{"id":869,"date":"2018-01-23T16:01:34","date_gmt":"2018-01-23T21:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/?p=869"},"modified":"2022-06-06T18:08:53","modified_gmt":"2022-06-06T22:08:53","slug":"refinery-sector-rule-rsr-update-nhv-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/refinery-sector-rule-rsr-update-nhv-management\/","title":{"rendered":"Refinery Sector Rule (RSR) Update: NHV Management"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"m-entry__feedback\"><div class=\"m-feedback-prompt\">\n\t\t  <h4 class=\"m-feedback-prompt__header\">Was this article helpful?<\/h4>\n\t\t  <a href=\"#\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__social m-feedback-prompt__social_thumbsup yes\" data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:yes\">\n\t\t    <i class=\"fa fa-thumbs-up\">&nbsp;<\/i>\n\t\t  <\/a>\n\t\t  <a href=\"#\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt_form no\" data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:no\">\n\t\t    <i class=\"fa fa-thumbs-down\">&nbsp;<\/i>\n\t\t  <\/a><br>\n\t\t  <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__display m-feedback-prompt__social yes\">\n\t\t    <p class=\"m-feedback-prompt__text\">Awesome, share it:<\/p>\n\t\t    <a class=\"m-feedback-prompt__social--button p-button-social has-icon facebook fa fa-facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/refinery-sector-rule-rsr-update-nhv-management\/\" onclick=\"javascript:window.open(this.href,\n  '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\">\n\t\t      <span class=\"p-button-social__social-text\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t    <\/a>\n\t\t    <a class=\"m-feedback-prompt__social--button p-button-social has-icon twitter fa fa-twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/refinery-sector-rule-rsr-update-nhv-management\/&text=Refinery Sector Rule (RSR) Update: NHV Management\" onclick=\"javascript:window.open(this.href,\n  '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\">\n\t\t      <span class=\"p-button-social__social-text\">Tweet<\/span>\n\t\t    <\/a>\n\t\t    <a class=\"m-feedback-prompt__social--button p-button-social has-icon googleplus fa fa-google-plus\" href=\"https:\/\/plus.google.com\/share?url=http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/refinery-sector-rule-rsr-update-nhv-management\/\" onclick=\"javascript:window.open(this.href,\n  '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\">\n\t\t      <span class=\"p-button-social__social-text\">Google Plus<\/span>\n\t\t    <\/a>\n\t\t    <a class=\"m-feedback-prompt__social--button p-button-social has-icon linkedin fa fa-linkedin\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/refinery-sector-rule-rsr-update-nhv-management\/&title=Refinery Sector Rule (RSR) Update: NHV Management\" onclick=\"javascript:window.open(this.href,\n  '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\">\n\t\t      <span class=\"p-button-social__social-text\">LinkedIn<\/span>\n\t\t    <\/a>\n\t\t  <\/div>\n\t\t  \t<div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__display m-feedback-prompt__form no\">\n\t\t  \t<div class=\"thanks feedback-nodisplayall\"><h2>Thanks!<h2><div class=\"m-contact\"><p>Thanks for getting in touch with us.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t    <form id=\"contact-form\" class=\"new_support_request\" action=\"\" accept-charset=\"UTF-8\" method=\"post\">\n\t\t    <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"authenticity_token\" name=\"authenticity_token\" value=\"6951482529\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869\" \/>\n\t\t      <input value=\"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/refinery-sector-rule-rsr-update-nhv-management\/\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenturl\" id=\"currenturl\">\n\t\t      <input value=\"Refinery Sector Rule (RSR) Update: NHV Management\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenttitle\" id=\"currenttitle\">\n\t\t      <label class=\"is-required\">Help us improve. Give us your feedback:<\/label>\n\t\t      <textarea class=\"p-input__textarea\" name=\"feedbackmessage\" id=\"feedbackmessage\"><\/textarea>\n\t\t      <label class=\"is-required\">Your Full Name:<\/label>\n\t\t      <input class=\"p-input__text\" type=\"text\" name=\"feedbackfullname\" id=\"feedbackfullname\">\n\t\t      <label class=\"is-required\">Your email address:<\/label>\n\t\t      <input class=\"p-input__text\" type=\"text\" name=\"mailinglistemail\" id=\"mailinglistemail\">\n\t\t      <div class=\"feedback-message\" id=\"feedback-message\"><\/div>\n\t\t      <div class=\"__submit\">\n\t\t        <input type=\"submit\" name=\"commit\" value=\"Submit\" class=\"p-button\" id=\"submit-contact-form\" data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:submit\">\n\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/form>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>RSR Compliance Solutions Vary<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">At refining site, I was recently asked, \u201cSo, what solution trends are you seeing for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/stationary-sources-air-pollution\/petroleum-refinery-sector-rule-risk-and-technology-review-and-new\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Refinery Sector Rule<\/a> (RSR) related NHV monitoring and for management during purge events?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The answer was another question: \u201cCould we start by discussing trends amongst your group\u2019s refineries?\u201d There wasn\u2019t one clear cut answer to the refining site\u2019s question because even within their refinery group, each distinct site has significant variation in how they are approaching these new challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Recent AFPM and industry-related discussions show that the answers to both questions are mixed nationally.