Where to Get Help with Process Plant & Pipeline Drying Using Nitrogen

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Process equipment must be dried when used through pipelines in petrochemical refinery and hazardous liquid transportation. Various drying methods are used according to the system and area that needs to be dried. Techniques range from dry air blowing, nitrogen drying, vacuum, and chemical flushing with glycol or methanol.

The process is also relevant where a petrochemical plant must be mothballed or where lines must be preserved. The drying helps to improve plant and line effectiveness. With an extensive range of equipment and the expertise to handle every stage of the process, we offer the service to refineries and a range of chemical plants.

How Does the Process Work?

It is one of our longest-running services. Whether the client needs to remove excess or residual water from pipes or requires drying to the dew point, we have the appropriate equipment and experience to complete the process efficiently and safely. We assess the system to be dried to ensure an appropriate process is followed for the particular system, whether such requires nitrogen, hot-air, or vacuum drying.

Repairing a pipeline or setting a plant in operation is no small feat. The process requires detailed planning and various preparation steps, including the drying of the system or pipeline. With moisture in a system or pipeline causing corrosion, it is essential to remove such from the system.

During the construction of a plant, process system or pipeline, contaminants and water can build up in the surface area. If such contaminants and water are not removed from the system before usage, premature corrosion of the pipes follows. The process must be completed after the hydro-testing has been completed.

Moisture in the pipeline can affect the regulator operation. Indeed, with water present, a regulator can freeze during the extremely cold months. With high-pressure pipelines, the hydrates that collect can eventually cause clogging in the pipeline. This can be extremely dangerous in the instance of a gas pipeline.

Stress corrosion cracking in gas pipelines is an ever-present risk. Such reduces the lifetime of a pipeline considerably. Rather than risking damage and thus excessive costs related to maintenance, proper drying should be performed before commissioning the pipeline. It should also be carried out as part of the pipeline maintenance plan.

Role of Nitrogen in the Process

Nitrogen is exceptionally dry. Indeed, it is drier than normal air. Because it is inert, nitrogen is well-suited for testing and preparing pipelines and plants because it doesn’t react with highly flammable gasses. The pipeline doesn’t have to be purged once it has been dried with nitrogen. It also has a low dew point, which helps to ensure a faster process.

We provide mobile nitrogen-tank services for use in, for instance, pneumatic pipeline pressure testing or drying. We also have the necessary tanks and compressors to minimise the time it takes to prepare plants and pipelines for operation.

Where to Get Help

We also offer other methods according to the plant or pipeline at hand. Get in touch for assistance to speed up the preparation and maintenance processes with our range of nitrogen purging and drying services.

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