INVESTIGATION OF VARIOUS PARAMETERS INFLUENCING ENERGY CONSERVATION IN A PETROLEUM BASED INDUSTRY

Abstract

A vast scope of energy. conservation in a petroleum refinery lies in optimizing the usage of thermal insulation for reducing heat loss to atmosphere, from pipes carrying hot fluids. A computer aided routine to establish the exact optimum insulation thicknesses for pipe sizes varying from 1/2" to 24" (NPS) and service -temperatures varying from 1000C to 4000C has been developed, using most of the basic data from IOC, Mathura Refinery. An investigation has also been made to establish the effect of various interrelated parameters coming into picture viz pipe sizes, temperature, heat losses from bare and insulated pipes, optimum insulation thickness and energy savings by optimum insulation. The investigation is extended to look for the effects of variation in costs of energy and insulation and windage on optimum insulation thickness and energy savings. The present study indicates that exact insulation thicknesses help achieving..significant energy savings, which increase with the cost of energy and .windage for optimally insulated pipes. The study also concludes that the effect of variation in cost of energy and insulation and ' windage, on optimum insulation thicknesses recommended is marginal