VisTec visbreaker fouling control

Minimize fouling and coking in your visbreaker unit with the VisTec™ visbreaker fouling control program from Baker Hughes. Combining proprietary analysis and monitoring techniques with proven chemical treatments, the program inhibits asphaltene destabilization in heavy feedstocks charged to your visbreaking unit. You’ll gain optimized conversion rates and unit run length, while maintaining the quality of your heavy fuel oil.

Full-range fouling analysis and control

The VisTec visbreaker fouling control program begins by monitoring your system for the stability of any visbreaking residual (vistar). Our proprietary analysis techniques include the VisTec Coking Index (VCI) to measure the physical characteristics of coke in the vistar and calculate your unit’s fouling tendencies. Our VisTec Stability Index (VSI) calculates the stability of your vistar and heavy fuel oil.

We use this analysis to develop a VisTec chemical treatment program that alters your heavy oil feed to help:

• Interrupt and control fouling

• Reduce sediment generation

• Increase vistar stability when visbreaking severity is increased

Maximize conversion at minimal risk

While our VisTec additives help you expand your operating envelope, our VisTec modeling services let you operate the visbreaker at its optimum sedimentation limits. Data from our analytical techniques and simulation algorithms are used within proprietary models to optimize unit operation and maximize conversion without affecting run length.

• Steam optimization modeling determines the ideal steam velocity to increase run length and optimize conversion

• Proprietary feed characterization modeling predicts the maximum operating severity and the corresponding conversion

• Skin temperature modeling uses skin temperatures and process conditions to measure coke deposition, predict run lengths, and model the impact of process conditions on skin temperatur

• Continuous VSI and VCI monitoring corrects operating severity to control fouling and keep the unit running optimally for maximum conversion

• A patented asphaltenes fractionation method measures barely soluble asphaltenes in the vistar to predict the impact of conversion increase on fouling

Contact us today to learn how VISTEC visbreaker fouling control technologies can maximize your visbreaker uptime with minimal downtime and risk.