Filters, Strainers and Coalescers
المرشحات والمصافي ومرشحات الفصل
- Next date
- Available in-house
- Fees from
- —per delegate
- Formats
- In-house training0 sessions
- Duration
- 5 daysCertificate
Overview
Filters, strainers and coalescers protect compressors, pumps, turbines, instruments, catalysts and process equipment from solids, liquids and other contaminants. They are found in fuel gas systems, amine and glycol units, lube oil systems, water injection, product treating and many other services. When they are poorly selected, wrongly installed or badly maintained, they can allow damaging contaminants to pass, cause high pressure drop and flow restrictions, or fail mechanically. Filter changes also expose workers to hazardous materials, pressure and flammable atmospheres, so safe procedures are essential.
This course provides a practical understanding of the selection, operation and maintenance of filters, strainers and coalescers in oil, gas and petrochemical facilities. Participants learn contamination sources and their effects, filtration mechanisms, micron ratings and efficiency, and the main types of strainers, cartridge filters, bag filters, separators and liquid-liquid and gas-liquid coalescers. The course covers sizing and selection, housing design, differential pressure monitoring, change-out criteria and the effects of surfactants and foaming. It also explains safe isolation, depressurising, draining and opening of filter vessels, handling of pyrophoric and toxic deposits, troubleshooting and the optimisation of filter life and cost.
Objectives
- Identify contamination sources and their effects on plant equipment
- Explain filtration mechanisms, micron ratings and filter efficiency
- Describe strainers, cartridge and bag filters, separators and coalescers
- Select and size filtration equipment for gas and liquid services
- Monitor differential pressure and set correct change-out criteria
- Isolate, open and service filter vessels safely
- Troubleshoot poor filtration and optimise filter life and cost
Who should attend
Maintenance and process engineers, operators, mechanical technicians, rotating equipment staff and supervisors responsible for filtration equipment.
Training methodology
The course combines explanation of filtration principles with real equipment drawings, filter data sheets, operating data and photographs of used elements. Participants select filters and coalescers for different services, analyse differential pressure trends to decide change-out timing, examine failed elements to identify causes and prepare a safe procedure for opening a filter vessel. Cost and life-cycle exercises show how better selection can reduce spending. Case studies of compressor damage, amine foaming and filter change incidents are analysed in groups. Each day ends with a short quiz and discussion.
Programme outline
Day1Contamination and Filtration Principles
- Sources of solid and liquid contamination in oil, gas and petrochemical process streams
- Effects of contaminants on compressors, pumps, turbines, instruments and catalysts
- Filtration mechanisms such as interception, inertial impaction, diffusion and sieving
- Micron ratings, nominal and absolute ratings and the meaning of beta ratios
- Particle size distribution and how to define the filtration level a service really needs
- Filtration requirements for fuel gas, lube oil, amine, glycol and water injection systems
- Practical exercise: identifying contamination sources and filtration needs for a gas plant
Day2Strainers and Filter Types
- Temporary and permanent strainers and their use during commissioning and normal operation
- Basket, Y-type and duplex strainers and the selection of suitable mesh sizes
- Cartridge filters, bag filters and the choice of filter media for different fluids
- Self-cleaning and backwash filters and their advantages for high solids loads
- Filter housings, closures, element sealing and the prevention of bypass around elements
- Filter element construction, materials and compatibility with process fluids and temperatures
- Practical exercise: selecting filter types and media for a set of liquid services
Day3Separators and Coalescers
- Gas-liquid separators, mist eliminators and filter separators for gas streams
- Gas-liquid coalescers and their use to protect compressors and fuel gas systems
- Liquid-liquid coalescers for removing water from hydrocarbons and hydrocarbons from water
- Effect of surfactants, interfacial tension and emulsions on coalescer performance
- Coalescer sizing, flux rates and the limits of operation for stable performance
- Foaming in amine and glycol systems and the role of filtration in preventing it
- Practical exercise: sizing a gas-liquid coalescer for a fuel gas conditioning system
Day4Monitoring, Change-Out and Safe Servicing
- Differential pressure monitoring and the setting of alarm and change-out limits
- Bypass, element collapse and other failure modes caused by excessive pressure drop
- Safe isolation, depressurising, draining and purging of filter vessels before opening
- Handling of pyrophoric iron sulfide, toxic deposits and NORM in used filter elements
- Personal protective equipment and gas testing during filter change-out work
- Disposal of used elements and waste in line with environmental requirements
- Practical exercise: preparing a safe procedure for changing elements in a sour service filter
Day5Troubleshooting and Optimisation
- Troubleshooting short element life, high pressure drop and contaminant carry-through
- Examining used elements to identify the type and source of contamination
- Upstream causes of contamination, including corrosion, scale and process upsets
- Optimising filter selection to balance protection, element life and operating cost
- Life-cycle cost analysis and the business case for improved filtration
- Group exercise: troubleshooting a compressor suction filter with frequent failures
- Final assessment and discussion of filtration issues at participants' own plants
Dates and fees
There are no scheduled dates for this course at the moment. Request it as in-house training, or ask us about the next date.
Certificate
Every delegate who attends the full programme receives a Harfard Technology certificate of completion stating the course title, duration, dates and venue.
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