Automated Corrosion Inhibitor Injection Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for controlling corrosion and scale inhibitor injection in industrial water systems, particularly in the oil and gas industry, rely on manual adjustments, leading to excessive or inadequate chemical usage, resulting in inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
An automated system utilizing a programmable logic controller and distributed control systems (DCS) or supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) to adjust corrosion and scale inhibitor injection rates based on real-time corrosion and scale monitoring data, optimizing chemical usage and minimizing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of injection pump strokes is used, then operational simplicity is maintained, but chemical usage efficiency deteriorates leading to excessive or inadequate injection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment of injection pump strokes with an automated electronic control system. The programmable logic controller receives signals from flow meters and corrosion/scale monitors, then automatically adjusts the injection pump strokes through electronic control, eliminating the need for manual intervention while optimizing chemical dosage based on real-time process conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback control by monitoring flow rates through flow meters and assessing corrosion/scale conditions through specialized monitors. This feedback information is processed by the programmable logic controller to dynamically adjust injection pump strokes, ensuring optimal chemical dosage is maintained automatically without manual intervention.
2Device complexity
If manual adjustment of injection rates is used, then system complexity is reduced, but chemical consumption increases due to inadequate optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors process conditions including flow rates and corrosion/scale levels, feeding this information back to the programmable logic controller which automatically adjusts injection rates. This closed-loop feedback control optimizes chemical consumption by dosing precisely according to actual process needs rather than using fixed manual settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection system transitions from static manual stroke settings to dynamic automated adjustment. The programmable logic controller continuously modifies injection pump strokes based on real-time feedback from flow meters and corrosion/scale monitors, allowing the system to adapt injection rates dynamically to changing process conditions and minimize chemical consumption.
3Productivity
If automated control systems are implemented, then chemical usage is optimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated control system is segmented into distinct functional modules: flow meters for flow rate measurement, corrosion monitors and scale monitors for condition assessment, a programmable logic controller for processing and decision-making, and injection pumps for chemical delivery. This modular segmentation makes the complex system more manageable and easier to implement while maintaining optimization capabilities.
4Ease of operation
If injection rates are not adjusted according to process changes, then operational simplicity is maintained, but facility reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses continuous feedback from flow meters and corrosion/scale monitors to detect changes in process conditions. When changes are detected, the programmable logic controller automatically adjusts injection rates to maintain adequate corrosion and scale inhibition, ensuring facility reliability without requiring manual operational intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment of injection rates based on automatic monitoring of process conditions. The programmable logic controller independently responds to changes in flow rates and corrosion/scale levels by modifying pump strokes, allowing the system to maintain its own protection without external operational input, thus ensuring reliability while maintaining operational simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
Control strategy and algorithms to be utilized in a programmable logic control for automating injection rates of corrosion inhibitor and scaling inhibitor in a process plant. The logic control system can be programmed on a Distributed Control System (DCS) or Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) of the plant. The automating system is developed with the objective of optimizing corrosion inhibitor and scale inhibitor usage, thereby reducing operating cost, improving the reliability and integrity of process plant facilities, and preventing undesirable incident of loss of containment.