- Reduction in pipe blockages saving 100,000 Euros
- Full polymerisation control
- Lower maintenance – increased productivity
Hydramotion viscometers were installed at Europe's largest oil refinery to control the viscosity of polystyrene, a key polymer produced by the refinery's aromatics unit and used in various industries globally.
The instruments were used to exploit the relationship between viscosity and molecular chain length during the reaction to prevent polymerisation acceleration and line blockages. This corrective procedure would otherwise require plant downtime with repairs costing up to 100,000 euros.
The first of these instruments was installed in Zone 1 and supplied with a 300 lb ANSI flange. A special high-temperature model was required to handle operating temperatures of up to 250°C.
By integrating the viscometer with the plant control system, the failure rate was significantly reduced, leading to huge savings.
The success achieved in this application led to the installation of additional Hydramotion viscometers at numerous other points throughout the process, proving that sometimes, a few small changes can make a big difference.