High Pressure Equipment for LDPE Plants

Market Leader
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Key responsibilities and business policy We see ourselves as a partner to the users of LDPE plants as well as to engineering contractors and LDPE licensors. We support them all with innovative, safe and cost-efficient solutions for high pressure equipment. Our customer service starts at feasibility studies and development work and extends through the construction and assembly of new plants. For operating plants, we guarantee lifetime after-sales Creative engineering for the LDPE world service, including spare parts and Since the development of high pressure customer advice. processes for the industrial fabrication of low-density polyethylene, Uhde has played a decisive role in making these ideas economically usable. Uhde designs and supplies all the essential high pressure components of any plant from any renowned process-licensors. Quality creates certainty Wherever such stringent demands and extreme pressures are dealt with, the obvious thing to do is to place great emphasis on quality management as well. A strict QM system reliably ensures compliance with specified sequences and quality standards. Various certificates according to EN DIN 9001 or ASME give our customers additional certainty. Good workmanship relies on team effort The people and their attitudes in tackling tasks and requirements are decisive for success. Here, Uhde can rely on more than 230 motivated and competent employees who, together with the great effectiveness of modern machinery, produce top performances.

High pressure is spelled Uhde. Worldwide. Uhde High Pressure Technologies: Our name is our programme. Since it was founded in 1930, Uhde has been exploiting the world of high pressures for the widest possible variety of applications. Whatever can to be solved promisingly with high or ultrahigh pressures arouses the curiosity and ambition of our engineers.

Test assembly and functional tests in our workshops

Manufacturing

Engineering

From Hagen to the world

A good place for good discussions, good ideas, hard work and outstanding results

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Our Programme High Technology, High Quality and Excellent Service

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Low-density polyethylene The development of the LDPE process began in 1936 when the possibility of polymerising ethylene at high pressure was discovered. First of all, autoclaves (ICI and Du Pont) were used as reactors for the technical synthesis and, a little later, tubular reactors (BASF and UCC) as well. Today, the proportion of the total production of thermoplastic construction materials accounted for by LDPE is very high at around 20 %. Over 30 million t of LDPE is produced every year all over the world according to the different processes. Since 1955, Uhde has been designing and fabricating for all the major process-licensors. Advantages of cooperation with us: The advantage of working with Uhde on a new LDPE project or on maintenance projects on existing plants is the advantage of working with the market leader. We are the supplier which has the widest scope of equipment supply anywhere in the world, ranging from reactors and vessels to pumps, valves and much more. Also, more than any other supplier, we can count on broad experience from cooperation with all licensors and contractors in this business.

New LDPE plants: Partnership with licensors and engineering contractors We provide our experience for the development of licence packages and equipment specifications. In many cases, our equipment technology sets the standards in the licensors' data sheets. We support the engineering contractor with excellent project management services which make sure that he gets the specified equipment on time. Our broad database on procedures, specifications and documentation in accordance with the different licensor/ contractor requirements helps our partners to save valuable engineering hours. Existing LDPE plants: Partnership with the user The LDPE user can count on us for the service life of his plant. We still fabricate spare parts for pumps and valves which we delivered in the forties. Our high pressure experts are always available for advice on equipment use while on deployment to the site for assistance. We provide state-of-the-art high pressure equipment independently of the original supply for the plant. We can provide much of that equipment from stock, such as high pressure tubes, flanges and fittings. This saves inventory costs for our customers. We also assist our customers in inspecting the equipment and advise on preventive maintenance.

