Refinery initiatives target corrosion management

Phoenix, AZ— Two new corrosion research programs from Honeywell will seek to help refineries increase the production of alkylates for high-octane gasoline and maximize production per barrel of crude oil. Companies in the refining industry sponsor the Joint Industry Programs (JIPs), which address common industry issues.

Latest JIPs—“Predicting corrosion in sulfuric acid alkylation” and “Assessing refinery crude oil corrosivity”—were identified and developed based on input from Honeywell refining customers worldwide. Participating companies will partner with Honeywell to develop new approaches to corrosion management and will have access to the latest software tools for corrosion prediction, risk assessment, and process optimization.

“It’s a paradox for refiners: They can improve their profitability by increasing per-unit throughput of alkylates or processing lower-grade crude oils,” said Dr. Russell Kane, director of corrosion services, Honeywell Process Solutions. “However, both processes are highly corrosive and, if not managed carefully, can actually reduce throughput, increase downtime, damage equipment, and endanger workers.”

Kane noted that while corrosion is a significant threat to the productivity of the alkylate process, few corrosion prediction tools and little quantitative data exist to accurately assess acid corrosion rates. The JIP programs expect to compile data for creating better and more accurate guidelines to reduce corrosion, including a software tool for predicting corrosion for alloys. In addition, the programs will include a corrosion test program designed to define key process parameters and develop quicker screening methods, and more accurate modeling techniques to define safe operating envelopes and identify conditions that pose a risk of accelerated corrosion to commonly used alloys.

Click here for more information about the program. To participate in one of the JIPs, email Dr. Kane .

—Control Engineering Daily News Desk

Jeanine Katzel , senior editor