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; <\/span>Refinery flares, after all, are all unique in some forms. And each has its own special requirements for both NHV monitoring and management. <\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Addressing NHV Management<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">There are, though, some issues related to the RSR that are common to all. This includes the primary requirement to maintain <\/span><span class=\"s2\">&gt;<\/span><span class=\"s1\">270 BTU Net Heating Value in the flare combustion zone (NHV<\/span><span class=\"s3\"><sub>cz<\/sub><\/span><span class=\"s1\">) during consecutive 15-minute blocks. This aspect of the rule is intended to help improve destruction of hazardous air pollutant emissions. And<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; <\/span>it means that control solutions must be in place to make sure sufficient BTU levels exist during flaring events. To add to this challenge, refineries must also meet new requirements limiting flare smoking event durations. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Reducing flare smoking is typically accomplished through steam or air assist. This assist can significantly reduce the flare NHV<\/span><span class=\"s3\"><sub>cz<\/sub><\/span><span class=\"s1\">. The reduction impact is generally not an issue during \u201cnormal malfunctions\u201d where flare gas flow is primarily comprised of high BTU hydrocarbons. Over assisting flares (i.e. too much steam), however, can result in out-of-compliance conditions. This would most likely occur at the end of an event where manually controlled steam feed might not be adjusted down quickly enough to match reduced flare gas flow. Refineries are actively addressing this issue through combinations of procedural guidelines and some additions of automatic controls.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>The SSM Challenge<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Plants must also operate with the understanding that \u201cthe Rule applies at all times.\u201d So while the Startup, Shutdown and Malfunction (SSM) exemption removal presents a challenge for many sites to meet minimum NHV<\/span><span class=\"s3\"><sub>cz <\/sub><\/span><span class=\"s1\">levels, the requirement must still be met. This is especially challenging during major nitrogen purge and steam out events where nitrogen feed flows might reach over 4000scfm where the high inert gas flow into the flare could require addition of some sort of supplemental fuel gas to boost NHV<\/span><span class=\"s3\"><sub>cz <\/sub><\/span><span class=\"s1\">to compliance levels. Decision-making on a best approach for meeting this requirement can be complicated and requires consideration of a number of factors, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Availability of internal supplemental fuel gas (ISFG) sources within a plant (natural gas, light ends fuel gas or hydrogen) in sufficient volumes and at all times<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Capital costs associated with running available ISFG sources to flare lines<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">BTU levels of ISFG sources, which, if low, could increase the volume of fuel gas needed and could cause total flow rates to exceed flare tip limits<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Supplemental Fuel Gas Alternatives<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">For some sites, ISFG remains available in sufficient quantities even during plant malfunctions and unit outages. ISFG is preferred where it\u2019s practical and affordable to include additional piping, valves and control work to route plentiful ISFG sources to flares. For others, ISFG availability and\/or infrastructure capital outlays\u2014including engineering and management expenses for systems used only every year or two\u2014are prohibitive. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Another option includes turning down purge flow rates to match fuel gas availability. This option is generally ranked low against other alternatives due to direct costs associated with extended turnaround project cycles and opportunity costs associated with major process unit downtime.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Another alternative is addition of external supplemental fuel gas (ESFG) feed to flares on a \u201cprojects needed\u201d basis. ESFG supply can be implemented either in lieu of or supplemental to ISFG. For some, this option provides a scaled-to-fit solution which can help maintain full purge flow rates and minimize turnaround cycles, major unit downtime and capital investments which have little production enhancing impact. <\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Striking the Balance<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The best evaluation of solutions clearly requires consideration of numerous factors which vary flare by flare and plant by plant. Various factors complicate the ability to point to any clear trend other than the need for refineries to identify the solution that provides them the best overall balance between operations and cost efficiency to meet compliance with the new Rule.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Was this article helpful? &nbsp; &nbsp; Awesome, share it: Share Tweet Google Plus LinkedIn Thanks!Thanks for getting in touch with &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/refinery-sector-rule-rsr-update-nhv-management\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":870,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[583,578,223,585,573,584,577,571,79,579,587,574,576,580,582,572,586,575,570,581],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=869"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1986,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869\/revisions\/1986"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/870"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=869"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=869"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=869"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}