Machining of high pressure components on a boring mill with CNC in six axes

Welds manufactured according to all recognised welding processes

Project meeting

Constant quality testing of the fabricated components and measuring tools

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Ultrahigh Pressure Tubes Strength and Safety

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High pressure tubes made by Uhde LDPE plants using the tubular or autoclave process are built, to a large extent, from high pressure tubes. It is the single most important item to focus on when you invest in new equipment. For many years, Uhde has manufactured high pressure tubes by drilling forged bars. But only recently did this technology become so successful that 9 out of 10 tubes are now manufactured in this way. We at Uhde are fully utilising the benefits of this new technology in order to provide equipment suited for the highest demands of the new plants with a world-scale capacity. Steel production We melt the crude steel in a modern electric-arc furnace, followed by vacuum degassing. The steel purity achieved by this modern equipment is already very high but can be further improved by electroslag remelting or, for the highest demands, by vacuum-arc remelting. The ingots produced in this way then go through the largest radial forging machines in the world where the raw bars are produced. The capabilities of the steel plant cover all the requirements in terms of metallurgical capabilities which are necessary for the production of materials for the LDPE process licensors. A team of experienced specialists is ready to always further improve the steel quality and to adapt the alloys and the production technology to the market needs. This is how our standard alloy, A-723 Grade 3 mod. (DIN 1.6959 mod.), came into being: An alloy design focused on the required function in LDPE high pressure duty. Machining Precise machining is used in order to obtain very narrow tolerances on the bore diameter and the outer diameter. This helps the process designers to precisely determine the flow rate and pressure drop in the tube and in the jacket pipe. The final surface quality on the bore which we achieve is Ra = 0.1 m. This quality assures the longest service life of the tubes. The tubes are then finish-machined including a sealing face, a thread and a shrink-ring seat for jacketing.

Autofrettage All high pressure tubes are subjected to an autofrettage treatment. This operation helps to extend the service life of the tubes. It is carried out by exposing the tubes to extremely high pressures close to their burst pressure. The tube is deformed in such a way that we achieve a high level of compressive stress at the tube bore. This protects the tube against cracks developing from the inside.
Radial forging machine

Steel grades
Designation A-723 Grade 3 mod. (DIN 1.6959 mod.) Specification UHDE-HPM-01 Description standard low-alloy steel for high pressure tubes PN-4000, combines high strength with high toughness for any tube sizes High-strength austenitic stainless steel for bore sizes from 3 to 25 mm and PN-4000 Ferritic stainless steel for high pressure up to PN-2500 Standard low-alloy steel for high pressure tubes PN-4000 High-strength soft martensitic stainless steel

20Cr - 10Ni (HP-160)

UHDE-HPT-02

X12Cr13 (DIN 1.4006 mod.) A-723 Grade 1 mod. (DIN 1.6580 mod. K10X) X4CrNiMo16-5 (DIN 1.4418 mod. RM3)

UHDE-HPM-03

UHDE-HPM-04

UHDE-HPM-05

Apart from Uhde works standards, tube materials can be produced according to any customer specification. Sizes Bore size 3 - 25 mm 25 - 38 mm 38 - 100 mm

Max. length possible 7,000 mm 10,000 mm 17,000 mm

Quality assurance The complete tube manufacturing line has been developed in order to guarantee 100 % defect-free production. Every process step is carefully monitored so that the specifications are met. Therefore, the tube orders can be made to the precise number without any need to worry about an allowance for overproduction.

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Reactors A New Molecule is Born

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Tubular reactor PN-3,500, DN-62

Tubular reactors Uhde high pressure tubular reactors can be found everywhere in the world. Since 1955, we have delivered more reactors to the petrochemical industry than any other company. The first reactor had an inner diameter of 24 mm and was designed for a pressure of 1,600 bar. Nowadays, Uhde builds reactors with inner diameters of 70 - 90 mm, suitable for pressures of up to 3,600 bar. Likewise, the production capacities have increased tremendously from 10,000 t/a to over 400,000 t/a. Our advantages During nearly 50 years of experience in the construction of LDPE reactors, we have learned to build them in accordance with all process licences, e.g. Lyondell Basell, Versalis, Sabtec and Exxon Mobil. More than this, our know-how and engineering help our process-licensing partners to further de velop their technology and specification package. In the same manner, all major engineering companies which are active in this industry have worked with us successfully in building new LDPE plants.

