Case History: Petrochemical Plant Cleanup with Micro-Blaze

Case History: A Petrochemical Turnaround Cleanup

Memo submitted by customer; original on file at Verde Environmental's main office.

MEMO

TO: Verde Sales

RE: Micro-Blaze Application

We have used Micro-Blaze on three turnarounds for equipment cleaning. The first turnaround involved cleaning an absorber tower section. A light aromatic oil is used as an absorption medium for hydrocarbons. To clear the towers and associated equipment of oil, the tower inventories are pumped out. The next step is to wash the towers, exchangers, and pumps with water to flush the residual oil from the system. In the past, this usually took a minimum of three washes with water, followed by a wash using soap. Using Micro-Blaze, this was accomplished with one wash, followed by a washing using Micro-Blaze. When the system was checked for contaminants, it tested clean. This shortened the cleanup time by 24 hours. It was noticed during the cleaning that the Micro-Blaze worked best when a high point bleed was opened to enrich the oxygen content. Micro-Blaze was also used on small spills of oil on the slab that occurs when equipment is opened. In a matter of minutes, the oil was gone, leaving a clean, slip free surface.

Micro-Blaze was used during a turnaround for the sister unit of the one described above with the same results.

Micro-Blaze was then used on a turnaround in an extractive distillation unit that uses Dimethylformamide (DMF) as the adsorption agent. DMF is a solvent that is particularly difficult to remove from equipment. This particular tower section also produces a polymer that tends to trap DMF and hydrocarbons in the bottom of the tower, making clean-up of the system very difficult. Micro-Blaze was used in this system to clean the towers, exchangers, and pumps as described above. The system was cleaned in 36 hours less than normal as a result of using Micro-Blaze. It was also discovered during the turnaround that if a bleed valve was plugged, it could be cleared by spraying Micro-Blaze into the valve.

Micro-Blaze has also been used by the Emergency Response Team during an incident where a mixture of oil and hydrocarbons entered the plant sewer system. The hydrocarbon was vaporizing to the atmosphere, and the oil was creating an odor problem. Since Micro-Blaze had worked so well during the turnarounds, it was decided to try it as a means of clearing the sewer lines of the mixture. Micro-Blaze was sprayed into the sewer hubs using hand sprayers. This turned out to be the perfect solution to the problem. We were able to limit hydrocarbon emissions and solve the odor problem. We now keep Micro-Blaze on hand for use by the Emergency Response Team.

I am not sure of my company’s position regarding testimonials. Therefore, I request that my name, as well as the company’s, not be used by Verde Environmental, Inc. and/or Micro-Blaze.