat transfer element.  
   
   
       7 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 6 , wherein the Cr-enriched layer is formed by one of electro-polishing, electroplating, thermal spray coating, laser deposition, sputtering, physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, plasma powder welding overlay, cladding, and diffusion bonding.  
   
   
       8 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 7 , wherein the surface roughness of the Cr-enriched layer is less than 40 micro inches (1.1 μm).  
   
   
       9 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 8 , wherein the surface roughness of the Cr-enriched layer is less than 20 micro inches (0.5 μm).  
   
   
       10 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 9 , wherein the surface roughness of the Cr-enriched layer is less than 10 micro inches (0.25 μm).  
   
   
       11 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 10 , wherein the heat transfer component includes a vibration producing device operatively connected to the housing to impart a vibrational force to the at least one heat transfer element.  
   
   
       12 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 10 , wherein the heat transfer component includes a pulsation producing device for apply pressure pulsations to the process stream flowing through the at least one heat transfer element.  
   
   
       13 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 an protective layer formed on an outer surface of the Cr-enriched layer.    
   
   
       14 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 13 , wherein the protective layer comprises an oxide selected from the group consisting of a magnetite, an iron-chromium spinel, a chromium oxide, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       15 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 14 , wherein the protective layer being formed within the at least one heat transfer element when subjected to a process stream at high temperatures up to 400° C.  
   
   
       16 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 14 , wherein the protective layer being formed within the at least one heat transfer element when subjected to a process stream at high temperatures up to 600° C.  
   
   
       17 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 14 , wherein the protective layer being formed within the at least one heat transfer element when subjected to a process stream at high temperatures up to 1100° C.  
   
   
       18 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 13 , wherein the heat transfer component includes a vibration producing device operatively connected to the housing to impart a vibrational force to the at least one heat transfer element.  
   
   
       19 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 13 , wherein the heat transfer component includes a pulsation producing device for apply pressure pulsations to the process stream flowing through the at least one heat transfer element.  
   
   
       20 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat transfer element being formed from a carbon steel having an aluminum or aluminum alloy layer located thereon.  
   
   
       21 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 20 , wherein the heat transfer component includes a vibration producing device operatively connected to the housing to impart a vibrational force to the at least one heat transfer element.  
   
   
       22 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 20 , wherein the heat transfer component includes a pulsation producing device for apply pressure pulsations to the process stream flowing through the at least one heat transfer element.  
   
   
       23 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 20 , wherein the surface roughness is less than 20 micro inches (0.5 μm).  
   
   
       24 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 23 , wherein the surface roughness is less than 10 micro inches (0.25 μm).  
   
   
       25 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer component includes a vibration producing device operatively connected to the housing to impart a vibrational force to the at least one heat transfer element.  
   
   
       26 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer component includes a pulsation producing device for apply pressure pulsations to the process stream flowing through the at least one heat transfer element.  
   
   
       27 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat transfer element being formed from a carbon steel having an aluminum or aluminum alloy layer located thereon.  
   
   
       28 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 27 , wherein the surface roughness is less than 20 micro inches (0.5 μm).  
   
   
       29 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 28 , wherein the surface roughness is less than 10 micro inches (0.25 μm).  
   
   
       30 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 27 , wherein the heat transfer component includes a vibration producing device operatively connected to the housing to impart a vibrational force to the at least one heat transfer element.  
   
   
       31 . The heat transfer component according to  claim 27 , wherein the heat transfer component includes a pulsation producing device for apply pressure pulsations to the process stream flowing through the at least one heat transfer element.  
   
   
       32 . A method of reducing fouling in a heat transfer component for a process stream, wherein the heat transfer component having at least one heat transfer element having a surface roughness of less than 40 micro inches, the method comprising: 
 applying one of fluid pressure pulsations to the process stream flowing through the at least one heat transfer element and vibration to the heat transfer component to effect a reduction of the viscous boundary layer adjacent the at least one heat transfer element to reduce the incidence of fouling and promote heat transfer from the heat transfer element to the process stream.    
   
   
       33 . The method of reducing fouling according to  claim 32 , wherein the surface roughness of less than 20 micro inches.  
   
   
       34 . The method of reducing fouling according to  claim 33 , wherein the surface roughness of less than 10 micro inches.  
   
   
       35 . The method of reducing fouling according to  claim 32 , wherein the method comprising: 
 applying fluid pressure pulsations to the process stream.    
   
   
       36 . The method of reducing fouling according to  claim 32 , wherein the method comprising: 
 applying vibration to the at least one heat transfer element.    
   
   
       37 . A method of providing sulfidation corrosion resistance and corrosion induced fouling resistance to a metal surface that is subject to a process stream at high temperatures, the method comprising: 
 providing a metal layer formed from a steel composition comprising X, Y, and Z, wherein X is a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co and mixtures thereof, wherein is Y is Cr, and wherein Z is at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of Si, Al, Mn, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Ru, Rh, Ir, Ga, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, B, C, N, O, P, and S, wherein a Cr-enriched layer is located on the metal layer, wherein the Cr-enriched layer also being formed from the steel composition X, Y, and Z, wherein the ratio of Y to X in the Cr-enriched layer being greater than the ratio of Y to X in the metal layer;    forming an protective layer on a surface of the Cr-enriched layer; and    applying one of fluid pressure pulsations to the process stream flowing past the metal surface and vibration to the metal layer to effect a reduction of the viscous boundary layer adjacent the metal layer to reduce the incidence of fouling and promote heat transfer from the metal surface to the process stream.    
   
   
       38 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the method comprising applying fluid pressure pulsations to the process stream.  
   
   
       39 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the method comprising applying vibration to the metal layer.  
   
   
       40 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the Cr-enriched layer having a surface roughness of less than 40 micro inches (1.1 μm).  
   
   
       41 . The method according to  claim 40 , wherein the Cr-enriched layer having a surface roughness of less than 20 micro inches (0.5 μm).  
   
   
       42 . The method according to  claim 41 , wherein the Cr-enriched layer having a surface roughness of less than 10 micro inches (0.25 μm).  
   
   
       43 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein forming the protective layer comprising exposing the Cr-enriched layer to a process stream at high temperatures up to 400° C.  
   
   
       44 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein forming the protective layer comprising exposing the Cr-enriched layer to a process stream at high temperatures up to 600° C.  
   
   
       45 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein forming the protective layer comprising exposing the Cr-enriched layer to a process stream at high temperatures up to 1100° C.  
   
   
       46 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the protective layer comprises an oxide selected from the group consisting of a magnetite, an iron-chromium spinel, a chromium oxide, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       47 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein forming the protective layer comprising exposing the Cr-enriched layer to a crude stream at high temperatures up to 400° C.  
   
   
       48 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein forming the protective layer comprising exposing the Cr-enriched layer to a process stream at high temperatures up to 600° C.  
   
   
       49 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein forming the protective layer comprising exposing the Cr-enriched layer to a process stream at high temperatures up to 1100° C.