Nitrogen Plant Operation

Introduction

• Nitrogen Unit is designed to generate both liquid and gaseous nitrogen by the cryogenic distillation of air.
• The purpose of the Nitrogen Unit is to provide sufficient gaseous nitrogen to various units within the LNG/LPG facility to maintain operations.
• The gaseous nitrogen is supplied to the nitrogen distribution system within the LNG/LPG facility for operational requirements and the liquid N2 is transferred to storage tank. The liquid N2 can be vaporized as required to support the supply of N2 gas  to the distribution system.
• The plant can be defined into the following areas:
• Blanket gas to storage tanks.
• Blanket gas to expansion tanks.
• Seal gas to the compressors.
• Flare system stack and header purges
• Pump purges
• Instrument and electrical cable seal purges.
• In addition to these users the nitrogen system is designed to provide inserting gas for start-up/shutdown maintenance activities for single pieces of equipment or complete units. Any shortfall of nitrogen from the duty nitrogen generator is supplemented from liquid nitrogen storage via air vaporizer’s

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, the delegates will be able to:

• Recognize the major equipment’s and their functions
• Review the operating parameters of;
• Warm End (W/E) Container
• Cold box
• Storage and Backup System
• Learn how Nitrogen Generators Work.
• Understand the Nitrogen Plant startup and shutdown activities.
• Health, Safety and Environments applications.
• Understand the Nitrogen Plant troubleshooting.
• Recognize the Nitrogen uses, Nitrogen Hazards and MSDS

Who Should Attend?

• Professionals involved in designing, selecting, sizing, specifying, installing, testing, operating and maintaining systems.
• Professionals, Technologists, Supervisory personnel, Senior Engineers, Team Leaders and Managers engaged in the refinery operation and oil production/exploration activities, who have a considerable experience and who are required to understand and discuss issues related to their processes.
• Process and Process Control Engineering, Technologists, Supervisory personnel, Senior Engineers, Team Leaders and Managers.
• Oil and Gas Operation (Upstream/Downstream):  Filed/Control Room Operators, Supervisors, Engineers, Team Leaders and Managers.
• Mechanical, Rotating and Maintenance Planning: Supervisors, Engineers, Team Leaders and Managers.
• Health, Safety and Environment (HSE): Supervisors, Engineers, Team Leaders and Managers.
• Instrument Maintenance: Supervisors, Engineers, Team Leaders and Managers.
• Project Management: Supervisors, Engineers, Team Leaders and Managers.
• Commercial, Financial and Insurance Management: Controllers, Senior Engineers, Team Leaders and Managers engaged in the refinery operation and oil production/exploration activities.
• Business, sales, technical, and scientific personnel with limited or no broad refinery operating and oil production/exploration experience, along with technical sales personnel.
• Those involved in selling equipment or supplies to the refinery operations and oil production/ exploration industry.
• Those involved with economic evaluations of refinery operations and oil production/ exploration will benefit from this training course.

Course Outlines

Nitrogen Plant Equipment Types and their Function

• The purpose of the Nitrogen Unit and Process Description
• How Do Nitrogen Generators Work
• Major equipment’ sand their functions

Warm End (W/E) Container

• Compressor
• Air receiver
• Chiller (Heat exchanger)
• Pre-filter
• Air purification unit (APU), (TSA system)

Cold box

• Main heat exchanger
• Distillation Column
• Condenser
• Expansion brake turbine

Storage and Backup System

• Liquid nitrogen tank
• Vaporizer
• Nitrogen Plant Operation
• How Nitrogen Plant Works

Nitrogen Hazards and MSDS

Nitrogen Distribution ( Common Uses of Nitrogen in industrial Plants )

• Blanket gas to storage tanks.
• Blanket gas to expansion tanks.
• Seal gas to the compressors.
• Flare system stack and header purges
• Pump purges
• Instrument and electrical cable seal purges
• Utilities Stations (Maintenance Use)

Quality Control

• Total Hydrocarbons
• CO2 Monitoring

Handling of Abnormal and Emergency Conditions

• Control Narrative (Process Interlocks and trips)
• Safeguarding System
• Cause and Effect Matrix

What Is Nitrogen Used For?

Handling of Abnormal and Emergency Conditions

Plant Emergency Causes

• Process Trips
• Instruments Air Failure
• Electrical Failure

Defrost

• Partial Defrost to remove CO2, water and Hydrocarbons
• Total Defrost to allow prolonged outage

DE riming Functions and Procedures, to be explained