In collaboration with CABB, Rocsole developed atomographic monitoring system that images thereactor vessel phase boundary in the outlet pipelive during the decantation.
Pasi Laakkonen - Rocsole
FLOW WATCH - ROCSOLE & CABB
THECHALLENGE
Accurate monitoring of reactor vessel phase boundary level in a decantation process oforganic fine chemicals was a challenge that Rocsole, developer of tomographic imaging
solutions tacled in collaboration with CABB, Germany based, globally active manufacturer of fine chemicals and customized products, with around 1000 employees and plants in four
countries.
THE INNOVATION
In collaboration with CABB, Rocsole developed a tomographic monitoring system that images the reactor vessel phase boundary in the outlet pipe live during the decantation.
FLOW WATCH - ROCSOLE & CABB
FLOW WATCH FACTUAL BENEFITS
Increasedend product
recovery
Number of failures in phase separation during decantationprocesses after the commissioning of Flow Watch.
Number of process pipe cleaning cycles decreased by about a third
Improvedproductquality
Decreasedwastewatertreatment
costs
0
THERESULTS
Due to accurate phase boundary monitoring, CABB is now able to accuratelyseparate the end product from water during the decantation process.
FLOW WATCH - ROCSOLE & CABB
WHY DECANTATION MONITORING IS DIFFICULT?
INACCURATE MONITORINGMEANS HIGH LOSSES
Liquid flow is monitored by a conductivity probe and visually inspecting the flow through a sight glass in the pipe. Flow is controlled with a hand valve and stopped when the conductivity probe measures
major changes in conductivity or visual inspection reveals color changes through the sight glass;phases usually have some difference in color, but not in all cases.
Salt from water can sometimes precipitate on top of the conductivity probe, which causes errors in the conductivity measurement. At the same time, monitoring color difference visually can be difficult
due to only minor differences in the color and can therefore lead to human error. Because of this,and unreliable conductivity measurement, decantation process can rarely be fully automated.
In addition, velocity of the liquid in the bottom phase in the reactor can be too high. This leads tovortex, or in other words, a tunneling effect inside the reactor vessel, which will make the visual
inspection of the flow unviable method. There have been no reliable ways to control, monitor or even prove these phenomena.
Due to current, inaccurate phase boundary measurement techniques, the product has a high probability of leaking into the wastewater during the emptying process of the reactor vessel,
which causes significant losses in the production and a substantial increase in the wastewater treatment costs, depending on the product.
FLOW WATCH - ROCSOLE & CABB
THEINNOVATION
Flow Watch utilizes a pipe sensor attached to the outlet pipe. In addition to phase boundary monitoring, the system images the pipe cross-sectionally, providing information about the vortex effect.
The measurement is based on electrical capacitancetomography (ECT), a non-nuclear imaging technique that can be used for the determination of the permittivity and conductivity distribution of medium, within a region of interest. The technology also enables the system to function even if the sensor is contaminated.
In this case, decantation is a batch type process done in a reactor vessel after chemical reaction and liquid-liquid extraction from mixture of two immiscible liquids. When reactor agitator is stopped,denser liquid (water) settles to a bottom phase. A lighter phase (the product) separates to a topphase. When phase separation starts, the bottom valve of the vessel opens first and then thebottom phase starts to flow out of the vessel.
FLOW WATCH
DECANTATION PROCESS
FLOW WATCH - ROCSOLE & CABB
HOW IT ALLHAPPENED
OCTOBER 12th, 2013
PHONE CALL
Sami from CABB receivesa phone call from a lady*
Lady:
”We have a solution that images and monitorsbuildup inside pipes and tanks. Would you be
interested in learning about it?”
* The lady is Liisa fromMarketStep, a service
provider promoting newproducts and innovation
into new markets.
INITIAL INTEREST
Sami is interested in new technologies and thinksbeing able to see inside process pipes and tanks
might be something great for the industry.
Sami:
”Yes please, send me more information.”
NOVEMBER 12th, 2013
FLOW WATCH - ROCSOLE & CABB
FIRST MEETING AND THE DEMO
Pasi from Rocsole called Sami and agreed to meet up.Pasi arrived to CABB Kokkola with a demo pipe sensor.
Pasi:
”See, when I put this paper inside thesensor, the system images it online andmonitors how much free space there is
left in the pipe.”
Sami:
”I want to test the demo and put thismarker inside as well.- Wow, it really works!”
SOLUTION IDEA
Sami gets interested as there isalways need for improvement inproduct quality, safety and the
production optimization.
Sami:
”Listen Pasi. We have a need to see reactor vessel phaseboundary in a decantation process. The current monitoring system
is not accurate. However, we would need a full imaging of the decantationprocess. This means that you should modify the system not only to
have the cross-section eyes to the reactor vessel outlet pipe, but alsoprovide a vertical image of the pipe with a distance of 20cm in order to
monitor the phase boundary. And the system has to be ATEX approved.”
FLOW WATCH - ROCSOLE & CABB
NOVEMBER 13th, 2014
MARCH 3rd, 2015
SOLUTION DEVELOPMENT
After analyzing and identifying CABB’s needs on imaging the decantation process, not only cross-sectionally but vertically as well, Pasi takes the idea back to
the office and discusses the possibilities with Arto Voutilainen - Rocsole’s technology wizard.