Autoclave reactors Whereas tubular reactors are used for large single line production of commodity polymers, autoclave reactors are the first choice for special products like co-polymers and extrusion grades. Uhde fabricates autoclave reaction systems as turn-key equipment including all accessories for reaction volumes from 250 to over 2,000 litres. High pressure components Our scope of supplies includes jacketed tubes and bends. The bends can be produced by cold forming for large radii or by hot forging for compact short radius bends. All the necessary flange connections, blocks and fittings are supplied by us. We also manufacture the sealings, thermocouples, injection spargers and other high pressure accessories. All the high pressure equipment is subjected to the autofrettage treatment and to rigorous quality control. Steel structure Uhde also designs and builds the steel structures necessary to support the reactor and the intercooler. The design department uses advanced tools in order to verify all the static and dynamic loads on the steel structure. For fast and efficient installation on site, Uhde designs equipment in integrated modules, combining the steel structure and the process equipment.

Autoclave reactor PN-2,500

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Valves Extremely Fast and Precise

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Hydraulic power unit

Scope of valve technology Uhde valves and fittings have proven their particular reliability and operational safety in many fields of the chemical industry. In LDPE plants, Uhde valves with the pressure ratings of 325 - 4,000 bar are used as shut-off, control, safety, check or three-way valves. The diversity of the drive types and the robust design of the valves allow them to be used in all the pressure ranges occurring in polyethylene production. The connections can be adapted to any internationally common standards. Control valves The control valve at the outlet of the reactor is an essential constituent for the process control of modern large reactors. During the development of this control valve, special emphasis was placed on the demands for speed, accuracy and a long service life. The high stroke speed is achieved by an electronic valve positioner and an electronic-hydraulic transducer, designed for rapid signal conditioning, as well as by the special type of bearings in the actuating piston. The positions of the valve and drive spindles are measured using a highresolution electronic travel transducer in order to obtain great reproduction accuracy. Many years of experience in the design-related arrangement of the seat and the cone and in the selection

of the appropriate materials led to the achievement of long service lives. The simple structure of the valve, in conjunction with careful harmonisation of the valve and control parts, results in the highest degree of functional safety. Hydraulic power unit In the LDPE plant, the hydraulic valves are supplied by an Uhde hydraulic power unit. This station works at a maximum operating pressure of 160 bar. The necessary oil reservoir is dependent on the hydraulic valves located in the plant and is optimised correspondingly by Uhde. The station components such as the hydraulic pump and the motors are equipped with stand-by units and are supplied by an oil/water cooling/filtering unit in a skid-mounted design. Valve test station Prior to delivery, all the valves are subjected to pressure and functional tests on Uhde's own valve test station. In order to be able to perform these tests in the plant as well (e.g. after repairs), Uhde has a skid-mounted valve test station in its supply programme. The following tests can be carried out on the test station: Gas leakage test up to 4,000 bar Full functional testing of the valve actuator Measurement of speed and accuracy

Control valve, DN 60 mm, 3,450 bar, 350C

Valve test station

Emergency blow-off valve 60 /60/60, 3,500 bar, 350C

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Pumps The Heart of the Plant

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High pressure pumps Uhde is one of the leading high pressure pump suppliers for low-density polyethylene plants. Since 1935, more than 1,000 HP pumps have been installed worldwide. Typical applications for Uhde HP pumps in the pressure range of 125 - 14,000 bar and with discharge capacities of 10 - 20,000 l/h are: Injection Proportioning Testing Pressurising Product feed
Catalyst injection pump HP 2203 60 l/h, 2,900 bar

Reciprocating pumps, or so-called double-acting oscillating pumps, for the high pressure LDPE market have been developed and manufactured since 1954. Approx. 600 HP pumps have been delivered for catalyst injection in autoclave and tubular reactors and for all known licensors. Typical pump services in a low-density polyethylene plant are:

