Sulphur Recovery Units (SRU)
Optimal operation of Sulphur Recovery Unit (SRU) furnaces require accurate process Gas (Flame) measurement and Refractory measurement for operational safety (high temperature alarms). Of particular importance is control of the furnace process temperatures to prevent damage to the furnace refractory and assurance that reaction or destruction temperatures are reached and maintained.
There are essentially two types of devices suitable for monitoring the temperature of Claus Thermal Reactor refractory:
- Ceramic Thermocouple
- Infrared Radiation Pyrometer
A combination of Infrared Pyrometer and 6″ HTX thermocouple is a proven solution for SRU temperature monitoring. Wonder® Engineering exclusively supply all 6″ thermocouples and Pyrometers for all SRU vessels in our region, our installed-base including ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, Petronas, ThaiOil, Bangchak Refinery Thailand, Singapore Refining Company [SRC] etc.
SRU Pyrometers – E²T / HIR / HIP [LumaSense/Delta Control’s]
E2T Pulsar is a single system installation with two independent IR filtered detectors that provides both Gas (Flame) and Refractory measurements simultaneously, produced by LumaSense(Mikron) with over 1,700 successful installations worldwide.
HIR is an alternative solution by Delta Controls Corporation who focuses on accurate refractory temperature measurements, which is maintenance free. The lens, sighting window, and nozzle are kept at a high temperature to avoid sulphur build-up and the completely eliminate any need to perform frequent periodic maintenance. It also uses stable electronics, which do not require cooling or frequent recalibrations at the factory.
Wonder® Engineering Technologies provide exclusively support on both solutions to end users in South East Asia. Please contact Wonder® for your SRU(s) – calibration, upgrade and service your Pyrometer installation today.
When calibrating or troubleshooting a pyrometer in an SRU, a typical method has been to insert temporary thermocouple through the sight port. While this can give some indication of temperature, there are many potential problems: Safety, Stuck thermocouple,Toxic gas release, Measuring the wrong part of the furnace. In a Claus furnace, the best method to calibrate a pyrometer is with another pyrometer. A general-purpose IR gun typically has too wide of a viewing angle to accurately see down a valve, nozzle, and borehole into the furnace. And it may be sensitive to hot gases as well as refractory temperature.HIP pyrometer is specifically designed to read the refractory temperature in an SRU. It uses infrared wavelengths that are unaffected by combustion gases, allowing the pyrometer to measure refractory temperature and ignore the effects of hot gas and flame. Dual wavelength sensing allows accurate temperature measurement even if the sight path is partially blocked by buildup or debris.
SRU Thermocouple – HTX [Delta Control’s]
Wonder® Engineering Technologies provide exclusive support for SRU thermocouples for all major SRU(s) in the region with proven records, which can result in the thermocouples lasting more than one turnarounds. Our installed base in the region includes ExxonMobil, Chevron, Petronas, Singapore Refining Company and a few others.
HTX Thermocouple – 'large-refractory well' type is designed to withstand the vibration and shifting refractory normally encountered in the Claus Furnace. The most common application is to protect the refractory in Claus thermal reactors and sulfur burners in sulfur acid plants. Other applications include hydrogen burner systems, water gas generators, coal gasifiers and various POX units.
The design of the Model HTX is a result of careful attention to design detail, 40 years of experience, and many field installations. Materials used in the HTX are critical to provide long term accuracy and reliability.
Properly installed and operated, HTX will provide years of accurate maintenance free temperature measurement.
Click below to download our documentation.
