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Division of Energy and Innovation

TIEEP: Texas Industrial Energy Efficiency Program

TIEEP Refinery & Chemical Plant Steam System Workshop

Presenter: Jim Risko, CEM, PEM, MBA. Retired president of TLV Corporation.

Date: April 30 & May 1, 8:20 am - 3:30 pm

Steam Workshop Registration

Steam systems are an integral part of almost all oil refineries and chemical plants, and opportunities abound to improve both their efficiency and their reliability. Mr. Risko has 47 years of experience with steam and condensate systems, and in that time he has participated, in various roles, in over 10,000 improvement applications. In this course he shares this wealth of experience with the new generation of energy managers and steam system specialists.

  • PDH certificates available for 12 hours.
  • There is no cost to attend. Attendees are responsible for their own travel, parking and meal costs.
  • Attendees are invited to stay on for the TIEEP Spring Energy Forum, 4:00-6:00 pm, May 1, 2024 – Spring Energy Forum registration.
  • Classroom location and map will be provided upon registration.

Course Contents and Schedule

There are 10 unique training modules, 5 each day, for system optimization with topics to help mitigate steam issues related to water hammer in steam and condensate lines, ejector wear and vacuum reduction, reboiler performance, steam-assisted flares, steam-driven turbines, air removal from condensing systems, steam-heated storage tanks, condensate pumping systems, traced line freeze-ups, desuperheating, improper steam trap selection and energy impact, deterioration of overall steam system performance and its effect on site manufacturing, energy, and decarbonization goals.

The tentative schedule (subject to change) is given below.

Day 1

8:20 AM Welcome
8:30 - 9:15 AM Module 1 Topic Optimizing & Sustaining Utility Steam Quality & Distribution to Production
9:15 - 9:30 AM Module 1 Q & A
9:30 - 9:40 AM Break
9:45 - 10:30 AM Module 2 Topic Steam Tracing System Optimization
10:30 - 10:45 AM Module 2 Q & A
10:45 - 10:55 AM Break
11:00 - 11:45 AM Module 3 Topic Condensate Return System Design, Issues, Water Hammer Mitigation, & Work-arounds
11:45 AM - 12:00 PM Module 3 Q & A
12:00 - 12:55 PM Lunch
1:00 - 1:45 PM Module 4 Topic Steam Turbine Reliability Related to Optimizing Steam Supply & Drainage
1:45 - 2:00 PM Module 4 Q & A
2:00 - 2:10 PM Break
2:15 - 3:00 PM Module 5 Topic Condensate Pump Installation & Reliability Improvements
3:15 - 3:30 PM Module 5 Q & A
3:30 PM Day 1 Close

Day 2

8:20 AM Welcome
8:30 - 9:15 AM Module 6 Topic Heat Exchange in Steam Reboilers, Heat Exchangers, & Coils
9:15 - 9:30 AM Module 6 Q & A
9:30 - 9:40 AM Break
9:45 - 10:30 AM Module 7 Topic Steam-assisted Flares
10:30 - 10:45 AM Module 7 Q & A
10:45 - 10:55 AM Break
11:00 - 11:45 AM Module 8 Topic Steam-heated Storage Tanks
11:45 AM - 12:00 PM Module 8 Q & A
12:00 - 12:55 PM Lunch
1:00 - 1:45 PM Module 9 Topic Steam Traps Selection & Production Impact
1:45 - 2:00 PM Module 9 Q & A
2:00 - 2:10 PM Break
2:15 - 3:00 PM Module 10 Topic Steam Traps Energy/Decarbonization & Budget Impact
3:15 - 3:30 PM Module 10 Q & A
3:30 PM Workshop Close

Modules 1-10

  • Necessary to optimize production
  • Pipe drainage basics
  • Handling air to improve process yield
  • Mitigate dangerous “Slug” & “Collapse” water hammer
  • Review of presenter’s articles on topic, January 2019 article in Hydrocarbon Processing (HP), May 2020 in Chemical Engineering (ChE)
  • Goal is to mitigate freeze-up & transport issues with resid/asphalt/sulfur lines
  • Review of presenter’s article December 2019 in Chemical Engineering Progress (CEP)
  • Easy to optimize new systems, but most issues engineers will experience are with existing systems
  • Review presenter’s articles February 2019 in HP, & November 2016 in CEP
  • Almost every steam turbine presenter has seen is poorly supplied and/or improperly drained
  • Review topics of presenter’s article Nov 2022 in HP
  • Electric & non-electric condensate pump design basics for reliable performance/issue mitigation
  • Review topics of presenter’s article May 2022 in ChE
  • Review & analyze use of extended stall chart that presenter created
  • Discourse on supply, drainage, & proper balancing of HX equipment
  • Review topics of presenter’s articles Nov 2004 in ChE, July 2021 in CEP, & Jan 2024 in ChE
  • Review issues & mitigation by effective supply & drainage design
  • Review topics of presenter’s article April 2023 in CEP
  • Review issues & mitigation design for these assets that are critical to plant operation
  • Review topics of presenter’s upcoming article scheduled for May 2024 ChE
  • Performance/operating characteristics, reliability topics for energy reduction/condensate return
  • Selection considerations
  • How to sustain reliable steam equipment operation
  • Review topics of presenter’s articles, Feb 2013 CEP, April 2015 ChE, April 2008 Fluid Controls Institute ST107
  • Energy use characteristics
  • 5 Types of potential Energy Loss associated to steam traps to be minimized
    • Functional, Failure, External, Coincidental Steam, Coincidental Condensate
  • Population survey & response options, sustaining minimum “Good” population status
  • Review topics of presenter’s articles, April 2011 CEP, March 2015 ChE, Oct 2017 CEP