Pasi:
”Arto, CABB has a need for an application imaging the pipe from both, cross-sectionally and vertically
along the pipe. I know its complicated, but whatdo you think? We should be able to connect two
systems and run them in parallel, right?”Arto:
”Well, as you said, it certainly is complicated.Not impossible, but perhaps not necessarily
reasonable at this point.”Pasi:
”OK, I will inform CABB that we’ll get back to themas soon as we have the ATEX approval.”
RETHINKING
Two months later Pasi, Arto andRocsole’s tomographic team start to
change their mind.
Pasi & Arto:
”Maybe we should do this now. The system requestedby CABB actually is very close to a deposition
measurement and there is a real customer need forthe system. However, there are risks: Would there be
a possibility to get a needed ATEX for this type of asystem and how would the application work in
the real decantation process?”
FLOW WATCH - ROCSOLE & CABB
APRIL, 2015
APRIL-JUNE, 2015
DECISION TO GO
After evaluating the risks, Pasi, Arto and the Rocsoletomography team decide it would be worth to developthe application requested by CABB. Pasi gives Sami acall and proposes a pilot project. Sami likes the idea.
Sami:
”OK, let’s pilot the application.”
DESIGN
In order to secure a smooth startfor the project, two Rocsole’s engineers visit
the CABB plant in May 2014. This is crucial in orderto undestand the type of equipment needed.Several clarifications are made and after that,
mechanics of the system are designed.
MANUFACTURING
Manufacturing the system is prettystraightforward. The needed mechanical parts are
machined and assembled. ATEX-approval, electronicsand software design are known to take some time.
Meanwhile the system’s mechanical details areimproved, for example, ensuring the system’s
capability to handle cleaning temperature of 150 ºC.
FLOW WATCH - ROCSOLE & CABB
JUNE, 2015
ATEX/IECEx certification is
received in June 2015 for Zone 0which is the highest possibleclass of the certification. Thisactually is a real achievement,
since the tomographic system isa complex piece of electronics.
Finally, it is time to commission the system. In orded to secure all the details,
two electronics engineers, on software specialist and one supervisor, are availableat the site. This is clearly a case of over-resourcing, but anyway, the application is newand several unexpected things may occur. However, commissioning goes smoothly.
Only some fine-tuning needs to be performed and the system sees the waterseparation and the void fraction very well right from the beginning.
Sami:
”The vertical image really shows the reactor vessel phase boundary.The cross-section image also indicates that some of the product is tunneling
into the water while the water is pumped out of the tank.”
ATEX/IECEx APPROVAL
COMMISSIONING
FLOW WATCH - ROCSOLE & CABB
SAMI HEIKKINENPlant Service Manager at CABB
”Flow Watch offers, after a long time, a complete new approach to process monitoring. Before there has not been a solution for realibly monitoring the phase boundary in decantation process and
monitoring of the vortex effect has not been possible at all.”
”I believe Flow Watch technology has great potential to become the next breakthrough within thefield of process monitoring. CABB’s goal is to remain as the forerunner of chemical industry in order to offer our
customers the best possible chemical solutions. That is why we want to be involvedin the development of new generation process monitoring solutions as Flow Watch.”
PASI LAAKKONENCEO at Rocsole
”Co-operation with CABB has beenvery beneficial for the development
of our technology. By co-operating withsuch an innovation oriented company and people
within it, we have been able todevelop the product to fit the real
customer needs, thereforeoffering maximum benefits.”
to the customer. ”
ARTO VOUTILAINENCTO at Rocsole
”This project has been a great achievementfor our tomography team. At first, the process monitoring challenge of the
customer seemed difficult, but togetherwith the customer and the sales teamwe were able to develop solution that
delivers the customer real andmeasurable value.”
STATEMENTS
Call us: +358 40 147 8797 E-mail us: [email protected]
More info: www.rocsole.com
Call us: +1 (832) 431 3173 E-mail us: [email protected]
Rocsole LtdKauppakatu 20 FI-70100 Kuopio, FINLAND
Rocsole Inc800 Town and Country Boulevard Suite 300 Houston, TX 77024, USA
SEE BEYOND.
CABB is a Germany based, globally active fine and speciality chemicals company with some 1,000employees and six plants in Europe and Asia,including Finland, Germany, Switzerland and China. Working hand in hand with leading agrochemical and pharmaceutical companies, CABB developscustomised precursors and intermediates andsupplies the entire chemicals industry withinnovative derivates.
For more information, visitwww.cabb-chemicals.com
ROCSOLE is the world’s leading provider of tomographic equipment for the process industries. Rocsole’s clients include some of the largest oil and gas companies in the world. The company’s keyassets include tomography, agile development ofsolutions in cooperation with the client, andinnovative and progressive personnel. The company headquarters and technology centre are situated in Kuopio, Finland.
In addition, Rocsole has a sales and maintenan-ce company in Houston, Texas, as well as a global network of sales representatives and subcontractors.
For more information, visitwww.rocsole.com
