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Wireless Lpg Smart Technology from Emerson

BP Bitumen near Brisbane, Australia, used Emerson Process Management’s Smart Wireless technology to manage fuel delivery from temporary lpg tanks rushed into service during a refinery shutdown of the normal fuel system.
The plant normally fires natural gas in a heater to maintain a hot oil network at 280°C. All plant bitumen lines have hot oil tracing to keep the product flowing. Even a temporary interruption to the supply of fuel to the heater can adversely effect operations as, if the heater shuts down, the plant cools very quickly and, if it goes completely cold, it can take three to four days to restart.
A close 24 hour watch had to be maintained on the temporary lpg supply. The Smart Wireless solution was implemented to monitor the transfer lines and fuel levels.
With relatively little time to prepare for the natural gas outage, it was not possible to size the temporary lp gas system for the maximum firing capacity of the hot oil heater. Without careful monitoring, the heater’s burner control system could call for more lpg gas than was available, sucking the fuel line dry and tripping the heater.
However, with the wireless pressure transmitters in place, the burner control system could monitor the lpg supply pressure and avoid the trip scenario. The plant operated successfully in this way for the duration of the weeklong outage.

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