|
The Split Flow Option | Split Flow
Application
Pump Innovations Reduce Motor Size and Capital
Cost
Andrew W. Sloley, Director, The Distillation Group, Inc. - asloley@distillationgroup.com
William E. Murray, Split flow, Inc. - billmurray@split-flow.com
Introduction
Making money in
distillation or extraction includes looking at more than just towers and
their internals. Engineers must also consider the auxiliary equipment.
Often, projects proceed without seeking savings for the auxiliary
equipment. Higher operating costs and higher capital costs are incurred.
Instead, we should examine processes in their entirety to identify
opportunities for capital and operating savings.
One opportinuty is the use of Split Flow technology in pumping services
associated with towers. Use of the Split Flow feature reduces the
number of pumps required. This simplifies piping and electrical, saves
space, reduces the number of pump seals, and may simplify control
systems. The Split Flow feature can be applied to pumps used for overhead
systems, pumparounds, pumpdowns and pumped reboiler systems. One of
its features is the ability to produce streams at two different pressures
from one pump. Usually, the high-flow, low-head stream returns to
the distillation column. The higher-head lower-flow product goes downstream.
This paper discusses options using Split Flow technology to reduce
capital and operating costs and describes how API Standard centrifugal
pump designs are modified to incorporate the Split Flow option.
Background
The API Standard 610
Forewords, since the January 1981 6th Edition note: Energy conservation
is of concern and has become increasingly important in all aspects of
equipment design, application, and operation. Thus, innovative
energy-conserving approaches should be aggressively pursued by the
manufacturer and the user during these steps. Alternative approaches that
may result in improved energy utilization should be thoroughly
investigated and brought forth. This is especially true of new equipment
proposals, since the evaluation of purchase options will be based
increasingly on total life costs as opposed to acquisition costs alone.
Equipment manufacturers, in particular, are encouraged to suggest
alternatives to those specified when such approaches achieve improved
energy effectiveness and reduced total life costs without sacrifice of
safety or reliability.
Conclusions:
New developments
frequently occur in areas important to process plant design. Engineers in
every discipline need to be alert for opportunities to save capital and
reduce operating costs. We must prevent our habits from blinding us to new
ways of improving our plants. The Split Flow option is a new way of
reducing operating and capital costs for auxiliary systems.
| 