Dosing pump HP 5002 450 l/h, 2,500 bar

Catalyst injection Discharge pressures: 1,500 to 4,000 bar Capacities: 10 to 140 l/hr Modifier & comonomer injection Discharge pressures: 250 to 365 bar Capacities: 600 to 3,000 l/hr Pressure testing & autofrettaging Discharge pressures: 4,000 to 14,000 bar Capacities: 20 to 100 l/hr These units can be foundation-mounted or supplied in a trailer-mounted design which means that they can be used anywhere in the plant. The pumps are hydraulic pressure intensifiers with an oil-hydraulic drive, built up from standard component parts/modules. They are available in a 2-plunger or 4-plunger design. Pressure-relief valves in the hydraulic system protect both the hydraulic

components and the components wetted by the high pressure process. The discharge rate of the pump is infinitely variable from zero to maximum during standstill and also while the pump is in operation by simply changing the stroke frequency. Additionally, the discharge rate may be varied during standstill by changing the stroke length. The patented control system (DBP 2011570) develops extremely short plunger reversal times, thus guaranteeing a superior pressure amplitude and exact feed-rate control, and leads (e.g. in the case of catalyst injection) to a very good reactor temperature stability of up to 0.1C. 4-plunger pumps consist of two separate HP units operated individually by one single hydraulic drive. One unit is in operation and the other in a stand-by mode.If the stand-by unit is to be put into operation, it can be brought up to the operating pressure by a prepressurising system. Thus, the second unit can be started immediately without influencing the reactor temperature. The so-called Uhde HP-4-Plunger "twin pump" consist of two independent HP-2-Plunger pumps, each with an oil-hydraulic drive mounted on a common frame. With this system, it is possible to pump two different fluids at different pressures and capacities. This model is chosen, for example, if the set-up space is limited. Constant research and development and the exchange of experience with our customers leads to excellent service lives of the main components in catalyst injection pumps. Uhde's unique combination of duplex pump-body design with a tungstencarbide liner, a solid tungsten-carbide plunger, a floating plunger coupling and the dynamic packing itself maximises the packing life to as much as 16,000 hours. The pump body (HP cylinder) even reaches a service life of 7 to 10 years and ultralight double-ball check valves 1 to 2 years. All pressure-containing parts are autofrettaged at optimum pressures.

Catalyst injection pump HP 2201 30 l/h, 3,200 bar

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Proportional Injection Unit Pulsation-Free and Exact Quantities

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The problem If conventional pumps can no longer be used, e.g. injection of very small quantities (less than 1 l/h) or when pressure pulsation is unacceptable, Uhde's proportional injection units or so-called phase-flow intensifiers are the first choice. Discharge pressure range: 200 to 10 000 bar Capacities: 0.1 l/h to 5,000 l/h Capacity range: 0 ... 100 % The solution Uhde solved the problem by developing long-stroke hydraulically driven pressure intensifiers, using the experience accumulated in years of manufacturing high pressure equipment. Whilst certainly meeting the high demands of polyethylene producers, these pumps are also suitable for many other applications at low to ultrahigh pressure, e.g. Catalyst injection (0.1 to 2 l/h) into an LDPE tubular or autoclave reactor in pilot plants Pressure-controlled lube-oil and seal-oil injection into a stirrer-shaft bearing of an LDPE autoclave reactor Comonomer and/or modifier injection Special applications Description/operating mode A proportional injection unit (pump) has a side-by-side design, consisting of two HP intensifiers, each with a pump head including the necessary check valves, hydraulic cylinder, 4/2-way proportional control valve with integrated electronics, motion controller and pressure transducer. Electrically, both HP intensifiers are in an out-of-phase mode so that, during the discharge stroke of one pump head, the other goes through the suction and preload period. Electrical control and regulation are effected with the aid of motion controllers (position transducers) in combination with pressure transducers.

Irrespective of the process data (pressure and medium compressibility), a smooth transition between the pump heads is thus obtained without the pressure drops normally associated with shifting the supply from one HP intensifier to the other. The unique design of the injection units allows the continuous pulsation-free injection of medium. The piston velocity is controlled by regulating the hydraulic flow over the proportional valve via an external (remote) or internal (local) 4 - 20 mA control signal. Hence, the delivery rate of the injection unit is infinitely variable from zero to maximum. As an alternative, the units can be designed with pressure control. Advantages Robust design and rugged structuralsteel frame Low hydraulic maintenance Slower stroking than most double-acting intensifers Simple interface to the customers DCS hardware Fastest response to DCS signal Precise reproducible setting of the injection rate (< 0.5 %) Absolutely pulsation-free operation superior pressure signal Best reliability and durability 30 years experience with this kind of phase-flow intensifier Conclusion The described pumps are ideally suited for high pressure injection systems which must have absolutely pulsation-free operation and a perfectly reproducible and precise setting of the injection rate of the process pressure. In borderline cases or in special applications, do not hesitate to consult the Uhde specialists.
Catalyst injection pump 4-Plunger Twin pump HP 2201 30 l/h, 3,100 bar

Autofrettage pump HP 10/15 20 l/h, 10,500 bar

Lube-oil and seal-oil injection pump SP 25/240 14 l/h, 2,500 bar

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Heat Exchangers and Separators High-Safety Vessels

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Vessels An LDPE plant using the tubular or autoclave process requires a number of high pressure vessels. These are mostly used as separators for the separation of the liquid and gas phases at pressures between 300 bar and 700 bar. These separators may have a volume up to 30 m3 and a total weight of over 100 t. Others may have a volume of just of a few hundred litres. Advanced designs and special high-strength weld able steel grades make our vessels your first choice. They are designed to the requirements of any LDPE licensor and can be integrated seamlessly into the connecting piping and valves. Heat exchangers Heat exchangers are either of the double-pipe type like the tubular reactor or are multi-tube exchangers and are very appropriate for the 300 - 500 bar range. Multi-tube heat exchangers in that pressure range are used as recycle-gas, product or compressor interstage coolers. They can be protected against corrosion by seakaphen or copper cladding. The tube-to-sheet welding is carried out with great care in two passes in order to allow for the highest safety and fatigue resistance of that joint. We provide both the mechanical and thermal design of these exchangers.

Multi-tube heat exchanger

HP separator 12 m3, PN-325

HP separator 18 m3, PN-500

Intercooler PN-1,600, DN-24

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Services Reliable for the Whole Service Life

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Long-term partnership High-technology equipment needs high-quality services in order to be successful. Our dealings with our customers do not end once we have sold a component or system. Instead, it is the start of a long-term partnership. It begins with the installation or the installation-supervision service. Only equipment which is installed properly and tested will ensure you a smooth start-up of your new production unit. Then, think of training and education. It is common knowledge today how important that part is for the successful operation of critical equipment. Over the years that you use our equipment, you will probably come to appreciate our maintenance and inspection service. Spare parts The single most critical factor for you to operate our equipment for many years to come is the availability of spare parts. And we guarantee this. We still deliver parts for machines which are over 60 years old and we will still be in the marketplace when many others will already have disappeared.

Our equipment documentation makes it easy for you to order the right spare parts. We make sure that you always get high-quality parts which fit and comply with the latest technical industrial standards. For many parts, we will maintain an inventory for you, e.g. high pressure tubes, packings and other critical components. Engineering services The engineering for the initial installation of an LDPE reactor system is frequently carried out by an engineering contractor. But what if, later on, you need to investigate modifications to high pressure equipment or failure causes? Our design department will be glad to help out with piping-flexibility analysis, finite-element analysis, vibration analysis or, for example, with steel-structure design and analysis.

Autofrettaging service

Engineering services

Spare parts

LDPE Plant Improvement Conference

Uhde High Pressure Technologies GmbH Buschmuehlenstr. 20 58093 Hagen Telefon 02331 967-0 Fax 02331 967-370 www.uhde-hpt.com info@uhde-hpt.com

gzd-empeer 06/2012, technical modifications reserved